Experts Weigh In On Current Job Market Trends
December 20, 2020
Given the change of course that has happened in the world, we wanted to provide expert opinions on what aspiring graduates can do to start off their careers in an uncertain economic climate. We wanted to know what skills will be more important, where the economy is doing relatively well, and if there will be any lasting effects on the job market.
Companies are looking for candidates that can handle the new responsibilities of the job market. Recent graduates actually have an advantage because they are comfortable using newer technologies and have been communicating virtually their whole lives. They can take what they've learned and apply it immediately.
We spoke to professors and experts from several universities and companies to get their opinions on where the job market for recent graduates is heading, as well as how young graduates entering the industry can be adequately prepared. Here are their thoughts.
Our Panel of Experts
University of Colorado Denver
Bethel University
Ithaca College
Nebraska Wesleyan University
The University of Texas at Arlington
Johns Hopkins University
Roanoke College
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Lewis University
Augsburg University
Gonzaga University
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Candice Shelby Ph.D.
Professor of PhilosophyUniversity of Colorado Denver
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
WebsiteIn your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Candice Shelby Ph.D.: It seems to me, after conferring with my colleagues today, that the biggest trend for our graduating students is to continue to amass credentials. A number of our graduates are hanging on at UC Denver because we have a 4+1 M.A., which will allow our graduates (with the proper planning) to secure a Master's degree with just one additional year of work. Since their expectations regarding the job market are not high, these students plan to spend an extra year in school and hit the market with an extra credential next year. A number of others have been accepted to medical schools, law schools, and one a joint MD/Ph.D. program.
If a graduate needs to take a gap year, what skills would you recommend they try to enhance and how should they go about doing it?
Candice Shelby Ph.D.: This has something to do with advice that I have given, which is not to waste the year, but to use it to secure another credential, and to continue to improve their reading, writing, and analytic skills. Although the funny cultural question is always, "What are you going to do with a Philosophy degree?" CEOs and other high-ranking professionals have stated in numerous business journals and elsewhere that Philosophy majors are among the most flexible and most promotable of their employees. Failing that, we always advise students who aren't sure what they want to do to try filling a year with a nonprofit. Philosophy students often move into this area, and they, perhaps more than some others, are civic-minded and engaged already by the time they graduate. This is a time during which they can try things and see the directions in which their true interests lie.
What general advice would you give to a graduate beginning their career?
Candice Shelby Ph.D.: To a Philosophy graduate, as to any graduate, I would tell them to seek work that they love; do not seek a job or financial success as means in themselves. A very low percentage of graduates who head out concerned to secure only those two latter things actually end up with meaningful, satisfying work. As you no doubt know, meaningless work, especially in "do-thing" types of jobs, particularly in mid-management, leads to even lower life satisfaction scores than does manual labor. So, I tell my students that they have broad and strong skill sets, and they never know what they'll be doing in ten years (who would have put THIS year in their 5-year plan?), so they might as well seek work that gives them a sense of purpose and participation.
In your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Sara H. Shady Ph.D.: I think that there will be a desire for workers who are flexible and can adapt to different working conditions and environments quickly. I also think there will be a strong need for employers who are great critical thinkers and able to make ethical decisions. The pandemic has raised many ethical questions such as responsibility to prevent the spread of the virus and responsibility to address issues of lack of equity surrounding who has been hit hardest by the virus, both in terms of health and economic impact.
What skills stand out on resumes?
Sara H. Shady Ph.D.: Critical thinking, ability to collaborate with others, ethical decision making, clear communication. Philosophy graduates will have excel in each of these areas.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Sara H. Shady Ph.D.: Philosophy graduates are able to most career fields in most areas around the US. They work in the healthcare industry, business, public policy, law, education, the nonprofit sector, marketing, and communications.
In your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Craig Duncan Ph.D.: So much is uncertain with this pandemic, so I am not sure what to expect with the job market. If a large majority of Americans take the vaccine, then conceivably life could be back to at least a new "semi-normal" by late summer. And although, tragically, the pandemic has been financially devastating for many people, other people will emerge from the pandemic with significant savings (from vacations not taken during 2020, etc.) and in a mood to spend. So there is a chance that that will boost the economy and fuel new hiring for recent graduates. Let's hope so.
What skills stand out on resumes?
