While Minnesota added the most new jobs in a month during August than it has in more than two years, it's still a challenging market for many new college graduates.
Some had their first real job lined up before graduating in May, but others are still mired in frustration with each new rejection.
State Career Force Supervisor Sara Garbe with the Mn Department of Employment and Economic Development says it's more important than ever for new grads to specifically tailor their applications and resumes to match the position they're applying for.
"It's something that is becoming more important as employers utilize applicant tracking software or systems, and utilizing that technology to parse out key attributes of an individual who is applying for a job," Garbe explains.
Garbe says even though a new graduate might not have much work experience to highlight, things like campus involvement and volunteer work still hold a lot of weight with potential employers.
"Those things do still hold weight in the job interview and being able to show that you're eager to learn new skills and new tasks," Garbe explains. "I think that can go a long way in lieu of having work experience that another person might have."
Garbe says even if a grad's first job isn't ideal, just getting a foot in the door at a solid company can often translate into a more desirable position.
According to the most recent National Association of College Employers survey, hiring projections for new college grads are down 5.8 percent over last year. That's a big difference from the pandemic years when companies struggled just to get enough applicants for open positions.
“When taken in the context of coming off historic hiring that followed the pandemic, and in light of industry’s impact on the hiring outlook, the overall drop in hiring for the Class of 2024 is neither unexpected nor necessarily dire,” says Shawn VanDerziel, NACE’s president and chief executive officer.