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When graduating university how difficult is it to find a job and how long does it take to get one?
I'm a 12th-grade senior, who's about to go into Cal Poly, Pomona, and I'm worried about how the work industry is going to be when I finish up with university. I am going to major in criminology, so I am looking into law-enforcement. But I want to know how difficult it is to get a job in this area after university.
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Joseph’s Answer
I second not worrying too much at an early stage - it depends on various factors and you can only control some of them.
It depends on your field; how open you are to adjacent roles outside your field; the state of the economy and job market in the year you graduate; your grades; your previous work experience; location and willingness/ability to move for work, etc etc
Personally, I graduated with slightly lower undergrad grades that I hoped for, came out of uni in the midst of an economic downturn, had no work history, and restricted myself to a narrow field of work I was interested in - so I struggled to find work initially. It took me many hundreds of applications over 2 years, even targeting and fine-tuning each one, before I landed my first role in industry. Once I was in and had experience though, my next roles were much easier to come by. Some of that I wish I'd done something about earlier, but some things you just have to wait and see what happens throughout your studies.
What is worthwhile at an early stage is making sure you put yourself in the best position to move into a job when you get to that point. Focus on getting good grades, look out for relevant extracurriculars, side jobs, projects, and internships that relate in some way to what you might want to do - but also enjoy yourself a bit.
It depends on your field; how open you are to adjacent roles outside your field; the state of the economy and job market in the year you graduate; your grades; your previous work experience; location and willingness/ability to move for work, etc etc
Personally, I graduated with slightly lower undergrad grades that I hoped for, came out of uni in the midst of an economic downturn, had no work history, and restricted myself to a narrow field of work I was interested in - so I struggled to find work initially. It took me many hundreds of applications over 2 years, even targeting and fine-tuning each one, before I landed my first role in industry. Once I was in and had experience though, my next roles were much easier to come by. Some of that I wish I'd done something about earlier, but some things you just have to wait and see what happens throughout your studies.
What is worthwhile at an early stage is making sure you put yourself in the best position to move into a job when you get to that point. Focus on getting good grades, look out for relevant extracurriculars, side jobs, projects, and internships that relate in some way to what you might want to do - but also enjoy yourself a bit.
Updated
Yaiza’s Answer
Hi Paulina,
Don't worry too much about finding a job right now. You'll have plenty of time to work throughout your life until retirement, which is many years. Focus on enjoying your time at university, learning as much as you can, and thinking about what areas you like the most. University is a unique time in your life.
Getting a job after graduation might take a few months. During this time, you'll gain experience with interviews and see how what you learned applies in the real world. It's part of the process. If you know anyone in law enforcement or can talk to someone in that field, it will help you understand the job market better and see what opportunities are available.
All the best your time at university and your future career!
Don't worry too much about finding a job right now. You'll have plenty of time to work throughout your life until retirement, which is many years. Focus on enjoying your time at university, learning as much as you can, and thinking about what areas you like the most. University is a unique time in your life.
Getting a job after graduation might take a few months. During this time, you'll gain experience with interviews and see how what you learned applies in the real world. It's part of the process. If you know anyone in law enforcement or can talk to someone in that field, it will help you understand the job market better and see what opportunities are available.
All the best your time at university and your future career!
Updated
Joseph’s Answer
Good major and interest there are plenty opportunities. You may need to relocate but that could also be good.