Craig Duncan Ph.D.: I think work experience from summer employment and internships can make a resume stand out. Some evidence of computer skills (e.g., knowing how to use common office software programs like spreadsheets and word processors) is good. And a strong GPA can create confidence in a job seeker's general abilities and motivation.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Craig Duncan Ph.D.: Our students pursue varied lines of work. This is no surprise to us, since the thinking and writing skills that we cultivate in our program are very flexible in nature and will apply to a variety of jobs in which analytic and creative thinking are important - that is to say, most jobs worth having. Recent graduates from our department have gone into such careers as information technology, real estate, non-profit management, communications, library science, and even farming.
Rev. Dr. Jonathan Redding
Assistant Professor of ReligionNebraska Wesleyan University
Department of Religion
WebsiteIn your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Rev. Dr. Jonathan Redding: There is an interesting trend toward people who can do many things well alongside increased specialization. For example, there seems to be space for an increase in specialized jobs in the labor section given the ongoing need (everyone will always need skilled and wise plumbers, mechanics, electricians, etc.). The other side of that coin is that "white collar" employers want people who can think, adapt, and work within a team. Those kinds of critical thinking skills will be invaluable as we navigate "what's next" for big tech companies, banking, politics, and education. Being able to think, read, communicate, and write critically (with a dash of creativity) will become an essential commodity.
What skills stand out on resumes?
Rev. Dr. Jonathan Redding: Find a way to get some computer coding experience and skills in your toolbelt. Make yourself as essential as possible, so take classes or find ways to become conversant in the ever-changing language of coding and programming. If your college offers an introduction to coding class, take it. It will be worth it, I promise.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Rev. Dr. Jonathan Redding: Applying for and getting a job is hard; finding a career is even harder. It takes time, patience, and preparation. Don't be afraid to give yourself time to simply have a job while you weigh and consider other options. Also don't turn down opportunities because they aren't "perfect". People rarely land their dream job on their first try; instead, over time, what was just "a job" can become something fruitful, engaging, and worthwhile.
Kenneth Williford Ph.D.
Associate Professor & ChairThe University of Texas at Arlington
Department of Philosophy & Humanities
WebsiteIn your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Kenneth Williford Ph.D.: It seems to me that we are likely to see a very long recession. Once the pandemic is under control, there will, of course, be some recovery of jobs in retail, hospitality, the bar and restaurant industry, transportation, and entertainment. Philosophy majors tend to be, on average, as skilled as anyone else for these types of work, if not overqualified.
Suppose we had a federal government that was less wedded to outmoded ideas about the best way to help the economy recover. In that case, we could see a proliferation of career possibilities in education, community service, and green development. And philosophy majors, perhaps with some post-graduate certifications, are well equipped for all of these sectors. (Of course, they remain the best fit to excel in the legal profession.) The inertia, legitimized corruption, class biases, and lack of imagination on the part of those who make a largescale decisions about the economy will likely pose obstacles here for some time to come. A federal jobs program is an obvious solution. Still, it would be opposed bitterly by those who benefit most from the continued existence of a large pool of inexpensive labor to draw from.
What skills stand out on resumes?
Kenneth Williford Ph.D.: Philosophy majors are trained to think carefully and logically, consider alternative possibilities and interpretations ("think outside the box"), frame and communicate arguments precisely and rigorously, consider relevant sources of evidence critically, and think through the moral implications of everything. These skills are beneficial in any employment. I might add that philosophy majors are also trained in analytical skills that make them a great asset to any company or start-up that needs to develop strategic initiatives, analyze its market situation, navigate its institutional strengths and weaknesses, and evaluate the merits and isolate the flaws of competitors. It is not for no reason that philosophy majors do better on the GMAT than business majors.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Kenneth Williford Ph.D.: "In some school districts around the country, it is possible to find teaching jobs that include philosophy teaching. Jobs literally ""in this field"" are mostly limited, however, to teaching positions at the university level that require an MA or Ph.D. The job ""market"" for academic philosophers has been shrinking for many years and is not likely to recover anytime soon. There are still many more PhDs in philosophy than there are university teaching positions in philosophy. This, again, could easily be rectified by government action.
Creating more jobs for philosophers at both the university and high school levels would be doing the country a great favor. We need the critical thinking skills and moral perspectives philosophy opens up now more than ever. We need people who can articulate the difference between real evidence and pure propaganda and help everyone think through social and economic policies' moral implications. In short, we need to train a generation of people to think critically and with a proper measure of confidence (not too much, not too little). However, I remain essentially pessimistic about the prospects for such an initiative anytime soon."
What skills stand out on resumes?
Richard Bett Ph.D.: In general, the skills that philosophy graduates have to an unusually high degree are writing clearly about complicated matters and analyzing complex reasoning - and responding to it, if appropriate, with a sense of their own. These are pretty general skills that can be of use in many different careers so that philosophy graduates can be found in many other fields.
