Experts Weigh In On Current Job Market Trends
February 19, 2021
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
Texas Tech University
Grove City College
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Sam Houston State University
University of the Incarnate Word
Saint Joseph's University
New York University
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
The Ohio State University
Pacific Lutheran University
In your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Sean Cunningham Ph.D.: Schools have been incorporating online/virtual components into the learning experience for several years now, but the pandemic has accelerated that process by quite a bit. Graduates entering the market in 2021 and beyond will need to be able to speak to these technological realities. Whether it's in the classroom as a teacher or in some other field, the ability to foster effective communication through non-traditional means will be important.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact on your job prospects?
Sean Cunningham Ph.D.: Graduates in any field should be looking to supplement their degree with additional certifications, though I haven't seen any evidence of a single "most important" certificate or license for history majors. The one possible exception would be for those who want to translate their history degree into a career in national security or public service of some other sort. In those cases, a certificate in Strategic Studies, such as the one we offer at Texas Tech, has been shown to help.
How have salaries changed over time in your field?
Sean Cunningham Ph.D.: Salaries have grown slowly in our field, but that's to be expected since so much of what we do is publicly funded through state and local governments. The concern for history majors would likely be about declining opportunities, not declining wages.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact on your job prospects?
DJ Wagner Ph.D.: I would have to say that the biggest impact is due not to the courses a student takes but to what professional opportunities outside of the classroom the student pursues. The employers with which I've spoken suggest that evidence of independent research projects and of the ability to work collaboratively are very important considerations in the hiring process. Networking is also key. At Grove City College, we encourage our physics majors to get involved in research starting their freshman year, and we provide many opportunities for them to network with alumni in the field and by attending conferences. Research builds several critical skills of value to employers: the ability to take ownership of a project and follow it through over a period of time, the ability to work as a team toward a common goal, the ability to operate and trouble-shoot apparatus (for experimental research), the ability to extract meaning from data, etc. Interacting with professionals in the field gives students a wide perspective about possible career paths, connections within those careers, and an understanding of the current state of the field not typically obtained in college courses.
When I have heard professionals speak to students at conferences, they often recommend that physics majors take communication and management courses in addition to their required physics curriculum. The skills and knowledge gained in those courses can help graduates navigate the corporate world successfully.
In your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
DJ Wagner Ph.D.: The long-term effects of the pandemic are still unknown and hard to forecast. The Statistical Research Center of the American Institute of Physics (AIP SRC) provides a lot of information about physics majors in the workforce (www.aip.org/statistics), but they are just starting to collect data for 2020 graduates, so I do not have hard data upon which to base an opinion. Certainly, more jobs are requiring at least some amount of remote collaboration, but that has always been the case for physicists. Multi-national research teams involving hundreds of scientists in both the private and public sectors has been common in physics for quite some time. Due to remote and hybrid learning, our current physics graduates will be more familiar than their predecessors with the various technologies and with the variety of ways in which they can be used to enhance collaboration. The Society of Physics Students (SPS), a national organization supporting undergraduate physics students, provides a host of resources for those seeking careers in physics (https://jobs.spsnational.org/jobseekers/resources/). According to Brad Conrad, the director of SPS, "I can tell you that people are reporting to me that certain sectors are avoiding hiring people while new job opportunities have arisen in surprising ways. The pandemic fundamentally changed how we interact with each other, what skills are valued by potential employers, and how people find employment. Luckily, physics majors are trained to solve problems and the job sector will never run out of those."
As many industries have been negatively impacted by the pandemic, the job market is undoubtedly more competitive than in the recent past. New graduates may have to seek for a first job outside of their preferred specialty. Fortunately, a physics degree equips the graduate with a host of transferrable skills: modeling of complex situations, data analysis, computer programming, problem solving and analysis, and working both collaboratively and independently as needed. Physics majors typically pursue, and succeed in, a host of diverse career paths, so our graduates should be able to adapt to the changing job market and find meaningful employment.
What's a good job out of college and why?
