A college degree was once regarded as a golden ticket to a great career. Not anymore, according to a new report from job platform Monster.com
As the economy remains continues to flounder, recent college graduates that have been close attention to job market reports are scared and dimly realistic about their futures.
According to the report, about 3 in 4 graduates (74%) said they’re worried about economic conditions. As HR Dive points out, while the majority of respondents told Monster they’re confident they’ll land a job, 79% of soon-to-be-college graduates still expressed fears around security and stability.
“Even more sobering, about half of graduates say they don’t expect to find a job at their top companies,” the report says. “Graduates are worried about the economic conditions, but their confidence in receiving a job offer shortly after graduation is up compared to last year. A whopping 88% of the rising workforce is confident they will receive a job offer soon, increasing from 2022’s 81% of Graduates. And while confidence in landing a role has increased, the new workforce anticipates they will have to make compromises during the hunt. The majority think employers have the upper hand, causing 88% to apply for a job they knew was not the right fit out of desperation, growing from only 44% in 2021.”
According to the report, grads are compromising on some wants they had for their work experience, including their level of diversity.
“Fewer graduates are prioritizing diversity in the workplace,” the report said. “Compared to 57% in 2022, 42% would turn down a job at a company that doesn’t offer a diverse workforce and leadership team.”
The full report can be found here.