Experts Weigh In On Current Job Market Trends
November 16, 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
The College of New Jersey
Creighton University
Stevenson University
University of Wisconsin - Platteville
Doverspike Consulting/HR LItehouse
Robert Morris University
Brigham Young University – Idaho
Morgan State University
Tiffin University
University of Maine
Washington State University
University of Massachusetts
Janet Gray Ph.D.
Professor and Department ChairThe College of New Jersey
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Janet Gray Ph.D.: Future trends in the job market will depend on some significant degree in public policy and funding changes following the 2020 elections. I would expect public health, health care, mental health, public policy, social work, social advocacy, and other social service forms to continue to be growing fields. The recent legalization of drugs for medicinal and recreational use in several states will open up new employment areas related not only to distribution but also to policy and social services, as addiction care replaces incarceration. STEM skills will be essential across employment sectors as people continue to depend on remote access for a wide range of needs and activities.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Scientists in the next 3-5 years?
Janet Gray Ph.D.: WGSS graduates enter every employment sector, so technological trends for our graduates will follow various sectors' directions. Among the most common careers for WGSS graduates are law, social work, and education. The capacity to work remotely and do so effectively--may depend more on having access to sound technology and good training, and devising more effective ways to use the tools available, than on any new technology becoming available.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Scientists in the next 5 years?
Janet Gray Ph.D.: I think an increase, though not dramatic. WGSS majors graduate with a capacity to analyze and strategize about a wide range of social justice issues, including racial justice, LGBTQ rights, immigration rights, and disability rights, in addition to gender equity. Very few employers require a degree specifically in WGSS. Still, many employers value the skills students gain through their major, and I would expect social justice skills to be increasingly in demand across employment sectors in the coming years. Most WGSS majors take second majors as well, and their combined majors give them an edge in a broad range of fields--including mental health, public health, law, education, politics, business, and government.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Scientist job market given the pandemic?
April Buschelman: Teacher shortage was an issue before the pandemic, and I see this increasing tenfold in the next year. I get weekly notices or requests for graduates that could fill roles in different schools and districts, some are immediate, and others are for the next semester.
Besides only needing more teachers, I think there will be a great demand for teachers with instructional technology concentrations. The pandemic highlighted the need to think outside the traditional brick and mortar "box" of school systems. While newer teachers are being educated in ways to use technology in the classroom, it's rare students are being educated to make the technology the classroom.
One final trend to be aware of is educator burnout and the need for self-preservation. I could see (and hope we will see) schools and districts focusing on the educators' mental health. Inservice days could become more laid back and focus on mental well-being as much as the newest trends and requirements. If we want students to have the best experience and education with school, we need to focus on the educators' mental and physical well-being first.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Scientists in the next 3-5 years?
April Buschelman: I think virtual learning and working from home are here to stay. I see many more classes being offered online with a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous class sessions. Homeschooling across the country has doubled due to the pandemic, and parents would love to have the option of still having their child(ren) on track and "in" school without needing to plan every piece of the curriculum. A remote option that allows students to come into the school for portions of the day for specials or electives gives parents a great choice. This option would also enable secondary students to work during the day to support themselves or their families.
One other technology that will become more prevalent is the virtual lessons taught through animated videos rather than an actual teacher. Similar to corporate training or the online curriculum alternatives out there, I see this as an option for schools struggling to hire teachers.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Scientists in the next 5 years?
April Buschelman: I think there will be a definite increase in graduates in the next five years. This pandemic is causing many educators to leave the field due to the strain of teaching with multiple restrictions and requirements placed on them to keep everyone safe and healthy. Teachers are split with their desire to be teachers and help students and the teacher's desire to stay healthy and safe. Some are choosing to leave the profession instead and creating this new demand. It will be interesting to see what the future will hold!
What experience really stands out on Scientist resumes?
Neil Rothman Ph.D.: Above all, demonstrating the ability to apply what you have learned to a practical problem is the best evidence that a candidate will contribute to an organization. Therefore, projects that were undertaken by the candidate (especially team projects) should be highlighted and must include specific contributions made to the project. Since the purpose of the resume is to get an interview, the candidate should have a solid command of the project's overall goals and explain how their contribution was directly related to those goals. The ability to function well on a team is also crucial.
What Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Neil Rothman Ph.D.: Any gap year experience should be complementary to their degree program and career goals. If they lack a specific skill that is important in their field of choice, they should focus on that. Otherwise, any experience is useful knowledge, but an experience that provides a better perspective on why they are pursuing a particular career would be best. Most jobs require a multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving, but most degree programs don't necessarily provide this. Software development and data analysis will be crucial in almost any career, so that might be something to look at (e.g., Python, R, etc.).
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Scientists in the next 3-5 years?
Neil Rothman Ph.D.: Based on the past year, the rapid development of diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics would seem to be an area that will be very important. I am talking about developing a specific vaccine or therapeutic and the equipment and laboratory methods necessary for their product. Running a diagnostic test on an "easy to acquire" sample will be essential to enable rapid and widespread testing and diagnosis. Detection of pathogens in water and food will likely continue and potentially increase in importance as the effects of climate change impact the water supply.
I also think that the strategy behind diagnostic testing may become more critical. Rather than going for very high sensitivity and specificity, it may be more useful to have a "good" test that can be conducted more quickly and often to prevent disease spread. This directly impacts what technologies are developed and how they are applied.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Scientist job market given the pandemic?
Afzal Upal: I believe that this will accelerate the trend towards automation of various aspects of life. This will lead to automation technologies' rapid growth, particularly Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (incredibly deep learning). I do not believe that work from home (WFH) will continue at the high levels at which it is currently happening in the middle of the current pandemic. Although post-pandemic, WFH will continue at a higher level than it was happening in February 2020. Differences in employee productivity, however small, will force most employers to ask many employees to return to their offices. The trend toward automation yet will continue and will lead to an even more massive expansion of jobs in computer science.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Scientists in the next 3-5 years?
Afzal Upal: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, as discussed above. I also see rapid growth in epidemiology and public health, given their prominence in the news and given the fact that governments and research institutions, at all levels, will be bolstering their epidemiology and public health personnel.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Scientists in the next 5 years?
Afzal Upal: I do see an increase in demand for graduates in both Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning and epidemiology/public health, even in the longer time horizon of 5 years. This is because AI/ML jobs were growing, even before the pandemic, and that trend has only accelerated due to the epidemic. I also expect epidemiology and public health to continue to grow because the public has become sensitive to the pandemic. There's no reason to believe that this is the last pandemic we'll see, given the ease with which people can and travel around the globe.
What type of skills will young Scientists need?
Dennis Doverspike Ph.D.: Seemingly a paradox, there will continue to be a need for very general, but highly fungible, skills and demand for too specialized skills, requiring advanced education. Coding, statistics, and data analysis related skills will remain a hot growth area. The aging of the baby boomers will create demand for medical and healthcare-related regions, especially nursing, nursing aides, and emergency services. Despite the automation of many people facing jobs, there will continue to be a demand for interpersonal and people skills, including various types of sales. The switch to remote work, due to COVID, will create a substantial future market to fill the leadership and managerial skills gap. In many areas of Technology and engineering, it is already challenging to find a combination of technical knowledge and people skills, and this demand will intensify.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Scientists to find work opportunities?
Dennis Doverspike Ph.D.: Not sure if this question meant geographic locations or industries. I will assume it means geographic areas. Both government and the health care industries will continue to grow, along with a decline in traditional manufacturing, so this will increase jobs around Washington, DC, state capitals, and large regional medical centers. It is harder to predict the impact of COVID and remote work on our cities, especially those located in high housing cost areas and on the coasts. Nevertheless, the movement to remote work and small education continues to expand, making it more and more accurate that choosing where to live will depend upon personal preferences. Thus, location will become less of a factor in work decisions and be driven more by family and leisure choices. One exception might be the aging of the baby boomers. If we see more and more Villages created, then those communities for older individuals will need service staff living in the area to provide personalized medical care, along with a range of recreational and entertainment options.
How do you envision technology impacting Scientists in the next 5 years?
Dennis Doverspike Ph.D.: Technology will have a considerable impact. Self-driving vehicles and the replacement of call-center employees with artificial agents will eliminate a large number of high paying, low skill jobs. COVID and Technology will continue to combine to shape how we work, whether we have to commute to work, how we do that, and how we educate ourselves and our children. This will then impact where we live, our cities, the way we fund governments, and the percentage of people in the workforce.
What are the best companies to work for a Scientist?
Paul Badger Ph.D.: Some of the best companies to work for are companies or industries with a long history of research and development in the general field of biology. Explicitly speaking, companies associated with the healthcare industry, life sciences, or environmental sciences usually hire graduates with degrees in science fields.
