Students feel there is little chance of getting that dream job

16 April 2001 - This is one of the findings of Focus On Students, the first study in the Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers' (CACEE) Research Series, which shows that only 4% of students are very confident that they will find a job they really want.

But Graham Donald, Executive Director of CACEE says:

"It's true that very few students expect to find the job of their dreams. However, according to the Survey, 81% are confident that they'll find a job that suits their education and skills."

In the week following March 5, 2001, CACEE surveyed more than 2000 English- speaking students throughout Canada. They were asked about issues such as:

- how they felt about future job prospects
- how they ranked job and offer attributes
- the type and size of organization in which they would prefer to work

Julie Rahmer, Publications Manager for CACEE says:

"There are a lot of interesting conclusions from the survey. The results show that the opportunity to develop new skills and work that is stimulating are key factors influencing a student's decision to accept a job offer."

Other information obtained from the survey included:

- 68% of students stated that they were 'not at all or only somewhat confident about finding their next job quickly'
- The government came first in the rankings of most favorable place to work. 23% of students chose it over large corporations, non profit organizations and small companies
- Only 14% of students considered pay to be the most important factor in choosing a job.

Bibliography and Amazon.ca

What Color is Your Parachute?: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career Changers
by Richard Nelson Bolles

The Interview Rehearsal Book: 7 Steps to Job-Winning Interviews Using Acting Skills You Never Knew You Had
by Deb Gottesman, Buzz Mauro

Power Interviews: Job-Winning Tactics from Fortune 500 Recruiters
by Neil Yeager, Lee Hough

175 High-Impact Cover Letters
by Richard H. Beatty