Now is a difficult time to be a senior in college. By which I mean it is a terrible time to look for a job. The dreaded what are you doing after college question has now changed into “You’re going to try to get a job? NOW? Good luck.” While I envy my peers who are heading for graduate school, I, and many others, must brave the job market in a time when the President recently declared “Our entire economy is in danger.” Those words sent chills to our previously optimistic hearts.
I shouldn’t complain though, because at least I wasn’t planning on doing investment banking. I know too many friends who majored in econ because it would help them get well-paid i-banking jobs… not so much anymore. One of my friends was working on her cover letters for Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch when they ceased to exist. Now she’s not sure if there are any investment banking jobs left.
I recently met with my college advisor to discuss career options. I shared with him my desire to go into online marketing or business development in the Bay Area. He basically said I shouldn’t be choosy and should try to get any job available. His pessimism (hopefully not just realism) made me worry, and certainly I am not alone in this. Are these really the worst of times?