Those jobs are relatively secure with opportunities for advancement over the long term. Another occupation with potential for growth that traditionally hires biology graduates in the field of forensic science. The demand for qualified biology educators has been relatively steady over the years and offers another lot where biology graduates may find employment. Science is the driver for innovation in many areas, from technology to healthcare to agriculture, and design in these areas can lead to market growth and job creation.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Scientists in the next 5 years?
Paul Badger Ph.D.: The demand for skilled research scientists in the healthcare industry or related industries will almost certainly grow in the next five years. There is nearly always a need for entry-level positions, such as laboratory scientists or medical laboratory technicians. The recent increase in pressures placed on the health care sector will likely lead to more hiring as testing facilities, and analytical labs are expanded.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Scientists to find work opportunities?
Paul Badger Ph.D.: Any area of the U.S. that has current or projected population growth, like the southern Atlantic states and the Rocky Mountain regions, will have an increased demand for biology graduates in a variety of occupations.
What experience really stands out on Scientist resumes?
Nels Hansen Ph.D.: I think that the following areas stand out to employers when they review a resume. Students who acquire real-world experience in one or more (and hopefully more) of the following will likely have their resumes rise to the top.
-Irrigation planning and system management.
-Safe chemical handling and application.
-Pest identification and management.
-Soil and plant testing combined with plant nutrient recommendations.
-Data gathering, power, and analysis.
-Verbal fluency in Spanish.
What Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nels Hansen Ph.D.: If someone needs to take a gap year, I recommend the following:
-Complete the requirements to become a Certified Crop Advisor through the American Society of Agronomy. Each State or region has its unique needs. The requirements can be found online at agronomy.org.
-Complete the requirements to become a licensed Commercial Pesticide Applicator. Each State will provide study materials and testing locations.
-Continue to work on Spanish fluency, if not already fluent.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Scientists in the next 3-5 years?
Nels Hansen Ph.D.: Autonomous agricultural equipment and artificial intelligence-driven decision support systems will continue to be emerging technologies that help crop producers and advisors make better decisions and improve operations efficiency. Students should look for opportunities to learn more about basic computer programming and information systems to be knowledgeable in these areas.
Dr. Diane Wilson Ph.D.
Medical Laboratory Science Program Director and Associate ProfessorMorgan State University
Medical Laboratory Science
What are the best companies to work for a Scientist?
Dr. Diane Wilson Ph.D.: In the Mid-Atlantic region, some of the companies, i.e., hospitals or reference laboratories that offer considerable opportunities and professional growth, include Johns Hopkins Hospital, University of Maryland System, MedStar Hospital System, Kaiser Permanente, Becton Dickinson, Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Scientists in the next 5 years?
Dr. Diane Wilson Ph.D.: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for Medical Laboratory Science professionals in the next five years will increase by 7% from 2019-2029*. The Bureau also adds that the growth will be faster than the average for all occupations*.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Scientists to find work opportunities?
Dr. Diane Wilson Ph.D.: There are numerous employment opportunities and experiences nationwide. Increased laboratory testing due to the pandemic has increased the demand for Medical Laboratory Scientists nationally.
Many of the graduates receive numerous job offers from all areas of the country.
Sami Mejri Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Science, Assistant Dean, Graduate ProgramsTiffin University
School of Arts & Sciences
What type of skills will young Scientists need?
Sami Mejri Ph.D.: A college education is key to personal, professional, and intellectual growth and is considered one of the best vehicles for upward social mobility. However, in a globalized, interconnected, and ever-changing job market, a college degree is not enough. There is no guarantee that the graduate's first job will be directly related to their study areas. To this end, college graduates must be versatile in various domains and strive to acquire skills related to problem-solving, oral and written communication, and digital technology. Additionally, in a diverse workforce, graduates should embrace collaboration and teamwork, which require interpersonal skills and sensitivity to the concept of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Scientists to find work opportunities?
Sami Mejri Ph.D.: With the rising cost of living, a college graduate's ideal first job may not be in their home state or favorite vacation town. According to Business Insider, MidWestern cities like Columbus-Ohio, Cincinnati-Ohio, Madison-Wisconsin, Milwaukee-Wisconsin, and Indianapolis-Indiana were some of the best geographical areas to live for college graduates. The cost of living in these Midwestern states remains relatively lower than coastal areas, making these locations ideal for college graduates entering the workforce. However, college graduates with degrees in healthcare, computer science, and data analytics may not be limited to these geographical areas, given employers' incentives to these in-demand jobs.
