Having a job in hand prior to commencement is a coveted security blanket, but not an easy one to land.
Still, some groups of college seniors and grad students have a better statistical chance of getting one before they enter the real world, according to a new survey.
Being a techie male puts you in the best position, says the annual Career Insight Survey from the career network AfterCollege.
Just 14 percent of college seniors have a job locked up before graduation this year, according to the findings, and only 13 percent of graduate students do.
But, among technology students, 28 percent have jobs in place. That’s far better than business students at 18 percent and life sciences students at 15 percent.
Meanwhile, 18 percent of men have a job being held for them compared to just 11 percent of women students.
“What’s particularly shocking this year is the clear discrepancy in job hunt success based on gender and area of study,” said Roberto Angulo, AfterCollege CEO.
Some other takeaways from the online survey of 1,259 current or recent U.S. college students:
— 84 percent of college seniors and 74 percent of graduate students are actively seeking jobs. But most didn’t really push hard in their job hunt until the spring.
— More than one-third of students haven’t had a single interview.
— More than half of students who have had interviews have had no job offers.
— Top considerations among graduating seniors when evaluating jobs: Salary (68 percent); advancement opportunities (58 percent); office location (53 percent); work/life balance (51 percent).
— More college students said they would consider a job in the federal or state government (nearly 2 out of 3), or at a non-profit (more than half), than at a start-up venture (49 percent). Their reason: Stable, secure employment, good compensation and the desire to make a difference.
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