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FEATURED REPORT

Graduates' Prospects

- December 4, 2020
Can job seekers navigate the pandemic-battered labor market?
Photo of student Katherine Koeppel's sash with Zoom logo, at the University of Southern California. (Getty Images/Los Angeles Times/Mel Melcon)
With COVID-19 resurging, business bankruptcies rising and economic uncertainty spreading, the hiring outlook for the Class of 2021 is muted or down for the first time in almost a decade. Upbeat career prospects for last spring's college graduates suddenly turned bleak after the coronavirus shut down many sectors of the U.S. economy. And the situation this school year is not much better, with fierce competition in the sectors that are still hiring, such as technology companies and others that have adapted to pandemic-related changes in the economy.
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Dual Economy

Talent Shortages

Plans B and C

Read the Current Situation
 
1900s–1930sEconomic booms and busts spur demand for vocational help.
1940s–1960sCollege expands options and goals for women.
1980s–2000sThe World Wide Web is born, and women earn more college degrees than men and advance to more senior leadership roles.
   
See more of the Chronology

Does digital recruiting level the playing field for people of color and graduates from smaller colleges?

Pro

Christine Cruzvergara
Vice President, Higher Education and Student Success, Handshake.

Con

Mira Lowe
Assistant Dean for Student Experiences and Director, Innovation News Center, University of Florida.
Read the Pro/Con Debate

RECENT REPORTS

Preventing Wildfires

Can better forest management solve the problem?

The Public Health System

Can it handle pandemics and other medical challenges?

Protecting Consumer Finances

Has the government's watchdog fulfilled its mission?

UPCOMING REPORTS

The Abraham Accords - 12/11/2020
Will they transform the Middle East?

The Natural Gas Industry - 1/1/2021
Will it transform the global energy market?

Reports are published online 44 times a year. Click here to see the 2020 publication schedule.

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