One thing that's commonly (and correctly) said is that philosophy is about the best possible law school preparation. But philosophy graduates can also be found in work related to computers, for example, and many different kinds of business. Our department recently received a very generous gift from William Miller, who studied philosophy at Hopkins and then became a terrifically successful investor. He credits his financial skills in large part to his philosophy training.
It's also a point of pride in our field that philosophy graduates - at least if you look 5-10 years out from graduation - make more on average than many other areas in the humanities, and even more than business majors. (At least, that was true the last time I checked. You might remember the kerfuffle caused when Marco Rubio claimed that welders made more than philosophers; that was refuted pretty quickly.) FYI, I believe George Soros also studied philosophy.
What general advice would you give to a graduate beginning their career?
Dr. Brent Adkins: While you're developing your resume, don't forget to keep developing as a person. Become the person you want to be. Your career will follow.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent in the field in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Brent Adkins: Automation driven by artificial intelligence will begin expanding through every sector of the economy. Ultimately, this will require rethinking the nature of the work itself.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent in the field in the next 3-5 years?
Peter Graham: I don't think that there are any particular technologies that will become more important and prevalent in the field of academic philosophy going forward (except maybe Zoom if this pandemic continues raging uncontrollably for the next few years).
How would you rate the starting salaries for graduates in this field, as well as the salary prospects down the line as they advance in their careers?
Peter Graham: I think starting salaries for tenure-track jobs are pretty good overall (but, of course, there is still wide variance with regard to even this), but adjunct and non-tenure-track jobs continue to get pretty poor starting salaries.
What type of skills will young graduates need when they enter the workforce in the coming years?
Dr. Arsalan Memon: That is a difficult question. I say this mainly because I am biased in my response. I fundamentally believe all young graduates need some necessary fundamental skills (regardless of their chosen major). In the coming years, I think students need: a) critical thinking and problem-solving skills, b) resume construction skills, c) communication skills, and d) life skills.
Critical thinking and problem skills: these skills are essential because they are applicable in all aspects of life, even if we cannot clearly and distinctly see that. For instance, let's say that a student who has majored in chemistry must write a personal statement for graduate school. Just taking this general example, we can see that she would be required to make an argument (understood in the broadest sense possible) to the committee to select her over other equally (if not more) qualified candidates. The student would have to construct a coherent, compelling, and precise narrative to move the readers of her application. Teaching since 2009 and at various universities, I have noticed that a lot of students are not taught such critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Resume construction skills: such skills are quite self-explanatory. A lot of my students who have graduated have asked me to write letters of recommendation for them. Most of the time, they would send me their resume. I have noticed that some students do not know how to properly organize their information in the outline (say, what goes first etc.). Other students do not know what should be included in the resume. Some students do not know how much information per item must be included. In some summaries, I have seen paragraphs and paragraphs. I have witnessed insufficient data (e.g., 2-3 words describing their previous jobs).
Communication Skills: more often than not, a lot of my students struggle with in-class student presentations. I have also noticed that many students do not actively participate in class discussions. I speculate that they are afraid of being wrong or genuinely not knowing the answer to some of the questions. Whatever the source of their silence may be, it does not change the fact that some students are afraid to speak their minds. But lacking such communication skills can play a significant role in the actual interview process (for instance). If students cannot articulate their thoughts clearly and distinctly, especially during an interview, they may be less inclined to hire the person. Thus, we need to empower our students to speak their minds, even if they may be wrong at times. In my opinion, being wrong is part of life. We learn from our mistakes. However, being silent is worse than being wrong because when we are silent, our interlocuters can assume many things about us and our lack of responses.
Life skills: no one teaches us life skills. Regardless of one's major, such skills need to be taught in some way. I do not know how such skills would be taught, but that they should be taught. By "life skills," I mean skills that play a central role in determining the outcome of certain events and actions, especially as they pertain to life as such. For instance, based on my perception of teaching students since 2009, no one teaches students to have contingency plans. No one teaches students that effort does not equal outcome. That is, a student can put all the effort into making sure that a particular event or situation actualizes itself in their favor; the work remains independent of the action, mainly because there are so many factors that shape the outcome (and most of those factors are outside of our control). No one teaches students the skill of resilience. The list goes on. I fundamentally believe that such life skills are essential and that students should be oriented to such gifts.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Dr. Arsalan Memon: With a BA in philosophy or philosophy of law, most students go to graduate school or law school. But students can do other things. There are many factors to consider in thinking about work opportunities (to name two): 1) some funding to pursue graduate work (e.g., grants, fellowships, scholarships, teaching assistantships, research assistantships, etc.) and 2) the economic situation (e.g., because of the current pandemic, a lot of universities are no longer accepting new graduate students). A lot of our students go to John Marshall Law School. Very few students from Lewis continue graduate work in philosophy. I would also add: it ultimately depends on the student's interest.
