AfterCollege Student Insight Survey

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AfterCollege 2017-2018 Student Insight Survey www.

2 Contents Survey Overview. 3 Research Findings 4 Good outlook for 2018 grads 4 The job search process 11 Parents and teachers a strong influence. 18 What matters to job seekers. 23 Participant Profiles Recommendations For Employers About AfterCollege

3 Survey Overview About This Survey AfterCollege conducts an annual survey to gauge how job seekers in the entry-level category, including students, recent graduates, and alumni, are undertaking the job search process. This survey, now in its 9 th year, is designed to: Track and analyze current job-search trends Get an accurate depiction of how entry-level job seekers look for employment Chart the most useful and popular job-search channels and compare them to those in previous years Measure the utility of social media and other new tools in the job-search process Gather feedback from job seekers to help employers attract top entry-level talent Methodology The AfterCollege Career Insight Survey was conducted online between April 5 and July 30, We had 2,049 complete and unique respondents out of approximately 44,000 invited students. Invitations to take the survey were distributed via our social media channels, Facebook advertising, AfterCollege and via faculty and administrative contacts. 32% 20% 21% 27% We are confident that this report will give you insights to help you improve your recruiting initiatives. -The AfterCollege Team Undergrad Students College Seniors Grad Students Recent Grads 3

Mixed outlook for 2017-2018 grads Only 31% of college seniors and 27% of graduate students had a job lined up for after graduation, despite a good economy and low unemployment.

4 Mixed outlook for grads Only 31% of college seniors and 27% of graduate students had a job lined up for after graduation, despite a good economy and low unemployment. This may be intentional though, as graduates are taking their time to find the right job and are not jumping in to jobs they don t like. Most active job seekers (61%) reported having 1 or more job interviews in the past 6 months and 47% of these reported having at least one job offer. Having internships didn t necessarily lead to a job for this cohort of survey respondents. 4

5 Job At Graduation Most college seniors did not have jobs lined up, with grad students and recent grads doing better than last year. 31% 27% 44% College Seniors Grad Students Recent Grads 56% 69% 73%! Have a job lined up after graduation! Have a job lined up after graduation! Had a job lined up after graduation 5

Difficulty of Search Finding a job remains a difficult task for

6 Difficulty of Search Finding a job remains a difficult task for entry-level job seekers today, even in a good economy. Most Difficult Part? Choose multiple (Active job seekers) 8% 21% Finding entry-level jobs 49.2% Interview 19.3% 40% Perceived Difficulty of Job/Internship Search (Active job seekers) Deciding where to Apply 16.0% Resume/Cover Letter Prep 14.8% 31% Salary Negotiation 2.0% Very Difficult Difficult Other 7.7% Moderate Easy 6

Internships No correlation between internships and future

College seniors looking for work who had NO internships 10%

7 Internships No correlation between internships and future employability when students start looking right before graduation. College seniors looking for work who had 1+ internships College seniors looking for work who had NO internships 10% 16% Job lined up Upon graduation? (had internships) Yes No Job lined up Upon graduation? (no internships) Yes No 90% 84% 7

8 Internships Most seniors had internships and the majority of these were paid. Number of Internships None 45% 1 31% 37% 2 14% Any Paid Internships? (Had 1+ internship) 3 6% 55% had at least one internship 63% % 2% No Yes 8

9 Job Interviews Over 61% of job seekers had interviews in the past 6 months less than half of those who interviewed got offers. 40% Number of Interviews in Past 6 Months (Active job seekers) Job Offers Received (Active job seekers w/1+ interview) None 53% 1 28% 19% 17% 2 13% 9% 6% 9% 3 4 1% 4% None % 9

10 Most Likely To Succeed A high GPA doesn t necessarily increase chances of landing a job. Men were slightly more likely to be employed than women. Employers appear to be race-neutral in their hiring. Had Job Have A Job Lined Up After Graduation (College Seniors and Graduate Students) By Gender By GPA By Race % of Respondents % of those who had job % of Respondents Had Job % of Respondents Female Male Skipped 3% 2% 32% 38% 59% 66% Above Below 2.0 Don't know 3% 2% 1% 1% 0% 0% 2% 1% 7% 10% 32% 33% Respondents with high GPAs made up a large part of survey, yet did not make up a higher proportion of those landing jobs, as one would expect. 55% 53% Asian/Other Pacific Islander White/Caucasian Alaskan Native/American Indian African American/Black Middle Eastern Hispanic/Latino Other 18.84% 22% 1.93% 2% 9.66% 11% 2.42% 1% 10.63% 11% 6.76% 2% 57.49% 54% 10

11 The job search process Fifty-two percent of students find the job and internship search process to be very difficult or difficult. Forty percent find it to be moderate, a deterioration over last year when few job seekers were having challenges. They see company information sessions and career fairs as good for gathering information but not as good for getting an interview. and job postings are their preferred way to hear about opportunities from employers. 11

Time Frame Job search activity is more concentrated in the Summer before school starts and early Spring. Some start their search in the early Fall.

