Workplace 2003: What's Next For Graduating Seniors?
By Julianne Malveaux

As the University of Michigan affirmative action cases snake their way through the Supreme Court deliberation process, many students are concerned not just with getting into college, but what happens when they get out? Those graduating in 2003 face an economy far more sluggish than the one that young people encountered just a year ago. And it's a far cry from the brisk job market of 1999 when some undergraduates in highly technical fields were being wooed to work with signing bonuses.

Now, with the overall unemployment rate at 5.8 percent (in March), and 10.8 percent for African Americans, many Black college graduates will take longer than their White counterparts to find employment. Reasons for the differences in job search are partly a function of undergraduate major and activities. Part of it is a function of the different resources that some young people bring to the job search process. While some come armed with a set of contacts, others lack the "hookup" to get a foot into the door. The affirmative action issue is as important in hiring as it is in education, because it levels the contact playing field and casts a wider net to provide opportunities for all graduating seniors qualified to work.

Even with affirmative action, most see the 2003 job market as a rough one. Fewer people will be hired than last year, and entry-level salaries aren't likely to go up much. More students who want to work for nonprofits will be offered unpaid internships that may turn into jobs, and many will scramble for volunteer opportunities to beef up a résumé. But those young people who have to work for a living may find themselves working out of their area of expertise.

Those looking for work in financial services firms, communications service companies, or computer equipment manufacturers may find the most challenges. These are the firms that are reluctantly laying off experienced workers. Other companies are bringing in new workers because they thrive on the energy of new talent. They aren't necessarily paying more, but they are providing opportunities and a foot in the door for those who can hang on until the economy turns around.