The job outlook for our Spring, 2012 college graduates is looking up, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
Apparently, the companies surveyed project they will hire 10.2 percent more graduates in 2012 than they did in 2011. Indeed, hiring is up overall, with this being the second consecutive year in which employers have adjusted their hiring expectations upward.
As far as hopeful trends go, this one’s right up there; after four hideous years for job seekers, we’ll take even the most modest uptick.
Finally, then, there’s reason for encouragement. In the spirit of the season, Hallelujah!
But, if we know nothing else from the recent recession, we’ve learned that there are no guarantees.
There was a time, in the not too distant past, when job security, generous benefits and funded retirement were practically birthrights and a college degree was the ticket in.
Not so, anymore, on any of those counts.
Now, despite the much ballyhooed upward trend in hiring, there simply won’t be enough jobs to satisfy the Class of 2012, as we still haven’t absorbed the class of 2011 and even the class of 2010.
Plus, there are other realities that the little darlings of we-the-one percent have to recognize: there are tougher, more resilient, hungrier, harder working and, yes, more appreciative candidates also competing for the same jobs. As examples, I give you:
* International students who are not only coming out of school with more desirable skills and degrees but also understand the notions of continual learning and betterment.
These are the kids who go the extra mile to find out what it will take to succeed.
* Returning veterans, who present with unparalleled work ethic, mission-focus, maturity, professionalism and humility. There is no belly-aching here.
No premature expectation of the ephemeral “work/life balance” or a corner office.
If I were a hiring manager in the New Normal of this forever changed business environment and had to choose between our flabby grads and the gym-fit internationals or basic-trained vets…well, no brainer, I’m afraid.
Ah, but wait.
Our kids have us to grease the skids, cash-in favors and strong-arm employers (yes, all too often parents confront employers when they don’t like: how long junior works, how much he’s paid, his boss, his responsibilities — you fill in the blank) so what’s the big deal?
The big deal is that this is serious business for a couple of reasons. First, and I continue to bang this drum, is that we’re not only doing our young adult children a disservice but we’re severely disabling them by managing their lives and managing the process. Instead, we should be readying them to go it on their own, with skills, perspective, creativity, resourcefulness and resilience, hallmarks of the much-coveted critical thinking so necessary for career success.
We create fully formed, contributing members of society when we prepare (and allow) them to separate, which requires us to resist the urge to live for them or through them.
Second, it’s an extreme act of hubris to think that, because employers are hiring again, we can exhale.
Not so. The truth is that we’re facing a newly imagined global marketplace with emerging economies poised to eat our lunch. Simply put, our incoming workforce is just not up to the task of competing on a global scale. And this seriously worries me.
The other truth is that colleges aren’t doing an adequate job of preparing our kids for the rigors and requirements of the 21st Century.
It’s taken four years, some shock therapy and talk of mandated proficiency tests for colleges to own this.
Just (voluntarily) administering standardized assessments, though, isn’t a remedy unless the results inform profound changes to what and how our future leaders, innovators and problem solvers are educated.
We can’t wait for that particular worm to turn, as our grads need help now.
At this point, we’ve given them everything: now it’s time to give them the critical skills they need to succeed.
I’m not talking about writing a resume or crafting a cover letter or acing an interview: those are merely tools.
Nope, what I’m talking about is getting a competitive edge by developing superb communication skills, a business-like presence, a proactive mindset, contextual thinking and a professional work ethic — all in the service of outstanding performance leading to career success.
This doesn’t happen overnight but it must be jump-started in real time.
So immediately after graduation, your grads can get in shape with my new six week “coaching gym” that combines skill-centric group mentoring, individual laser coaching and unlimited email access. Small bites, big results.