The Student Professional Development Center (SPDC) reported higher engagement and job placement among 2021 graduate jobs than the class of 2020, whose career options were severely limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The SPDC has established a presence on campus through multiple career centers, assisting students in exploring majors, creating resumes, looking for internships jobs, and applying for graduate school. According to Brooke Buffington, director of the SPDC, in an email to Elon News Network, many students used SPDC resources in 2018, and that number is expected to increase in 2021.
“Student and alumni engagement in the office this year increased, which means that we were able to assist more Elon students and alumni with their professional development needs,” Buffington wrote. “Over 90% of our students participate with our office in some fashion by the time that they graduate.”
According to the SPDC’s 2020 outcome report, 90 percent of graduates accepted a position related to their career goals. Due to data collection, the SPDC cannot provide the outcome report for the class of 2021 at this time. Destin Flloyd ‘21, who worked with the SPDC in 2020 and 2021, discovered that businesses began hiring again after a year of adjusting and regrouping from the economic fluctuations caused by the pandemic.
“During my junior year, it was definitely harder to find an internship [and] job because it was the height of COVID-19 and a lot of companies wasn’t hiring at all,” Flloyd wrote in an email to Elon News Network. “But during this past year, I believed recruiting returned to a bit of normalcy and was sometimes easier as companies were more willing to do remote interviews as well as remote positions.”
Post pandemic surge, most jobs in the United States are now available in 2021. The SPDC has been able to help many students get jobs post-graduation as unemployment rates drop.
“The class of 2021 saw an improvement in the job market this spring, as companies increased their entry-level hiring opportunities, and the economy began to open back up nationwide,” Buffington wrote. “We are continuing to see recent graduates landing jobs this summer, and organizations are telling us that they are seeking entry-level talent to fill open positions.”
Flloyd found his job through the Elon Job Network, a job and internship database that connects students with opportunities. After a two-month search, he is now employed as a financial analyst. “The SPDC was undeniably important,” Flloyd wrote. “From resume creation to interview preparation and job search, the SPDC has been there to assist.”
Source: Elon News Network
