July 28th, 2012
The 10 Industries Attracting Top Young Talent

Shanna Houston from Collegestats.org sent this apt article for publication in CCC. We hope you find it as interesting as we do, enjoy reading it…

Listening to experts, employers, and students, the current economic climate offers current graduates little in the way of job opportunities. With an overall unemployment rate of 8.1% at the time of this writing, a kernel of truth certainly sits at the center of this grim statement, but not every industry is necessarily closed to up-and-coming workers. Most have obviously taken a hit, but still consistently court and appeal to the younger set, rendering them safer (though not necessarily guaranteed) bets for graduates. In no particular order, the following industries have recently proven themselves something special for America’s promising new employees.

1. Finance:Yes, despite the muddy-at-best economy, positions in investment banking, hedge funds, and consulting still make the young’uns drool. David Brooks with The New York Times explored this phenomenon in May 2012, citing informal talks with Stanford students and recent graduates as an indicator of the appeal. Not only is the money right, they also consider these highly competitive Wall Street (or wannabe Wall Street) positions exactly what NGOs and other poverty-fighting initiatives need … eventually, anyway.
2. Accounting:Money talks, and the accounting industry proves that recent graduates are no mimes (thanks for the figurative language, Electric Six!). Like the closely related finance sector, the industry appeals to relevant majors thanks to a comparatively generous average starting salary — $50,402, according to CNN — and the fact that taxes are pretty much the only certainty in life beyond death and heartbreak doesn’t hurt matters, either. However, employers do seek out applicants with experience, so make sure to work hard at finding an effective internship before graduation.
3. Tech:Of course! A Universum study polling undergraduates from across varying majors revealed Google and Apple as the top two companies with which they hope to score some sweet entry-level jobs, though business and tech students found them especially tantalizing. Their more youth-oriented marketing campaigns (not to mention the former’s legendarily laid-back, accessible, and fun office culture laden with perks) likely solidified their status amongst up-and-coming workers. Both startups and well-established tech corporations would do well to seduce the latest crop of graduates, as they came of age alongside the innovations being tinkered with today.
4. Entertainment:If you can’t have your 15 minutes of fame, you can at least surround yourself with those stapling your allotment to theirs. It’s easy to assume a culture inundated with celebrity obsessions holds sway over graduates’ professional desires, but reality adroitly trumps cynicism in this instance. Disney, one of the most sought-after employers among the recent graduate crowd (BusinessWeek named it a top company to launch a career back in 2006, and its popularity hasn’t waned much), and similar studios offer up opportunities to get creative and contribute to projects millions will adore. Many find the challenges of a constantly shifting project or assignment far more stimulating than some career paths.
5. Social Media:Facebook, specifically, as if there was any doubt in anyone’s mind. The Universum study ranked it as its 12th most appealing company for emerging employees, and its median age of 26 (not to mention generous job satisfaction rate) fully underscores this raging popularity. In fact, Technorati notes that the freedom to tool around on social media stands as a higher priority than raises among youthful workers. Why not eliminate the headache altogether and just try and score a competitive position serving the sites themselves? Visit here to read the rest of the article…

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