Job opportunities and needed skills
According to a new economic study, the global economy is beginning to improve and if you are looking for job, you will have a good chance if you have the right skills. Although local job market may vary from one country to others but 2014 is predicted to be a good year as most companies are hiring to fill many positions that they need but did not fill in the past several years because of the financial crisis.
However this is not the time to make mistake as college graduates often looking for what they want rather than what the hiring company needs. A new study surveyed over five thousands unemployed graduates in six countries found that many of them are still hoping to find jobs in news media, entertainment, arts, music, architect and interior decoration, all of these are not high demand by the current market. The author of the study noted: “It is important for these unemployed to face the reality by find out where the job openings are, which companies are hiring, and what skills are needed to get jobs rather than continue with an illusion of getting what you want or based on what your degree is. Unemployed graduates need to spend time on self-assessment to determine their interests, their skills and what can they offer then compare to what the job market needed. They must ask “Is there a gap between what they need and what I can offer?” What skills do I need to get the job?” This is not the time to be choosy but an opportunity to get employed.
Based on survey data, the author found 68% of unemployed graduates did not have the needed skills which point to the basic issue of selecting the field of study as many of them would have done better if they had studied different fields such as science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) which are in high demand rather than fields such as social, arts, music or entertainments. The author wrote: “You cannot run the Marathon unless you have been training and you cannot think about having a good job unless you have the needed skills.”
Selecting the field of study in college is very important. Certain fields had better chance of finding a job that relates to their degrees. For example students who study science, technology or engineering are most likely to find jobs related to their degree, while area such as literature, arts, music or entertainment are least likely to do so. Today going back to school to learn different skills offer the better chance in employment and it could be the best option for many unemployed graduates. Without retraining for a new skill, many may stay on the unemployment line or work in lower-paying jobs for a long time.
Sources
- Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University