12 Time Frame Job search activity is more concentrated in the Summer before school starts and early Spring. Some start their search in the early Fall. 30% 28% 30% 23% 24% 20% 17% 7% Summer (before school starts) Early Fall Semester Late Fall Semester Winter/Holiday Break Early Spring Semester Late Spring Semester Summer (after school ends) Other (please specify) 12

13 Job Discovery Job seekers prefer to hear about opportunities via and traditional postings on employer websites and job boards. Preferred Communication Methods with Employers (select up to 3) 74% 50% 46% 27% 27% 9% 2% 13

14 Career Services Students want schools to offer services that enable them to feel knowledgeable about and connected to the working world upon graduation. Students Want School to Offer 56% 54% 53% 32% 31% 30% 29% 28% 24% A focus on getting a job along with academics Professors forwarding jobs Networking opportunities Teachers with business background not just academic Career fairs Alumni support Industry-related speaker presentations in classes Company info sessions Entrepreneurship courses 14

15 How To Facilitate Job seekers want quicker communication from employers. They also want simple job descriptions and interview process. Ways Companies Can Make Application Process Easier 67% 35% 34% 33% 12% Respond to applicants more quickly Make job descriptions less confusing Simplify the interview process Eliminate cover letters Other 15

16 Interviews Job seekers prefer face to face vs. virtual interviews. How would you prefer to interview? In-person on the job site 80.3% Over the phone 14.4% Over a video call 5.3% 16

17 Get Ready to Work Students have a good perception of how college prepares them for the working world. How much do you agree or disagree that colleges prepare students for the working world? Not Sure Yet Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Agree Somewhat Strongly Agree 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 17

18 Parents and teachers a strong influence When considering their job and career-related decisions, respondents are most likely to be influenced by family and teachers. Online job sites and employers web sites are considered the most effective by students for finding work. 18

19 Key Influencers Parents and teachers have the most influence on job seekers career decisions Influence on Job and Career Decisions Weighted Average 19

20 Best Resources Job sites and employer websites are among the best way to find opportunities, followed by networking, talking to professors and friends. Career fairs and social media also ranked prominently 57% 49% Most Effective Resources for Job Search 37% 36% 35% 34% 34% 33% 29% 27% 23% 4% 20

Social Media Job search activity on social media is limited to a few top sites including LinkedIn, school-specific networks, Facebook and YouTube.

21 Social Media Job search activity on social media is limited to a few top sites including LinkedIn, school-specific networks, Facebook and YouTube. Social Media Sites Used For Job Search LinkedIn School network Facebook YouTube Instagram Google plus+ Twitter Snapchat Pinterest Reddit 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Within Past Month Within Past Year Over a Year Never 21

22 Face Time Fewer job seekers have attended company information sessions than career fairs; both resources are good for gathering info and asking questions. Career fairs can be improved by scheduling them around class time. Career Fairs Information Sessions Good way to learn about new companies 49% Don't know never been to one 40% Companies I'm interested in don't attend 33% Good opportunity to ask questions about company 39% Provide quality face time with potential employers 33% Good way to learn about companies of interest 39% I know others who've gotten interviews after attending 32% Provide quality face time with potential employers 28% Scheduled during class, and often can't attend 30% I know others who've gotten interviews after attending 14% So crowded I can't talk to companies of interest 30% They're boring 8% Don't know - never been to one 17% They're too long 7% I've gotten interviews after attending 15% I've gotten an interview after attending 6% 22

What matters to job seekers The most important factors in considering a position after salary are career advancement, work/life balance and flexibility.

23 What matters to job seekers The most important factors in considering a position after salary are career advancement, work/life balance and flexibility. They also value perks like working remotely, regular social activities and a casual dress code. We asked respondents to indicate whether or not they would be willing to consider job opportunities in the government sector. Sixty percent indicated that they would, citing stability, good pay and the ability to make a difference as top reasons. 23

24 Top Considerations Primary considerations during search process are factors that impact quality of life, including work/life balance, flexible schedule and office location. Advancement opportunities are also very important. Most Important Factors For New Position Aside from Salary 68.78% 61.71% 54.59% 53.81% 51.66% 43.54% 40.17% 32.38% 13.98% 9.34% 8.84% 7.90% 4.97% 3.54% 24

Organization Type Job seekers prefer the for-profit sector, as seen by their choice of private and public companies, followed by government and non-profits.

