News 14 Carolina's Heather Moore spoke with college seniors who are looking to get their careers started.
RALEIGH -- Caps, gowns, and tassles are a rite of passage for graduates and so is the rigorous job search.
“Getting a job isn't as easy as I thought it was going to be,” said Jasmine Stringer, a graduating senior from N.C. State. “I have a job at the university right now, but eventually I want to go into health politics and health policy.”
“I'm talking with a manager now, so I'm hoping within a few weeks, I'll have a job,” said Chris Dimaio, also a NCSU graduating senior.
Fellow graduate Jacob Wisner said, “I still have a couple of interviews, a couple of offers, but nothing lined up yet.”
A lot of the graduates say in today's society, having just a bachelor's degree won't get them a job.
Thousands of North Carolina college students will be graduating this weekend.
“I've been in the process of applying to law school and that was my intention coming in, to go to law school right after undergraduate,” said Tracy Leatherberry.
“If you're going in math,” explained graduate Ralph Abbey, “usually you need at least a masters [degree] to secure a decent job after graduation, so I'm going for a PhD.”
The National Association of Colleges and Employers says graduates this year should have an easier time lining up jobs than last year's class. The organization says employers plan to hire eight percent more new college graduates this year than last year. However, that prediction has dropped eight percent since last fall, when the group originally expected a 16 percent hiring increase.
“I'd say a lot of people are hiring, and at the same time, there is a lot of competition,” Dimaio explained.
Most colleges help graduating students look for and apply for jobs.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers say graduates have an edge over the competition if they did an internship or gained work-related experience while still in school.