The spring semester is wrapping up for college seniors all over the country, leaving many of them on the hunt for a job. Even though the COVID-19 crisis has left millions of Americans unemployed, there is still hope for college grads.

What You Need To Know

  • Students concerned about available job opportunities
  • Country’s unemployment rate is the highest it’s been since the Great Depression
  • Resources are available

​"I would love to congratulate my fellow graduates," Michael Smith says.

Smith, 22, wrapped up his last undergraduate final at SUNY Buffalo State on Wednesday. The Buffalo native majored in media production and now hopes to find a professional role where he can edit videos, produce music, and make graphics.

"I’ve been looking for the past month, but I’ve been kind of putting it aside to finish all of this schoolwork and now I need to just ramp it back up," he says.

Smith is concerned with the job opportunities available during the coronavirus pandemic. The country’s current unemployment rate is the highest it’s been since the Great Depression. 

"Seniors have to be practical," says Stephanie Zuckerman-Aviles, director of Buffalo State’s Career Development Center.

Zuckerman-Aviles says if you can wait for the economy to reopen, try to find a part-time or temporary job, or even take online courses this summer to improve your skillset.

She says, "The person that has the most skills wins."

But if you’re looking to kick start your career now, check out resources that point you in the right direction to see who’s hiring. If you go to Buffalo State’s career development website, you can find a list of companies that are freezing their hiring efforts and ones that are looking for employees.

She says, "There’s 8,000 companies on there, pretty impressive, right?"

Zuckerman-Aviles adds that the list is available to the public. She recommends young professionals spruce up their LinkedIn profiles and build their networks because that could be a way to get their foot in the door.

"Stay connected, don’t pull in, you've got to get out. Stay connected, really try, even if it’s online through LinkedIn or through your professional groups," she says.

The school’s Career Development Center is sponsoring a virtual career fair open to all Buffalo State students and alumni on May 22.

Zuckerman-Aviles says, "It gives people hope that there’s something out there."

"Don’t shy away from any opportunity that comes your way," Smith says.