Finding work not easy, even for new college grads

ELLENSBURG -- Julia Cain is graduating from Central Washington University this spring. But instead of feeling jubilant about her future, she's worried about finding a job.

"My professors have been pretty negative," said Cain, a 21-year-old recreation management major. "It's pretty scary when you spend four years in college and then you're told you won't find a job when you leave. ... There's nothing really out there."

Cain is one of an estimated 1,600 seniors expected to graduate from CWU in June. She's also one of about 1.6 million students from across the country graduating with a bachelor's degree this school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

While the number of graduates is up by more than 41,000 from a year ago, the number of jobs is stagnant, partly due to the declining economy. For many upcoming graduates, this means getting a job will be more competitive.

"Predicting what sectors will have jobs in 2009 is like predicting what the stock market will do next," said Jaqualyn Johnson, director of career services at Central. "The students who will get jobs are those who start looking six months early and who make getting meaningful employment their No. 1 concern. I do believe jobs are out there."

According to a fall survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers plan to hire just 1.3 percent more graduates this year than in 2008. That's the weakest forecast in six years, down from a 6.1 percent increase in hiring predicted last August. The survey polled the same group of 219 employers.

Some of the decline can be attributed to the upheaval in the financial sector, with employers like Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in bankruptcy protection, and others, like Merrill Lynch & Co., being acquired. Housing markets have toppled nationwide, and several automakers are on the verge of bankruptcy.

Locally, Linens & Things recently closed its doors and Del Harris Motors closed after more than 26 years in business.

Local manufacturing opportunities also took a hit during the last year. About 900 jobs were cut, due to the closure of several manufacturing firms -- including Western Recreational Vehicles, Pactiv Corp. and the Wild River Foods potato processing plant in Grandview, which closed because of a fire.

In Yakima County, jobless rates have fluctuated from 5.6 percent to 7.9 percent from August through November, while the rate statewide has varied from 5.2 percent to 6.3 percent in the same time period.

The uncertain economy has left college seniors with a few choices. They could go to work for themselves, continue their education or leave the country. Others are braving the job market and hoping for the best.

"When I go into senior classes, they look at me like a deer in the headlights," Johnson said. "They have so much to do before graduation, and most of them haven't thought much about where they go next. I think it could be very frightening, considering the weak economy, and it necessitates the students be more competitive."

Caitlin Baldwin isn't worried about finding a job. In fact, the 20-year-old aviation major thinks her odds are great.

"I've received excellent training while at Central," she said. "You get to the point where you know you're ready to take it to the next level, and I feel that I'm there. I feel really excited about what that could entail."

When she was 14, Baldwin received her first flight lesson from her uncle, a captain for Alaska Airlines. They went up in a Cessna 180, flying all over Alaska's interior. Since then, Baldwin knew she wanted to be a flight instructor.

She started taking flight lessons when she was a freshman in high school. She flew her first solo flight at age 16 and earned her private pilot's certificate at 18.

Because of her experience and her willingness to travel, she believes she has the skills necessary to find work in her field.

"I feel I'm very capable because of the training that I have," said Baldwin, who's graduating this spring. "If I needed to, I could move across the country. That would be great experience and a great networking opportunity as well. ... I'm looking forward to the adventure. "

Victor Ruiz, a law and justice major at Central, doesn't feel quite so equipped to enter the job market this year. That's why the senior hopes to enroll in graduate school and possibly law school.

"I just want to take it step by step," said Ruiz, 22. "I don't want to jump into law school, I want to take my time."

Ruiz admits to being concerned about the economy, and he appreciates his professors' candor about the lackluster job market. He believes continuing his education will help him in the long run.

"It will take some time, it really will," he said about the economy righting itself. "There are so many technicalities, it's best to continue going to school."

Nationally, demand for recent graduates remains high in such fields as accounting, public service, technology and health care, Johnson said. But people in other disciplines -- including higher education and some government jobs -- may struggle more to find employment.

That's why networking, internships and being open to multiple career opportunities are important, she said.

"Every sector of the working population doesn't know what's next, really," she said. "We're constantly trying to prepare students, from resumes and cover letters to internships, job searches, interviewing and negotiating a salary. We're really committed to our students."

One way Central helps its students is through hosting regular job fairs. Last fall, 80 companies participated, representing everything from construction management and police departments to retail stores and computer technology.

"They're still hiring, but there aren't as many (openings)," said Teresa Youngren, Central's career services recruiting coordinator. "It's going to be a scramble for a lot of students."

In the Yakima Valley, hiring predictions are mixed. Ken Meissner, a partner at the accounting firm Alegria & Co., said he's not planning to hire as many people this year as last year. But that's because he hired 10 new people more than a year ago.

Steve Kaczynski, spokesman for Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital, said job opportunities are abundant in the health care profession -- especially for nurses. In 2008, Memorial hired 58 nurses and he predicts that number could increase 10 percent to 20 percent this year.

The vocation requires a bit more training after college, but the extra work will be rewarded, he said.

"If I were in college right now, I'd probably go into nursing," he said. "You can pick what you want to do and where you want to go. ... It's in constant demand."

At Jeld-Wen Windows & Doors, hiring projects are lower this year than in recent years because of the economy. Teri Cline, director of corporate communications in Klamath Falls, Ore., said the decline is directly correlated to the slump in home construction across the nation.

"We aren't hiring near the levels we were in 2006 and 2007," she said, although she wouldn't reveal specific numbers. "Recruiting in 2009 will be significantly lower than what we had in the past ... but we haven't abandoned recruiting among college campuses."

Jeld-Wen employs about 20,000 people worldwide and has a manufacturing facility in Yakima. To find employment within the company, Cline said applicants should never assume there are no jobs available. They should also gain as much work-related experience as possible.

"Still get out there, put in your application," Cline said. "Demonstrate an interest in the company you are pursuing."

As for Cain, she's not ready to give up on her professional dreams just yet. The senior has been involved with the YMCA since she was 5 years old, and she aspires to serve her community as it has served her. She now works as a program leader for the Wain Coon Center for Excellence in Leadership at Central, helping teenagers become strong leaders.

She's also networking, searching job Web sites regularly and talking to people at the YMCA about employment opportunities. If all else fails, she said she can move in with her parents in Kirkland, Wash., and she can even look for jobs outside her field.

But that's a last resort, she said.

"I've been told to wait till spring, but to sit around and wait isn't my character," she said about job hunting. "I'm trying to be ahead of the rest of my peers. I'm hoping that will help me out a little bit."

* Erin Snelgrove can be reached at 577-7684 or esnelgrove@yakimaherald.com.