Millennials vs the job market

How today’s generation is coping with the effects of a competitive job market

Economic indicators at the Dismal Scientist proclaimed that the unemployment rate has dropped down to 8.6 percent, according to an article released Dec. 2.

Tough market — Millennials are facing more competition for fewer jobs. Photo credit: Robert DuVaul, Office of Promotional Publications

Unemployment rates, however, have been dropping for the wrong reasons, according to the Dismal Scientist. Job growth only moderately increased, which could mean trouble for today’s college-aged Millennial generation entering the job force.

The Huffington Post reports that 85 percent of Millennials will move back home. Interestingly, many of them have no problem with that.

Perry Petrozelli, 22, is an example of one such case. Since obtaining a B.A. in Psychology from Liberty University in spring of 2011, Petrozelli has been fighting a losing battle with the job market.

“Since graduating from Liberty, I have moved around quite a bit trying to find jobs,” Petrozelli said. “I started off with a one way ticket to California. Jobs were more abundant but the cost of living and (pay for) entry level jobs was unreasonable.”

Petrozelli, like many recent college grads, eventually ran out of money and prospects and was forced to move back home.

“My reasoning for moving home was primarily to save money. Essentially, I can buy myself time until I find a job if I am at home,” Petrozelli said.

This year’s graduating class was born in the middle of the Millennial Generation, which, according to the US Census Bureau, consists of those born between 1982 and 2000.

According to National Public Radio, this generation does not experience the same tension between their parents experienced by both Generation X and the Baby Boomers before them.

Because this generation is typically family-oriented, they do not consider moving back home to be essentially bad, as perhaps their parents and grandparents may have.

Millennials are also characteristically optimistic, and have been raised to believe they are special, according to Pew Research organization, a self-described “fact tank” based in Washington, DC.

These fledglings hit the pavement to search for jobs armed with the expectation that because they are special, and they have worked hard, everything will work out for them. They never stop to consider the thousands of other graduates who hold the same mentality.

Liberty senior Kyle Klein, 22, is currently completing an internship in Washington, DC. Klein said he has been doing everything in his power to find a career in his field and avoid moving back home.

“Most people our age have very close relationships with our parents, so it can be tempting to move back in with them if we are unable to find work after college,” Klein said. “Personally, I dread the thought. It’s not that I don’t love my family, but I know that if I hope to be successful in this economy, I need to put myself out there and get some real experience.”

Klein said he is frustrated by his misfortune in his search for employment.

“When we were growing up, we were told, ‘Get a degree so you can get a good job.’ We were raised to believe that if you end up in a hard-labor job without a degree, you’ve failed,” Klein said. “It’s frustrating when you’ve worked hard and earned a degree like you were told, but you still end up settling.”

Editor’s note: See graduate Josh Beaty featured on USA Today College Dec. 14 for his post-graduation job search.

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