18 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • AUGUST 2020
NEW COLLEGE GRADS FACE PANDEMIC JOB MARKET
Virtual interviews are often replacing
those in offices, jobs sometimes have
become remote and rock-solid job offers
sometimes fell through.
“If students had offers, for the most part
they’ve been retained,” said Michelle
Kyriakides, executive director at Hofstra
University’s Career Center. “They may
have had their start date pushed back.”
Orientation is often done remotely as
new hires receive laptops and headphones.
Initially, at least, they are
working from home.
Internships sometimes have been canceled
or at least shortened, as employees
have had less time to mentor.
“Some employers have a halt on hiring
or are pushing back starting dates,”
Kimberly Joy Dixon, Stony Brook
University’s director of employer engagement
and diversity recruitment,
confirmed. “Be a little more patient with
the process.”
Grads are entering a brave, new jobs
market with 11.1 percent unemployment
nationwide as of June, down from 13.3
percent in May.
“I think there’s a lot of stress,”
Kyriakides said. “They saw the number
of unemployed going up and up. We’ve
been telling students, ‘Be as proactive
as you can.’”
Matthew Colson, executive director of
alumni relations and the alumni association
at Stony Brook University, said
these are the latest tumultuous times.
“I think about the class of 2008 entering a
challenging market during the economic
recession," he said. “And they have since
persevered and found great success.”
Indeed.com said job postings are down
29 percent from June 2019, but noted
there’s strong demand for technology
skills such as computer programming
in SQL, Java, Python, and Linux.
“Soft skills are also growing due to the
coronavirus pandemic,” according to Indeed.
com, which cited communications.
As offices reopen, they likely will be
different in activity and atmosphere
for new hires. Many companies are
welcoming up to 30 percent back at once.
Stony Brook students and grads are
taught how to present themselves on
Zoom, including what to wear and
what’s appropriate for backgrounds,
and how to onboard as an intern or full
time in a virtual setting.
"Prepare to have multiple employment
opportunities with multiple companies,
and one side hustle gig,” Brad Szollose, a
business consultant in Bay Shore, said.
“Be like a commando and prepare for
anything. This is the only way to survive
in this day and age."
Szollose predicted that many small
companies may go out of business over
the next year.
Kyriakides said the workplace will
likely never be exactly the way it was
prepandemic.
“I think we will see some change in how
companies work and recruit,” she said.
“There will be more flexibility in some
industries.”
She said it’s important that graduates don’t
simply sit on the sidelines, mentioning a
healthcare administration major who
moved back to Las Vegas and volunteered
with her church, to help run its youth
ministry group and food pantry.
“It’s really about telling your story,”
Kyriakides said. “Being able to say, ‘This
is what I gained from the experience.
This is how I responded to the crisis.’”
PRESS BUSINESS
continued from page 17
“Be a little more patient with the process,”
says Kimberly Joy Dixon.
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