Graduates remain confident about finding a job but express job security concerns

Higher Ed Dive

Carolyn Crist

May 2, 2024

Although most college graduates feel confident about receiving a job offer soon after graduating, many also reported concerns about the competitive job market, the economy and career development opportunities, according to Monster’s 2024 State of the Graduate Report, which polled 1,000 new or upcoming college graduates.

About 67% of graduates believe employers have more leverage to find the best candidates than job seekers have to find the best jobs, as compared to 56% who said the same in 2023. In addition, 77% said they’re concerned about job security during the job search process, and half said they assume they won’t be able to find a job at the company they prefer.

“As we approach the Spring 2024 graduate season, it’s critical to understand how the newest additions to the workforce are approaching employment, and what they are expecting from employers,” Scott Gutz, CEO of Monster, said in the report overview.

“However, though graduates believe that employers have the upper hand in this landscape, they maintain core requirements that they are unwilling to compromise on while job hunting,” he said. “Some of the workplace aspects that this year’s graduates are most adamant about are work flexibility, mental health, and career development.”

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