The workforce is undergoing dramatic changes. According to a recent “60 Minutes" report, the number of Americans quitting their jobs is higher than ever. The Great Resignation is creating challenges for employers in just about every industry across the country and around the world as staff and leaders depart—some for other jobs and many for a different way of life altogether.
This means employers are seeking talent. Enter the class of 2022.
This means employers are seeking talent. Enter the class of 2022.
Bryant graduates with 21st century skills—including finance, accounting, data analytics, information systems, digital marketing, communication, and design thinking—are in high demand. Couple these Bryant-specific skills with the real-world career competencies sought after by employers, and Bryant candidates enjoy a competitive advantage when it comes to finding a right-fit position this spring. We estimate from our records and anecdotal data that about 200 or nearly 27% of Bryant seniors have already secured their post-graduation jobs with a full semester to go till Commencement.
According to the recent National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) 2022 Jobs Outlook Report, there’s an expected uptick of some 26% in hires this year over last year.
According to the recent National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) 2022 Jobs Outlook Report, there’s an expected uptick of some 26% in hires this year over last year. Karin Kimbrough, chief economist at LinkedIn, who was interviewed for the "60 Minutes" segment, notes, “There is one person hired every 15 seconds right now on LinkedIn.”
This is a great year to be entering the employment market if one has prepared well and engages in the process with some humility and gumption. These seemingly opposing qualities will serve graduates throughout their lives.
I often get asked, “what are the most important things for students, to keep in mind when job searching?” One thing to keep in mind is that searching for employment is not transactional, nor is it a process of checking off the boxes of real or perceived qualifications. And, it’s not as simple as flooding the market with applications, which is a sure way to experience demoralization and frustration. A strategic, honest, and carefully crafted approach to applying for jobs is the way to go.
Experience. Preparation. Authenticity.
One thing for certain is that experience pays. According to NACE, employers for the past three years have rated internships, especially internships aligned with the industry in which the students are seeking employment, as the most influential factor when reviewing applicants.
Experiential learning is one of hallmarks of the Bryant education. More than 84% of Bryant students complete at least one internship, with a strategic goal to move to 100% in the next three years. This real-world experience is a strong contributor to successful student outcomes. In addition, 99% of Bryant students obtain a position or enroll in graduate school within six months of graduation.
Preparation is key when securing a position...
Preparation is key when securing a position, and that means much more than graduating with a diploma in hand. It means developing the needed skills employers seek and entry-level positions require, being able to articulate the skills developed, and knowing how to apply those skills in the positions to which one applies. It also means authentically presenting oneself as a viable candidate, not only in terms of knowledge, skills, and abilities, but also in character. All too often, recruiters encounter over-confident applicants who don’t have the skills but assume their confidence will carry them. Employers simply can’t afford to make bad hires; among other costs, it costs money, reputation, and time. Universities also can’t offer ill-prepared candidates, for the very same reasons.
The Bryant educational experience offers students comprehensive access to learning experiences, inside and outside the classroom, to develop the career competencies that employment recruiters rate as important. Recently, NACE asked employers to rate the importance of the applicant career competencies listed in Figure 1. Importance was rated on a 5-point scale; the percentage reported are the “very important” or “extremely important” ratings, combined.
Bryant’s curriculum, a unique integration of business, liberal arts, and STEM, is delivered by dedicated faculty who engage in active learning approaches that include case studies, real-world challenges, simulations, competitions, consulting projects, financial portfolio management, attempting to solve the world’s “wicked problems,” and more. Bryant’s academic excellence, immersive experiential learning opportunities, and rich fabric of student life and leadership opportunities help students become highly competitive, real-world-ready candidates that employers competitively seek.
All of this reshuffling leaves openings and pathways to opportunity for new graduates who will have to navigate some tumultuous landscapes that will continue to shift for the foreseeable future.
Changing landscape
Let’s dig a bit more into the shifts we’re seeing in the job market and why it’s a good time for savvy, hardworking graduates to find opportunity. There are number of factors causing the “Great Resignation” trend or what I prefer to call “the great reshuffle” (not my phrase, but I like it). Many older employees, prompted by the pandemic and other more positive market forces, have opted for retirement. There’s also been a recent wave of early-to-mid career job changers who have shifted roles mid-stream, often making career decisions often based on personal values and life purpose, something career professionals typically advocate as these factors lead to longer-term and meaningful career success. In addition, new opportunities have opened up as many are leaving their jobs, shifting to other positions within industry, or even changing their career paths entirely. Finally, there’s the growing acceptance amongst employers of hybrid and remote work solutions, which expands opportunities to more candidates in a broader geographic range. Positive forces, for sure.
There are also some not-so-positive factors causing the “big quit.” Some studies, including the recent MIT Sloan Management Review study (Jan. 11, 2022), have revealed that factors causing the “great reshuffle” include toxic work environments; employees at all levels not feeling valued; too much organizational “change,” which is often positioned as “innovation”; unclear, disorganized, “organization-first” approaches to employee safety with regard to COVID-19; and feelings of organizational and employment insecurity given the economic climate caused by the pandemic.
It won’t be easy, but the Class of 2022—with the purpose, passion, and grit they’ve gained through their Bryant education—is up to the task.
Opportunity in adversity
As successful people know, there is opportunity in adversity. All of this reshuffling leaves openings and pathways to opportunity for new graduates who will have to navigate some tumultuous landscapes that will continue to shift for the foreseeable future. One thing a Bryant education teaches students is that change is constant, and that they will need every skill, experience, and lesson learned to create their path to success. Perhaps this new generation is just what is needed to address the complex challenges ahead. It won’t be easy, but the Class of 2022—with the purpose, passion, and grit they’ve gained through their Bryant education—is up to the task.
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About Kevin Gaw, Ph.D.
Dr. Kevin Gaw, Executive Director of the Amica Center for Career Education at Bryant University, is an advocate for student success and makes himself available to Bryant students for consultations and work on special career-oriented projects. Before coming to Bryant, he was Senior Director of University Career Services at Georgia State University. He also is a counseling psychologist who has provided mental health services at college counseling centers, including the University of Nevada, Reno, and Missouri University of Science and Technology. Dr. Gaw earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara; an M.A. in Education from San José State University; and a B.A. in Anthropology and Southeast Asian Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