DJ Wagner Ph.D.: What constitutes "a good job" will vary by the individual. Every graduate has their own set of priorities. Some need to feel they are helping to address societal issues. Others want to earn a certain minimum salary to support a desired lifestyle. Still others want to be on the cutting edge of research, addressing the unanswered questions of physics. The AIP SRC provides data on different aspects of physics majors' job satisfaction, such as job security, level of responsibility, and intellectual challenge. (https://www.aip.org/statistics/reports/physics-bachelors-initial-employment2014.) But as their research manager Patrick Mulvey puts it, "a high satisfaction score does not necessarily mean it is a 'good job.'" In my personal opinion, a good job is one that you enjoy pursuing, that takes advantage of your unique abilities and knowledge, that provides opportunities for personal and intellectual/professional growth, and that pays you enough to support your household. The weight assigned to each of those characteristics will depend upon the individual graduate. The diverse career paths pursued by physics graduates reflect such diverse priorities.
Heidi Jo Newberg
ProfessorRensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy
WebsiteWill there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on graduates?
Heidi Jo Newberg: The pandemic has certainly had an impact on me that will be hard to forget, as I'm sure it has everyone. I suspect that we will have much more remote interaction in the workplace since everyone is now very familiar with video conferencing! Also, it will be more common to work part of the time from home. But remote working is not a good substitute for visiting observatories, face-to-face meetings, in person classes, or working in the laboratory. Most of astronomy will continue as usual after vaccinations.
What's a day at work going to look like for a recent graduate?
Heidi Jo Newberg: A recent graduate will be expected to search through data (usually using Python), communicate results effectively through lectures and written reports, and carefully assess the significance of findings.
What will help people in your field increase their earning potential?
Heidi Jo Newberg: Students who have a strong command of programming are in heavy demand whether they stay in astronomy or decide to pursue employment in the private sector. Taking programming classes and getting computational experience in research settings will put students in a good position to earn higher salaries.
Zachary Doleshal Ph.D.
Clinical Assistant ProfessorSam Houston State University
History Department
WebsiteWhat soft skills should all graduates possess?
Zachary Doleshal Ph.D.: In both remote and face-to-face careers, the soft skills that a liberal arts education provides will remain crucial. The ability to locate, organize, and synthesize material will remain important.
Moreover, as global warming becomes more disruptive, the shift in energy production and consumption will require individuals trained to think critically, as well as historically. For being able to consider the ways in which people have dealt with past crises certainly allows for a more reasoned approach to ones we face in the future.
In your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Zachary Doleshal Ph.D.: Pandemics tend to accelerate existing technologies and encourage new ones. For example, the aftermath of the bubonic plague witnessed new agricultural techniques. The influenza of 1918/1919 accelerated the use of wireless telegraphy.
Several large trends have been in the making that the current pandemic certainly will accelerate. The first of these is the use of telecommunications technology. What we are witnessing with the Zoom revolution is a new phase in the history of globalization where place matters less than at any other point in human history. Students can expect this continue. What this means to the job market is a much higher potential for remote work.
However, there will most certainly be a backlash to the overuse of telecommunications. It is hard to imagine that we will not see a significant counter-movement that will encourage face to face interactions and demand a pullback from video conferencing. This is most likely to occur in the public service sectors, such as education and health care.
Lopita Nath Ph.D.
Professor and ChairUniversity of the Incarnate Word
Department of History
In your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Lopita Nath Ph.D.: Everything has changed due to the pandemic; life has changed, education and work has changed. Remote learning and working from home have become the new normal. All jobs related to technology and online have grown and are going to grow. The ability to work remotely regardless of career field will be the new demand. This has brought new expectations for education and educators, and students and faculty are going to be asked to adapt and change at the slightest notice. The notions of career have changed, for example telehealth, telemedicine, etc. And we are producing for a market that is changing so fast that it is hard to keep up.
One of the biggest trends in this new changing world is that broad skills are going to be important. Students will have to focus on a variety of skills and acquisition of those skills. A growing trend will be: One Skill vs. Skills. Skill acquisition beyond your traditional discipline will be the new norm. For a student graduating with a History degree, the skills that they learn, critical thinking, reading and writing, research, analyzing data, presentation skills will and always remain the biggest trends in the job market. Especially with remote work, Zoom, and the online work culture, these skills will always remain in high demand. People will have to think broadly about the skills they have and how these skills can be translated to marketable skills for the changing workforce.
