This year's crop of college graduates can expect an unusually tough job search in the coming months due to thousands of layoffs nationwide and increasing competition. Philip Gardner, an employment specialist at Michigan State University, told the Chicago Tribune recently that the current job market "doesn't look good," especially for new graduates. Gardner predicted that hiring of entry-level employees will fall by about 8% - and even more so depending on how bad the economy gets. Worse, Gardner expects some industries that particularly appeal to entry-level workers, such as marketing and sales, are projected to see hiring drop by as much as 14% and 20%, respectively. "Those are what I call the backup jobs for a lot of students, and they're just getting creamed right now," Gardner told the Tribune. However, signs aren't all bad for new workers. Gardner also noted that previous economic downturns, such as the one at the beginning of this decade, actually saw larger drops in entry-level hiring. Gardner also said that the retiring Baby Boom generation and newly emerging fields like green energy are helping to create new job opportunities. New career seekers are also advised to try to boost their hiring chances by starting their job search as soon as possible.  |