Collegiate Times

Hiring levels for Virginia Tech graduates have remained relatively the same, according to a newly released study by career services.

The 2009-10 Post-Graduation Report, released Friday, shows 49 percent of graduates employed, which is a drop of 1 percent from the 2008-09 report.

Additionally, 27 percent of students reported plans or admission into graduate or professional school, an increase of 1 percent from the previous year.

Six months after graduation, 21 percent of graduates are still seeking employment, while only 2 percent have not begun to seek employment.

Rachel Dobroth, a senior communication major and president of the Tech chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, said jobs were a major discussion among her group’s members. Dobroth, who is still looking for a job, said she usually stressed finding work through networking and not from standard job listings.

“The jobs that are most meaningful are found through people and not through job listings,” Dobroth said.

The median salary for students in the report is $47,000, the same as the previous year’s report.

Stuart Mease, director of undergraduate career services, noted student perceptions may not equate to the reality of the current job market.

“There’s a myth out there if you have a degree, then a job is going to come calling,” Mease said. “That’s definitely not the case.”

Mease noted the different realities for students based on skill sets they have.

“Not all degrees have the same level of demand,” Mease said.

Tiffany Nguyen, a senior business information and technology major and secretary of the BIT Club, said she was surprised to learn that 83 percent of students in her major had found a job after graduating.

Nguyen said students in her major are in high demand.

“All they have to do is go to career fairs, keep up in their studies and do a good interview,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen will be working with IBM in its offices near Washington, D.C.

Mease stressed the need for students to develop skills outside of their particular major, comparing the job market to a game of Blackjack.

“You never know what card is going to turn over,” Mease said.

According to the report, 25 percent of respondents said their first contact with their employer was through a previous work experience, such as an internship, more than any other source.

Adam Christie, a senior forestry major and president of the Forestry Club, said the market for jobs from his major was competitive.

Christie, who will be going to graduate school at Tech, said many members lined up jobs from previous internships.

“The forestry community is very small,” Christie said. “Word of mouth and networking is very important.”

Of 5,331 graduates between December 2009 and Summer 2010, the 2009-10 report brought in a 63 percent response rate, which was down from 69 percent the previous two reports.

The full report can be found at the career services website, Career.vt.edu.

A version of this article appeared in the Apr 13 issue of the Collegiate Times.