Adaptability will be the main trend, as students will change careers often. This will also lead to continuing education and more certificate programs in schools. The job market is going to shift from routine to non-routine, cognitive and manual jobs. The key piece in career transformation in the post pandemic world will be skill acquisition and development.
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?
Lopita Nath Ph.D.: If graduates need to take a gap year, I recommend that they focus on broad, transferable skills that will never go away however automated their workplace becomes. Graduates will need to focus on reading and writing, critical thinking, analysis, research, and presentation and communication skills. Reading improves the vocabulary, and will make a person a better writer and confident presenter. Learning a language, other than your own, is always valuable and time well spent. There are so many online options like Babbel and Duolingo that can help. Graduates need to learn how to think outside the box. These are skills that liberal arts degrees like a History or an English will teach them better when they are ready for college. Transferable skills are always valuable at any workplace.
What general advice would you give to a graduate beginning their career?
Lopita Nath Ph.D.: A general advice to a graduate is to understand that demand for soft skills: Communication, Creativity and Collaboration is likely to increase as automation becomes more widespread. These skills are impossible to automate, and people with such skills are going to be valuable to their organizations in the future. The young graduates have to realize that it is not about a career or a job, it is about a vocation. I would recommend that students not pursue their passions only for success but think hard at what makes them happy. Students have to get their priorities straight. Realities are going to shift and change in the post-pandemic world, especially with the advancements in technology. Historical Consciousness is important to understand shifts. In the post-pandemic world when we have become more global, knowledge about the world, historical knowledge and understanding of trends will always be a valuable tool to have when making decisions in the workplace.
Dr. Christopher Close Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Director, Justice and Ethics in the Law programSaint Joseph's University
Department of History
WebsiteWill there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on graduates?
Dr. Christopher Close Ph.D.: I think there will be an enduring impact. It will be both in the form of the types of jobs available, and the focus of many other types of jobs. From a history perspective, for example, I think museums, research institutions, etc., are going to be very interested in the history of infectious disease and the history of science, so someone who has studied these topics will have an advantage in the application process.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact on your job prospects?
Dr. Christopher Close Ph.D.: I think for thinking about the uncertain future of the job markets, courses that teach good writing and critical thinking skills will be essential. With the long-term impact of the pandemic on the job market unclear, we don't yet know what the job market will look like in 1 year, much less five years. Accordingly, skills that are applicable to a whole variety of fields, like strong writing and analytical thinking, are especially important for students to gain right now. History teaches this skill in a way few other fields can match, and therefore prepares students to enter really any field they want after graduation.
What soft skills should all graduates possess?
Dr. Christopher Close Ph.D.: Graduates should be able to make a well-supported, well-reasoned argument, both orally and in writing. They should be able to critically read and assess the validity of claims they see advanced by other people. These skills of critical thinking are crucial for any field.
What's a good job out of college and why?
Frédérique Aït-Touati: A good job is one that allows you to use the skills you learned in college while developing new ones. A good job is both challenging and rewarding. The job you will be doing might not be exciting yet. And most importantly, you might have different good jobs, very different from one another, throughout your career. A good job is one where you feel it's not a "bullshit job", and in which there is no boredom - therefore, a job where you feel you are useful to yourself and to society.
What technical skills stand out to employers?
Frédérique Aït-Touati: Technical skills tend to change with time. Adaptability, listening to others, desire to improve and know more, ability to work with others, initiative, responsiveness, and reliability are skills that stand out whatever the context.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent in the field in the next 3-5 years?
Frédérique Aït-Touati: It depends on which field, of course. AI is an obvious skill to develop and be aware of.
Alex Small Ph.D.
Professor of PhysicsCalifornia State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Physics and Astronomy Department
In your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Alex Small Ph.D.: I'm reluctant to forecast trends, because the pandemic has defied some of my expectations. I've had many people in optics companies asking me for resumes from graduating physics majors, contrary to the fear of a downturn. I'm sure there are sectors with downturns, but the optics industry (the sector where I have the most contacts) has been strong.
