Tesar-Reynes

A story in the Journal, “Graduating with a Major in Go-Getting,” was published the other day citing some interesting stats for recent graduates. According to the story, U.S job openings sank below 3 million in January, and employers who recruit on college campuses expect to hire 22% fewer grads than last year. That’s scary.

I get calls funneled to me sometimes from college students who need to do a short informational interview for a marketing or PR class. The naiveté in their voices amazes me. I don’t blame them. When you were 18, did you really worry about the troubles that face you in adulthood, like career, financial independence and stability?

It’s funny to compare those first-year students to the seniors who call anxiously for internships. Of course, the urgency in the seniors’ voices is apparent. Their desperation that comes through over the phone, due to the unfortunate state of this economy, brings out my greatest sympathies. I wish I could find each and every one of them a job on the spot.

That being said, the situation is what it is. I have this piece of advice for college students. START THINKING AHEAD EARLIER.

As I told a freshman from Columbia yesterday who called for a homework assignment, “It’s really easy to just go to class and manage a decent GPA. What’s going to set you apart is the work you do outside the classroom.”

That includes the tips the Journal recommends, and the advice we try to offer readers on this blog.