Nationwide projections say employers plan to hire 20% more college graduates than in 2010. Kathy Wieland of the Iowa State University College of Business says those national statistics are being reflected in certain career fields in the state.
“We saw a very, very good surge on the technical side, manufacturing, supply chain, I-T. We have a couple of consistent performers in accounting and finance,” Wieland says, “But really the big upticks were on the quite technical side.”
Wieland says many candidates without technical skills remain unable to find work. She says about 60% of I.S.U.’s business graduates find jobs in-state. Steve Kravinsky with Iowa State University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences says even with a smaller applicant pool, the emphasis remains on resumes.
“Well, I think before you put a resume together you need to analyze yourself. You have to understand your strengths, weakness your values,” Kravinsky says. He is talking about college graduates or intern candidates at universities and colleges. He says you need to know the job you’re looking for.
“They have to have a focus, what I tell students is that you need a g-p-s system for your resume,” he said. Kravinsky says the average employer only spends 10 to 15 seconds scanning resumes. He says that’s all the more reason for applicants to highlight the specific skills that make them qualified. Kravinsky and Wieland made their comments on Iowa Public Radio’s program “The Exchange.”