As the summer begins, many recently graduated college students are starting to plan for their lives in the professional world. It's an exciting time, but it can also be a little nerve-racking — especially if you're not totally clear on your career options.
Today's college grads face a professional world that isn't always hospitable. Unemployment rates tend to be higher among young graduates than the rest of the workforce. For example, a 2016 report from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) lists the unemployment rate for young college graduates at 5.6 percent, compared to a general unemployment rate of 5 percent at the time of the report's publication. And many college graduates who do land jobs right out of school end up underemployed: The EPI report lists the underemployment rate of young graduates at 12.6 percent.
But there are opportunities out there. You just need to know where to look. Recruiting, for example, isn't high on many grads' lists of career options — but it should be. This lucrative, rewarding role has a low bar to entry and high potential.
To maintain this pace, the recruiting industry is in constant need of new talent — which is why this field presents such an opportunity to young graduates. You don't have to worry about unemployment in the recruiting sector. Companies will always need help finding new talent.
Nor do grads have to worry about underemployment as recruiters. A recruiter's job is to connect employers in need with candidates who can provide value. Recruiters have to make full use of creative problem-solving skills to land new clients, advertise jobs, find candidates, and make matches. There's never a dull moment.
As a recruiter, you are paid for your results. That means the sky is the limit as far as your earning potential is concerned. The more work you put in, the more value you deliver, the higher your paycheck. When you have student loans to pay off — and who doesn't? — that level of income can be a real blessing.
Are you looking for a part-time gig as you explore your future career options? Recruiting can be that gig — and a particularly lucrative one at that. Plus, the skills you learn as a recruiter are transferable skills that can be applied to almost any other profession: communication skills, problem-solving, negotiation, client relations, customer service, sales skills, marketing skills, and more.
You don't have to jump through many hoops to become a recruiter. You don't need to graduate with a particular degree. After picking up just a few basic concepts and skills, you can get in the door and start earning.