Despite the slowdown in traffic and their own internal budget cuts, most career counselors seem undaunted.
“We have to be positive,” says Bossman-Anderson. The job market “is not good but it’s not hopeless.”
The one bright light on the horizon in recent weeks has been recruiting and hiring by federal agencies, some counselors say.
Morehouse reports an increase in federal government agency recruiting, slightly offsetting the slowdown in private employer presence. Coppin State reports a “bump” in recruiting by such federal agencies as the FBI, IRS and Social Security Administration. Last fall, the Department of Energy hosted a daylong The National Energy and Career Expo, its first, at the Marriott LAX for students and faculty at Los Angeles-area colleges. The goal was to showcase green energy jobs and careers.
The only downside of seeking a federal job, says one counselor, is the paperwork, and the application process can overwhelm some students.
“Fewer jobs are out there; however, jobs are being offered,” says Bowie. “We’re urging them (students) not to give up.”