How do you envision technology impacting this field in the next 5 years?
Dr. Arsalan Memon: In my opinion, I do not see technology impacting philosophy in any fundamental way in the next five years.
Larry Crockett Ph.D.
ProfessorAugsburg University
Department of Computer Science, Philosophy and Religion
WebsiteWhat experience really stands out on resumes?
Larry Crockett Ph.D.: He is applying what they have learned in school in an actual work environment, such as internships. My son interned at Minnesota Public Radio and later was employed by Verizon, and they cited that experience when he asked why they chose to interview him. Solving problems using an exceptional education is the benchmark-noticing what others have missed because they think too conventionally.
If a graduate needs to take a gap year, what skills would you recommend they try to enhance and how should they go about doing it?
Larry Crockett Ph.D.: Immersion in communication, web-intensive environment. Covid-19 is indeed a turning point in how we will work. We will be immersed in our work, wherever we are (not entirely a good idea), because we will be dynamically linked to other professionals working in a team to solve problems. Negroponte of MIT said, some years ago, that "space is abolished," and that assessment is becoming vibrantly real in this rapidly changing environment.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent in the field in the next 3-5 years?
Larry Crockett Ph.D.: Use of virtual reality to do simulations to solve real-world problems. Empirical science is hobbled by the fact that we cannot prove scientific theories right. But we don't need to. We can simulate problems virtually to determine what makes a situation better-what improves trade, when to teach school children programming, or the optimal level of taxation to grow the economy to lift people out of poverty. Video game sales are exploding because of Covid-19. The skills to generate great games will also be the skills we need to create the virtual realities we need to simulate proposed solutions to problems.
Ellen M. Maccarone Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Philosophy; Faculty Advisor to the PresidentGonzaga University
College of Art and Sciences
WebsiteWhat type of skills will young graduates need when they enter the workforce in the coming years?
Ellen M. Maccarone Ph.D.: I think young graduates will need to be able to process and assess information quickly and accurately, need to be able to imagine what trends will be realized, given that information, and general critical thinking skills, communication skills (written and spoken), and analytical skills. These are all things that philosophy majors develop in their course work. Much of the specific knowledge needed to work for one company or another will be learned on the job, no matter what field the degree is in.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Ellen M. Maccarone Ph.D.: As for geographic areas, I think the cities and suburban areas are probably the best for work opportunities for philosophy graduates. Coastal cities that have technology companies will often have opportunities. Many might find this surprising, but a lot of the skills that tech companies are looking for are taught in philosophy. There is no one-to-one career path for philosophy majors - they are good at skills that are easily transferable to a wide range of work fields. Additionally, areas with research or writing jobs will be hot, though much of this can be done remotely now, so geography is less important.
How do you envision technology impacting this field in the next 5 years?
Ellen M. Maccarone Ph.D.: I think more collaboration will be able to be done virtually, and people will be more comfortable with that post-pandemic. And as more research materials are available electronically, this will also open up more opportunities. The last way I'll mention is a little different - as people in tech fields realize that they need people who are visionaries about how the technology works in everyday life in human ways, degree fields in the humanities, like philosophy, will be more important because of the mix of skills and the humanizing element they can bring, technology will be impacted by the field, rather than the other way around.
What general advice would you give to a graduate beginning their career?
Dr. Laura Grams Ph.D.: Since I advise undergraduates who are headed to law school, I suggest that they remain open to different specialty areas at least until after they have finished the first year of coursework. Before entering law school, students may not be familiar enough with various options or whether they might truly enjoy a particular area of law they had not considered before.
After graduation, it is valuable for both personal and professional development to remain active in professional organizations. Other members will have excellent advice and help you develop a network of contacts in your profession.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent in the field in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Laura Grams Ph.D.: As a skill for students pursuing legal studies, it may be even more useful to develop familiarity with the tools used to analyze data compiled in electronic documents and records and an ability to interpret metadata.
How would you rate the starting salaries for graduates in this field, as well as the salary prospects down the line as they advance in their careers?
Dr. Laura Grams Ph.D.: They remain steady, though not all parts of the country are equivalent in this respect. Nebraska has been a suitable environment for job seekers.
