The Class of 2004 faces a more positive job market than its most recent predecessors.  Surveys conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) indicate that employers plan to hire 11.2 percent more new college graduates this year than in 2003.  The outlook is best in the service sector (+16.1 percent), followed by manufacturing (+12.6 percent).  Employers in the Northeast have the most favorable projections (+20.9 percent).*

This is good news for the 100 or so students who attended The Ayers Group College Day Seminar on June 1, as well as for their peers in the “millennial generation” coming of age in the new century.  The full-day interactive program was designed to help graduates prepare for the realities of finding a job by providing intelligence about the current market and tools for launching a competitive job campaign.  Developed and presented by a team of Ayers career-transition professionals led by Shelli Kanet and Jim Shattuck, it was hosted for a second year by UBS.

Morning sessions walked attendees through the pre-interview process:  researching the market, writing attention-getting resumés and cover letters, and networking effectively.  Afternoon breakout sessions focused on helping young job seekers present themselves in the best light during and after interviews.  The program closed with a panel discussion involving recruitment executives from American Express, MetLife, MTV, TimeWarner, and UBS.  Each attendee received a comprehensive workbook featuring sample resumés and cover and follow-up letters, resource lists, and exercises and tips on resumé building, networking, and interviewing.

The program drew rave reviews.  “This was the next step I needed to boost my job search skills,” one young attendee commented.  “I will now be a much better representative of myself.”  “I feel much more confident about the interview process now,” another said.  “I did not give thought to project accomplishments before, which could help in an interview or on a resumé,” a third student added.  “I had not conceived of setting up informational interviews as part of networking.  It was great job search preparation.”

The Ayers Group offers College Day on a pro bono basis for students nominated by its client firms.  “We’ve always believed in the importance of giving back to our community and of providing clients with value-added services,” says CEO Bill Ayers.  “This is one way to accomplish both objectives.”

*NACE Job Outlook 2004 Spring Update www.naceweb.org