25 Organization Type Job seekers prefer the for-profit sector, as seen by their choice of private and public companies, followed by government and non-profits. Not many of the respondents are eager to work on their own or work for start-ups. Type of Employers Would Consider for Next Job 80% 74% 60% 54% 36% 26% Private company Public company Government agency Non-profit organization Start-up company (pre- IPO) Self employment 25

26 Perceptions of Government Work Job seekers prefer working for the federal government, followed closely by state and then local. A majority agree government offers stable employment and good compensation. Skill mismatch is the main reason job seekers would not work in government. Reasons to Consider Govt. Work Reasons to NOT Consider Govt. Work Stable secure employment 69% Not best use of my skills 50% Offers good compensation Feel like I make a difference Potential for advancement Challenging work 55% 50% 42% 36% Doesn't offer exciting work Don't have strong political beliefs Doesn't offer good compensation 29% 29% 26% Want to do exciting work 32% Would not feel like I'd make a difference 20% Contribute to security of my country Believe it's best use of my skills Appeals to sense of patriotism Others in my family work in govt. 19% 13% 8% 32% Do not have a strong sense of patriotism Doesn't offer potential for advancement Doesn't provide stable secure employment 16% 14% 13% Appeals to political beliefs 6% Doesn't offer challenging work 9% Other 4% Other 18% 26

27 Employer Policies to Lure Candidates Flexible work practices, such as one day of telecommuting, as well as a casual work environment have a positive impact on attracting job seekers. Impact of Policies on Likelihood to Accept Position Ability to work at home one day a week 77% 2% 21% Free snacks/drinks provided 70% 2% 28% Casual dress code 68% 4% 28% Regular social activities - happy hours, meals, parties 67% 4% 29% Pet friendly office 40% 16% 44% No social media access during work 14% 32% 54% Very/Somewhat Positively Very/Somewhat Negative No Impact 27

28 Participant Profiles 28

29 Participation Profile Gender Ethnicity Female Male Other 2% 33% 65% White/Caucasian Asian/Other Pacific Hispanic/Latino African American/ Middle Eastern Alaskan Native/ Other Prefer not to answer 19% 12% 13% 1% 2% 2% 5% 55% Living Situation Size of College/University On my own With my significant other With my parents I don't know yet 15% 18% 28% 25% 20,000 or more 1,000 to 4,999 students 10,000 to 19,999 16% 33% 26% With roommates Other 2% 12% 5,000 to 9,999 students Less than 1,000 students 4% 21% 29

30 Participant Profile (Cont.) Type of School GPA Public 62% Don't know Above 4.0 1% 3% Private 36% % 46% Not sure 2% % 13% Below 2.0 0% Area of Study 13% 20% 20% 16% 6% 5% 5% 3% 6% 6% Allied Health Arts & Humanities Business Engineering Life Sciences Mathematics Nursing Social Sciences Tech Other 30

31 Recommendations For Employers Consider investing in your employer website and having a careers page. Entrylevel job seekers are doing their research. Recruiting is a year-round activity. Communicate with students on an ongoing basis to help them get to know about your company and opportunities. Create relationships with the faculty and academic departments who influence the students you re trying to attract. Work/life balance and flexible schedule are important to college grads. If you have a flexible work culture, make sure to highlight it. Don t be a black hole. Improve communications flow during application process to let applicants know where they stand. Career fairs and information sessions are valued by students. Consider doing these as part of your college recruiting strategy to gain more exposure on campus. 31

32 About AfterCollege We have a lofty vision: to help every college student and recent graduate discover their career path. Over the years, AfterCollege has become the largest career network for college students and recent graduates. Serving 400,000 entry-level jobs and internships from 25,000+ employers, AfterCollege helps millions of job seekers each year, working with 18,000 faculty, student group and academic contacts at over 2,400 colleges and universities. Our job-matching algorithms pair new job seekers with opportunities that fit their degree, school, skills and interests. If you re an employer interested in learning more about how we can help you reach the students and recent graduates you want to hire: Call us: or talent@aftercollege.com If you re a student or recent graduate looking for a job, go to and set up a profile. If you re in academia and want to help your students, contact our University Relations Team at ur@aftercollege.com or visit 32

2010 Job Search Trends Impacting Students and Recent Graduates

2010 Job Search Trends Impacting Students and Recent Graduates 2010 AfterCollege, Inc. All rights reserved. Table of Contents About this Survey... 3 Survey Methodology... 4 Response Break Down... 4 Research