Applying for a job after college is always difficult especially after just graduating. There are so many majors that are offered and many students after receiving a degree expect to have a job straight after. In the business world, there are many different subjects to master. Internships and co-ops allow a student to stand-out from its competitors. The Business department is flowing with many graduates who hope to see a light at the tunnel with a job offering after receiving their bachelor’s degree.
At Cabrini College, there were over 66 graduates in the Business Department in 2012. Chair of the business Dr. Erin McLaughlin offers insight on the job market after graduation for business majors.
“There are no guarantees of a job right after college; however, according to the US Census Bureau, individuals that major in a business-related field experience the second lowest unemployment rate after graduation than any other graduate,” McLaughlin said via email.
When applying for a job after college, it is essential to have qualifications that will help anyone stand out from their competitors.
“In addition to the number of major specific qualifications that a recent college graduate should have, he/she should also: have strong oral and written communication skills, have strong critical thinking and problem solving skills, be self-motivated, have proficiency in spreadsheet and presentation software and to be creative,” McLaughlin said.
“It was a little difficult getting a job after graduation but because of my networking skills I stayed in contact and built a relationship with people in the past who I knew could recommend me for a job/company or better yet just advice. I landed a job one montb after graduating working in NYC the same company I interned my freshman yr over the summer,” Quiana Volney, 2012 alumna majoring in business administration and minoring in international business and marketing minor, said via email.
The Business major at any university compiles a lot of competitors between employees when applying for a job. There are ways to maximize a student’s chance of getting a job in the business world.
“A student would increase his/her chances of getting a job in a business-related field by having at least one co-op experience during their college career. I strongly suggest that a student take advantage of more than one co-op experience as it helps the student build networking connections while at the same time helping the student determine what specific interests he/she does or does not want to pursue,” McLaughlin said. By deciding to achieve in an internship, it will allow a student to add it onto their resume and show professional experience.
“By being a part of numerous amounts of internships, it allows someone to stand out from the rest. “I was involved in internships both my junior and senior year. I actually got an early start interning in NYC for 2 months over the summer through a family connection. I knew I wanted to gain exposure to the work life at an early start so I said to myself why not,” Volney said.
In addition, when picking a major to allow a student to stand-out from their other competitors it helps to double it up. This will allow any employer to understand an employee’s capabilities of being aware of two different sections in business.
“There are some majors like Finance and Accounting that naturally go together and the combination helps students have a competitive edge over other recent graduates. Minors, however, are a great way of obtaining exposure to the field of interest while giving students a leg up over other recent graduates,” McLaughlin said.
