Why Minnesota students need to get a clue about the job market
We've all heard about how this generation of college students and recent grads have been coddled by their parents and are entering the workforce with a sense of entitlement.
Now I read in the Echo Press of Alexandria that for the past six years, employers in the MN College Job Outlook survey say the No. 1 thing students have to do is develop more realistic job expectation.
(Still? In this current economy?)
The paper reports that the Career Services Center at St. Cloud State University recently conducted a follow-up survey of both employers and students to "address and clarify the disparity" between the two groups.
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The result: Students tended to have somewhat cushier expectations, though surprisingly they expected lower starting salaries than employers thought they'd receive.
The biggest point of disparity? Promotions. (Was it all that self-esteem boosting the kids got growing up?)
Here's the result, though I've changed the format a bit for ease of reading:
How much time to expect to first promotion?
First 12 months
Students: 24.5%
Employers: 3.5%
12-18 months
Students: 39.3%
Employers: 29.1%
18-24 months
Students: 17.0%
Employers: 33.0%
24+ months
Students: 19.1%
Employers: 34.3%
Read the full article to get results in the other areas -- how many hours new hires should put in during the workweek, how often they should work irregular hours, and how much money they should start earning.