- Congratulations graduands.
- To my fellow graduates, congratulations.
- [Narrator] This year's college graduates
weather the pandemic storm and their reward, jobs.
Job openings in the US topped 8 million in March
for the first time ever, according to the labor department.
- In every single industry we look at
hiring was up 69% year over year.
This is an incredible time to be looking for a job.
Hiring is at pre-pandemic levels now.
- [Narrator] The catch, getting those jobs
is extremely competitive.
- College graduates last year or younger workers
who are 20 to 24 years old
were terminated at a rate 79% higher than older workers.
And so new grads who are entering the workforce
are gonna face competition
from this younger group of workers
who bore the brunt of the recession.
- [Narrator] For some graduating students hunting for jobs,
the competition can be overwhelming.
- You might not believe me but I would say
I submitted close to 500 applications.
- My roommates and I have collectively applied to,
I mean like thousands at this point,
because it almost gets to the point
where you get a little, not I won't say desperate,
but you get worried.
- [Narrator] At the same time, many companies say,
they are struggling to find qualified workers to hire.
And as some companies retool their workforce,
there's an increased demand for younger workers.
As hiring continues to surge,
how should the class of 2021 approach the job market?
- There is a lot of hiring going on
and there are companies who are very eager
to get the best employees and to invest
in this kind of talent.
- [Narrator] Daniel Roth is the editor in chief of LinkedIn.
The professional social media network
with over 750 million users.
- The industries where we're seeing the most growth
are any ones that have to do with either moving you around
or keeping you healthy or helping you be able to do things
no matter where you're located.
- [Narrator] According to LinkedIn, the top industry
with the most entry-level openings
is transportation and logistics.
Followed by healthcare, software and IT services,
retail and consumer goods.
Other industries weren't so lucky.
According to Gusto, a payroll and benefits company,
tourism, accommodations, and arts and entertainment
saw the lowest growth compared to March 2020.
Luke Pardue, an economist with Gusto says,
getting that first job for a recent grad
can have a big impact on their future.
- There's a whole body of economic research
that demonstrates the first job that you take
right out of college has important implications
and can determine the trajectory
of your earnings and your career path.
So finding a job that is booked the right fit for you,
and can allow you to grow your skills,
will have a lasting impact later in life,
and later in your career.
- [Narrator] Natalie Pawlowski is still trying
to land that first job.
She's graduating in may from Cornell University
and has been interviewing for jobs
in the financial services industry for months.
- It's very exhausting to have to continue
starting the process again,
and preparing for these interviews,
and that stress that comes with taking these interviews
and speaking to people at these companies
and getting so far to find out that, you know,
you came so close, however you didn't make it.
And you have to start right back again.
- [Narrator] The good thing for Natalie
and students like her,
is that it seems like she's looking in the right place.
According to Handshake,
a job search site for college students,
financial services is the number one industry
hiring the class of 2021.
- So just in the past month of April,
we were up 209% for 2021 postings as compared to 2020.
And when you go back and even compare it to 2019,
we're still up about 48%.
So things are certainly coming back,
and that is very promising for our students.
- [Narrator] Christine Cruzvergara, an executive
at Handshake, says students need to be flexible
in the ways they think about their careers.
- So they may have come into school,
thinking they would go into certain industries
or a certain job function,
and the pandemic has sort of shown them
that either that industry may not be so hot right now,
or they might wanna think about a different way
to apply their skill.
- [Narrator] Melissa Sarmiento-Alvarez
took that advice to heart.
She studied social relations and policy at Michigan State.
After completing a remote internship
at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau last summer,
she broadened her search beyond government roles.
- I interviewed with a few companies
that I was the only policy student
in a whole group of business students
and they almost liked that, they were like,
you know what, not like in a rude way, but like
"what are you doing here?
"Like why are you interested in a sales position
"if you studied social policy?"
And it's because I felt that if I entered a different field,
a different realm, that maybe I would stand out more.
So that's what I did and I think it helped me
later on in my search.
- [Narrator] Both handshake and LinkedIn
have additional advice for recent grads.
Lean on your networks.
- It is a tough job market, and while jobs are rebounding,
I know the competition is hard, but it is doable.
And the real thing that you can focus on
is controlling your sphere of influence through
- We know through our data you are four times more likely
to get a job through your network
than through any other method, so, exploit that.
You gotta make connections.
You have to go and find people.
You have to email people.
- [Narrator] Melissa recently landed a job
as an investment specialist trainee
at Bank of America in Florida.
Eventually, she plans to move,
but for now, like so many jobs,
it will be completely remote.
- Just having some sort of security is a relief.
It's such a huge relief.
And like having a company that's like willing
to take you on board and say like,
"Okay, like let's see what you can offer,
"like, let's see what you can bring to the table,"
like that's really exciting too.
(gentle music)