College Graduates Are Turning to Temp Agencies For Their First Big Break

College Graduates Are Turning To Temp Agencies For Their First Big Break

Written by Regan Kohler

The optimists are saying the recession is losing the race. The numbers are looking especially good for college graduates, if reports are to be believed, with employers likely to hire 19 percent more new graduates this year.

This prediction comes from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, who conducted a survey in April that concluded this is the first year since 2007 there is a “double-digit increase” in spring hiring.

Still, conflicting reports say graduates are facing a tough market in 2011, made more competitive by the fact that the older population is returning to work. Graduates are being encouraged to visit temp agencies as a jump-off point for their job searches.
The Seamless Workforce references a Michigan State University Collegiate Employment Research Institute study, where blogger Anna McMenamin found that 76 percent of employers who didn’t hire new graduates in 2010 were highly unlikely to hire any this year, either.

McMenamin, who reports on workforce trends for The Seamless Workforce’s blog, points to the staffing industry as a valuable resource for new graduates, saying this industry has grown while others are experiencing downfall in new jobs.
“With the possibility that temporary employment could become the new norm in the workforce, it is an avenue that can’t be overlooked by today’s young workers,” McMenamin said.

Graduates flocked to temp agencies throughout the recession, according to a survey released by Adecco Staffing US. Nineteen percent of these graduates, dubbed Generation R (recession graduates coming out of college between 2006 and 2010), were seeking temporary employment not long after leaving school.

William E. Burns, of the Marietta Times, discourages graduates from “mindlessly” applying to job postings on sites like CareerBuilder, saying instead that working for a temp agency will increase the chances of eventually finding a permanent job by building your resume, giving you an advantage over an unemployed applicant with the same degree.

Burns said temp agencies could be especially valuable to those holding freshly inked degrees in engineering and technical fields.

Tyler Coates, however, mentions in his blog that temp agencies have been a source for graduates with humanities degrees. After discovering his English major was useless in the face of those carrying business degrees, Coates visited 11 temp agencies.
He feels they were generally unsuccessful in finding him a permanent job, though he still recommends that graduates to go this route.

No matter the economic climate, it seems college graduates have at least one longstanding option when it comes to job seeking.

(This article was originally published on www.staffingtalk.com.)