How do you envision technology impacting Scientists in the next 5 years?
Sami Mejri Ph.D.: Technology and artificial intelligence will continue to change the workplace, so learning does not end with earning a college degree. According to a recently-published book by Joanne Soliday and Mark Lombardi, 30-to-40 million workers around the country require continuous education (CE) to remain gainfully employed. Though (CE) is not new, particularly in healthcare and education, the emphasis is on incorporating virtual spaces for collaboration and efficiency, both of which are critical to reducing operational costs and maximizing productivity. In the next five to ten years, employers will continue to infuse technology into their operations and expect employees (including recent graduates) to buy into and adapt to these changes.
What experience really stands out on Scientist resumes?
Scott Johnson: Demonstrated ability to complete a project, such as a Senior thesis or research presented at a conference. Internships, direct research experience, significant computer skills (office software, GIS skills, programming in Matlab, python, R.), real experience working with instrumentation and technology, good math, and writing skills.
What Scientist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Scott Johnson: This would depend on the student's goals. If interested in working in the environmental industry: HAZWOPER training, obtaining a Professional Geologist certification, developing programming skills. The PG can be obtained through self-study to pass the exam; then, the experience is needed to receive official accreditation. HAZWOPER training can be obtained through short courses. Programming skills in many popular languages can be learned online and with freely available material on the internet. I'd also advocate for people getting work experience, if possible. On a general note, computer programming skills, math/physics knowledge, GIS/remote sensing, and UAV training are valuable ways to use a gap year. Students can do these things effectively from anywhere, as long as they have a computer. There are many online options and even apps to improve knowledge in these fields and are needed for what we do.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Scientists in the next 3-5 years?
Scott Johnson: Computer programming to process large data sets, big data analytics, machine learning, remote sensing data, and incorporating them into more complex systems models are all gaining significant traction. Jobs that involve traditional field skills and mapping are becoming fewer. In contrast, jobs requiring someone to manage large amounts of remotely acquired ground, airborne, or satellite data in high spatial and temporal resolution with moderate amounts of ground truth data are becoming more prevalent. Field data are still incredibly important, but the goal is to upscale our observations across broader areas faster, more efficiently, and more accurately-the ability to use sensors properly to collect data. Learning a foreign language may open doors for some students who want to travel.
What type of skills will young Scientists need?
Joe Harrison: Critical thinking and the ability to make the best decisions, realizing that they will make better decisions as one gets more experience. A second skill is the ability to navigate conflict in the workplace.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Scientists to find work opportunities?
Joe Harrison: Dairy opportunities are still right across the US, both at operating dairies and allied agricultural sales and support positions.
How do you envision technology impacting Scientists in the next 5 years?
Joe Harrison: Technology is and will continue to change how cows are managed; having data instantly at your fingertips will help make more informed decisions. Examples are activity monitors and robotic milkers.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Scientists?
Min Yun: We see an early indication that students are re-examining their life and career choices. There seems to be a greater tendency to favor a practical, rather than ideal, future options. A downturn in the economy often drives students to fields that offer them more job security, but this one feels a little different. The training we give our students should be relatively immune to the immediate impact of the pandemic, but perhaps the sense that the job market is tighter is affecting students' math on this. The immediate danger the pandemic represents may also shake their beliefs at a deep level.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Scientists to find work opportunities?
Min Yun: Our students almost exclusively find jobs in education or technology-driven companies, and they tend to be in population centers along the East and West Coasts. Many of the top graduate programs are in the same areas as well.
How do you envision technology impacting Scientists in the next 5 years?
Min Yun: Astronomy is a technology-driven field, so training in astronomy will closely track the advances in the technology sector. The close connection between astronomy research and education, by the virtue, that the same people are leading both, means the astronomy education and training will reflect the broad technology trends. Many of the problems we are trying to solve in astronomy and astrophysics are often old but challenging problems. New and better tools can help to crack some of these really tough nuts, ,and new technology can provide the edge, or sometimes a completely transformative impact in our field, as in many others. Therefore the ability to recognize and adopt promising new technology is an important part of student training. Since technology is such an integral part of our field, I don't see any major changes in this trend over the next five years.
