OUR VIEW: A ray of hope for graduating seniors

A word to the wise: Don’t read this before bed or you’ll have nightmares.

A collapsing economy, major financial institutions failing, a highly unpopular Congress approving an even more unpopular $700 billion bailout bill … the only thing missing from this apocalyptic tale is for the beast with seven heads and 10 horns to rise up and completely destroy the Earth.

What may be even more terrifying is the prospect of entering the workforce for graduating seniors. Listening to the major news networks for a few minutes will have just about anyone convinced there aren’t any jobs out there and the economy will never recover without falling into another Great Depression.

With that encouraging outlook, seniors are being pushed into a scarier “real world” than they could ever imagine.

But, before you go jump off a cliff, pause for a second and take a closer look at things. The economy is bad, but it isn’t all gloom and doom. Yes, it will take a while for Wall Street to recover, but they’ve been through plenty of up and down cycles, and so far things have found a way to level out. Give it enough time and chances are there will be a sharp rebound, bringing in great prosperity.

What about getting a job? After years of education, you will enter the workforce with more than a degree. You will have a whole skill set that can be applied to a variety of occupations. Perhaps you won’t land a job in the exact field you studied. Big deal. The average American worker will make multiple major career changes in their lifetime.

In the short run, it may indeed be difficult to obtain a job. But don’t give up hope if the first place you apply to doesn’t hire you. Even in a depressed economy there are thousands of job opportunities available. The key is to keep on applying for jobs armed with effective interviewing skills and a brushed-up resume. If there is a need for improvement in those areas, USU has Career Services, which focuses on helping students prepare for the workforce. Go in an see what they can do for you.

In the long term, within the next 10 to 20 years, a large percentage of the workforce will begin to retire, leaving plenty of opportunities for advancement.

And when it comes to fulfilling for individual or family needs, most jobs out there can provide for the necessities of life. A bigger concern for graduating seniors should be effective money management – one of the chief contributors to the economic crisis in this country. Effective money management really comes down to a few things: eliminating debt, smart savings and investments and spending less than you make. It’s so simple, in fact, that the vast majority of Americans don’t apply these principles. But the wealthy generally do.

So while Wall Street and Washington struggle to make sense of the disaster they’ve created and enhanced for themselves, keep your chin up. There are many areas of the country with strong economies, like Utah, with plenty of opportunities. And if you can’t find something that suits your taste, create your own business, which will boost the economy and your wallet.

Graduating seniors, you may be in for some hard times, but the country has been through tough times before and pulled out just fine because of brilliant minds and hands who were willing to work hard and get things done. So go out and provide something to the workforce.