How an Obama administration will impact the entry-level job market

“President-elect Obama has talked about a number of steps he will take that should create growth in entry-level market,” said Andrea Rice, president and co-founder of Gotta Mentor. “His $150 billion commitment to driving a new clean energy economy is projected to create five million new jobs over the next 10 years. Investment in our national transportation infrastructure will also drive new entry-level opportunities for engineers, project managers and other skilled and unskilled positions.” 

 

“If there is one sector that is growing right now, it’s the federal government. Whether your interests lie in finance, energy, law, social services, transportation or elsewhere, the role of government has expanded dramatically over the last eight years, creating new jobs for people at all career stages. The harsh reality, however, is that the entry-level job environment will remain challenging, certainly for 2009, and possibly 2010, graduates,” she continued.

 

In addition to the federal government, the environmental sector will likely see a boost, according to Liz Maw, executive director of Net Impact. “Given Obama’s intended focus on tackling climate change, we expect to see an increase in corporate positions focused on environmental sustainability. And, given the current global economic situation, we would hope to see environmental sustainability roles increase in the near future as organizations work to get ahead of the curve on climate change and increase their bottom line.”

 

Michael Neece, chief strategy officer of PongoResume, agrees. “Throughout his campaign, President-elect Barack Obama articulated and defined multiple business initiatives to stimulate job growth and innovation to solve many of the key problems facing the United States. With each successful implementation, businesses will regain confidence and start hiring again.”

 

It’s not going to happen overnight, says Vicky Oliver, author of “Bad Bosses, Crazy Coworkers & Other Office Idiots,” but Obama recognizes the economy is top-of-mind for constituents. 

 

“The presidential election is great news for the job and internship market in the long-term,” said Oliver. “Historically, job creation tends to happen when the economy is robust. The credit markets need to settle. Once they do, the stock market will stabilize, indicating a return of consumer confidence. When people are buying stuff again – houses, cars, clothing – companies will start hiring people again and there will be entry-level jobs and internships galore.”

 

Dan Chaparian of YouIntern, reiterating that, while change is coming, it won’t be immediate, tells students and recent graduates to “be aggressive, think outside of your comfort zone and take opportunities when they arise.” 

 

Don’t think that just because you have a degree that an internship is beneath you. “Heck, in this market, you'll probably be better off than most of your peers,” said Chaparian.