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?
Alex Small Ph.D.: What to do in a gap year depends on whether you're more of a hands-on person or a numbers person. If you're a numbers person, do programming projects and develop a portfolio of things that showcase how you can work with data and simulations, and how you troubleshoot. If you're a hands-on person, do something that shows how you can troubleshoot a piece of technology, diagnose what's going on, get it working, and verify that it's performing well once you have it working. Everything I hear from students getting interviews is that they want to hear about a problem you solved and see how well you can present it and explain the troubleshooting process.
What general advice would you give to a graduate beginning their career?
Alex Small Ph.D.: My general advice to any new physics grad is to just get your foot in the door at a company in a sector you're interested in, and then get to know people in jobs that you want to move into. I know students who started off in seemingly low jobs but after a few months moved up because they proved themselves. The senior people who have the jobs you want are the people you should be asking about the skills to develop. I know what students do to get in the door, but once they're in the door it's all about the particulars of that company, that product, that technology. So get in the door and then meet the people doing the things you want to get promoted to do. Some of them will be at that company, and some will be at the conferences that people in that sector attend. Keep meeting people.
What general advice would you give to a graduate beginning their career?
Heather Tanner Ph.D.: Most entry-level jobs have lots of boring elements, which is frustrating when you can't wait to jump in and tackle exciting challenges. However, it would help if you showed your immediate supervisor and the company/institution that you are a good team member, capable, and willing to take on tasks (challenging and boring). Routinely ask your supervisor for new jobs or projects to expand your skillset and knowledge of the company/institution. It would help if you also manage your expectations about how quickly you'll be promoted; it can be frustratingly slow. Finally, it's essential to recognize that you need to manage your reputation - this is a workplace where you need to be perceived as a responsible and competent professional. Therefore, only share information about your personal life and leisure time as if talking to your grandparents.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent in the field in the next 3-5 years?
Heather Tanner Ph.D.: In academia (my field), I expect that it won't be new technology but new software that will become increasingly important. Programs that allow students to collaborate, create multi-media presentations, and analyze data.
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?
Heather Tanner Ph.D.: History majors' entry-level salaries are between $40,000 and $52,000 per year. Down the line, history majors earn around $85,000.
Katherine Wiley Ph.D.
Associate Professor,Pacific Lutheran University
Department of Anthropology
WebsiteIn your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Katherine Wiley Ph.D.: The pandemic has obviously wreaked havoc on the job market, and many businesses and institutions are having to do more with less, including fewer employees than before. I think employers are going to be looking for people who are flexible and who have a wide range of skills. People who have degrees in anthropology will really be able to meet these needs. Anthropologists have experience in research and writing, excellent interpersonal skills, and deep knowledge about a wide range of topics. Employers can feel secure knowing that they can throw new challenges an anthropologist's way and that that person will be able to meet them.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent in the field in the next 3-5 years?
Katherine Wiley Ph.D.: Anthropology is a broad field, so this depends a bit on what areas students are working in, but being able to work with quantitative data, as well as to conduct qualitative research, will certainly be important. If it's available at their universities, students might also take advantage of learning particular programs like GIS mapping software or software used for data analysis. But a lot of things will stay the same. Employers will still need graduates who can communicate well with clients, through written and oral forms, and who have a sensitivity to diversity. And anthropologists are great at all of these things!
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for graduates in this field in the next 5 years?
Katherine Wiley Ph.D.: I think there will be an increase in the demand for anthropology graduates in the next five years. Our country is extremely diverse and is only becoming more so. As people who have explicitly studied diversity, and who have knowledge of and experience with working with diverse populations, anthropologists will be assets for all kinds of industries, including nonprofit, business, government, etc. Employers also like to hire people who are passionate about what they do, and most anthropology graduates care deeply about learning about the world and exploring new fields. The trick for these graduates is that many employers don't know what anthropology is. So graduates need to work on explaining to potential employers why their degrees make them such great candidates, and we as faculty need to help them with this process.
