Less job openings available for grads

It's been worse than a "don't call us, we'll call you" kind of year for job seekers. Many students looking to get a start on their careers haven't even gotten a chance to be rejected by potential employers. Instead of flocking to campus as in past years, head hunters looking for able-bodied students to fill entry-level positions have become scarcer and scarcer at the University during this year's recession. According to Career Planning and Placement Service Director Patricia Rose, the number of job recruiters that came to campus to hire non-MBA students dropped almost nine percent from last year. And Rose said that MBA recruiting experienced an even greater decrease. She added that these figures don't show the whole picture behind the hiring crunch, noting that even fewer students are getting interviewed by each company, leaving many students without a thing to do with their degree. And permanent positions for graduates aren't the only jobs being cut during the current economic slow-down. Undergraduates are also getting fewer offers for summer internships, according to CPPS Assistant Director Deb Gould, who coordinates summer jobs and internships. She said that while the number of job listings is "certainly comparable to previous years," many of those companies "are not making as many offers as in the past." Qualified students who were counting on summer positions for experience and a little extra cash are finding themselves squeezed out of the market. "Honestly, I'm extremely discouraged," said Wharton sophomore Linda Pressel, who has applied for 35 summer positions and has yet to receive a "solid offer." Pressel said that the scope of job opportunities has narrowed, with recruiters this year looking for students skilled in finance, accounting and insurance. She is searching for a position in marketing or advertising. College senior Jackie Grimm, who has yet to find a job but has interviews set up in San Francisco, said that she is "discouraged" by news of hiring freezes, adding that her search is even harder because of her liberal arts background. "All of my Wharton friends are getting jobs," Grimm said. "Most of my College friends don't have jobs [or] are going to school." She also said she feels the recruiting processes at CPPS are "geared toward" Wharton students. CPPS Director Rose said that the recession is at least partially to blame for the depleted job situation, but added that she is "confident" students will be hired once the economy picks up. "We hope the economy will pull out of the recession soon and hiring will pick up a little bit in the summer," she said. Rose added that while positions may be harder to find, "students are still getting jobs." She also said that graduates-to-be should not be completely discouraged because "a lot of [jobs] turn up late -- especially smaller employers." Gould said that although she senses that the entire process is more difficult this year, she is "not pessimistic."

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