OCP is monitoring economic and hiring trends nationwide and we are in regular communication with employer partners. We know you are in close communication with students who may be feeling uneasy or overwhelmed as they make decisions and post-graduation plans, and we want to share with you some highlights of what we are learning:
Hiring and employment trends:
Employers are engaged with OCP and are continuing to schedule virtual events with us. Encourage students to check Handshake for a current event schedule.
Insights from NACE & the Handshake platform:
- The majority of employers nationwide are sticking to their standard recruiting schedule for 2020-2021 and plan to recruit virtually for the entire academic year. Smaller employers are more likely to be moving toward “just-in-time” hiring schedules.
- For the Class of 2021, many employers are still deciding on their hiring plans and will hire depending on how the economy evolves. Overall, the southeastern region has not been hit economically as hard as other regions though the job market for new graduates has shifted downward. According to Milken’s annual Best-Performing Cities Index, Raleigh’s economy is ranked 5th best-performing in the U.S. — positive news for graduates eager to stay in the local area.
- The Computer Services & Development, and Scientific Research (biological, physical, clinical, social) industries project increased bachelors level hiring.
- Employers are increasingly looking to technology to connect with candidates and heavily relying on platforms like Handshake and LinkedIn. In response to the pandemic, many employers nationwide are increasing their virtual presence and opening their events to a wider number of colleges and universities, giving students access to employers that are ordinarily unable to make in-person visits to Meredith. In addition to a number of employer events hosted specifically by OCP this semester, students can view and attend information sessions and meet-and-greets hosted by employers such as Target, PepsiCo, Amazon, Capital One, and more.
While spring employer recruiting may look differently than previous semesters, OCP continues to commit to creating equitable recruiting processes on behalf of our students and alumnae. This includes ensuring that job, internship, and interview opportunities are vetted, shared widely, and made accessible to all students and alumnae via Handshake, our centralized recruiting platform. We follow and ask that our employer partners abide by the Principles for Ethical Professional Practice as established by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
What students can be doing now to continue planning for their career:
- Continue their plans while managing expectations. This pandemic will pass, and when it does, organizations will need employees. Encourage students to think broadly about their skills and how they can be applied. COVID-19 is fueling the gig work economy. Students may wish to consider gig work – temporary or part-time roles in their field of interest. There are jobs out there, they just may not be what was expected.
- Engage virtually. Employers have very little bandwidth right now; students can make it easy for employers to find them online. This is a perfect time to improve and complete their Handshake and LinkedIn profiles.
- Seek targeted campus and community resources. The OCP team has compiled a digestible resource for students to navigate everything career-related in a remote and virtual world, which is available to all students, all majors on Handshake. Networking will continue to be the most effective tool for job and internship seeking. Talk with students about building and renewing strategic relationships.
OCP staff are available for consultation; please let us know how we can support you and your students. We will continue to communicate with you as economic and workforce trends evolve. Students can make appointments via Handshake. Contact us: career@meredith.edu | 919.760.8341
Sources: Milken’s Best-Performing Cities 2021: Foundations for Growth and Recovery; NACE Job Outlook 2021 Report; Recruiting Trends 2020-2021, Collegiate Employment Research Institute
