Virus adds uncertainty for future of new grads
Companies rescinding internships, putting students’ careers on hold
LOS ANGELES— Mia Maloney had what every college senior wants: a cool paid internship in her field secured months before graduation.
The University of Southern California senior had accepted her dream role as a marketing intern at a record label in Nashville that represents some of her favourite artists. Then it was gone. Because of the uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, the company called her in March and rescinded its offer.
Worse yet, it wasn’t even the first time this had happened to her. Two weeks earlier, a similar company had revoked Maloney’s first internship offer for the same reason.
“It’s heartbreaking,” she said. “You can’t blame them for making these tough decisions in such an unprecedented time, but it’s unfortunate to be on the receiving end of it.”
Now as Maloney, 21, finishes her final semester online in her childhood bedroom in the Bay Area town of Alamo, Calif., she’s staring down the graduation date that heralds her entrance into this coronavirus-wrecked economy, for which her years of school did not prepare her.
This job market is tough even for the most experienced workers. For those trying to launch a new career, it’s even more daunting.
“It’s the worst thing I have ever seen,” said Jane Oates, who served as the U.S. Department of Labor’s assistant secretary for employment and training in the Obama administration. “They are about to enter the employment market at a time when absolutely nobody knows what to predict.”
Those who do land jobs after graduating during a recession tend to start at lower salaries than their counterparts whose careers start in good economies. And they don’t catch up quickly: For white men who graduated during the 1980s recession, lower wages persisted for a decade or more, according to research by Lisa B. Kahn, who is now an economics professor at the University of Rochester.
A recession can also slow graduates’ career progressions, making them take less prestigious jobs and wait longer for promotions, said Emily Bianchi, associate professor of organization and management at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. During the Great Recession, nearly half of college graduates in the early stages of their careers were underemployed, according to a report by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
The uncertainty of how long the effects will last may complicate the prospects for new graduates.
“It’s hard to know how long this recovery will take, whether things are going to snap back into place or whether it’s going to take a little bit longer,” said Amanda Stansell, senior economic research analyst at the job-search website Glassdoor. “That’s going to have different ramifications for new grads finding a job, getting paid fairly, those sorts of things.”
Imminent graduates face an uphill battle on two fronts, Oates said. There are fewer jobs available, creating more competition. And whenever jobs return, she said, companies will most likely rehire the talent they originally let go.
Samantha Herrera Fuentes Davila, a senior at UC Santa Barbara, said she’s been adjusting her approach. The 22-yearold sociology major is interested in public health and energy, and she dreams of working in administration for the United Nations.
But after seeing some friends’ parents lose jobs at businesses that were deemed not essential during the pandemic, she broadened her search. She began looking for positions at companies whose services have seen a recent surge in demand, such as streaming video firms.
“I’m trying to be a lot smarter about it,” she said. “I don’t know how necessary my interests are, and unless I work for one of those companies, I think I would probably be stuck at home not having a job.”
Spencer Petty, a USC senior, said she is still processing how this will change her job-search strategy. The 22-year-old is seeking a career in sales and marketing and most recently completed an internship at KABC-TV Channel 7 in Los Angeles. She said she has applied for at least 25 positions — and that the companies all either rejected her or haven’t responded.
Her parents and other mentors told her not to expect the perfect job right after graduation. The current economic situation makes that advice even more relevant, she said.
“I’ve had these amazing internships and I’ve seen my dream jobs,” Petty said. “Now, I’m trying to face reality that I’m not going to be there immediately ... I need to take whatever is available and just get some experience under my belt.”
Suzanne Alcantara, director of career development at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, said she advised students in the Great Recession to expand their skill sets and professional networks. Those methods apply now, too, she said. Maloney and Petty have both talked with USC alumni, and both spend time perfecting their LinkedIn profiles and resumes. Oates said those measures are prudent, and said students should also consider learning new skills, such as coding.
“If you show a prospective employer that you didn’t just sit around and waste time between your classes in this incredibly difficult time, but also added these credentials to your portfolio, you’ll be showing that you had the grit and resilience that you are looking for in an employee,” she said.
While many notable companies, such as Disney and Yelp, have rescinded internship offers, 75 per cent of employers in a survey administered by UCLA in March said they are still hiring. AT&T, IBM, Deloitte and Bank of America are some companies who confirmed to the Times that they will still honour internship and job offers.
Maloney said she’s hopeful her situation will change soon. But it’s undeniable, she said, that things are a little uncertain: “It’s definitely a tough time to get your foot in the door.”