The scripts are available for printing and for sound bite identification.

Go to http://www.wichita.edu/newsline to get the current Wichita State University Newsline. If you cannot access the Newsline at the Web address above, contact Joe Kleinsasser at (316) 978-3013 or joe.kleinsasser@wichita.edu. Newsline cuts may be edited to suit your needs. If you have additional questions for Pletcher after listening to the WSU Newsline, please contact her at (316) 978-6830 or jill.pletcher@wichita.edu.

Background:

Some say the economy is sluggish, while others call it a recession. But job prospects for college graduates this spring are generally good, according to Jill Pletcher, director of career services at Wichita State University.

Voice wrap:

Announcer: The economy may be far from robust, but that doesn't mean the job outlook for college graduates is in the tank. In fact, several recent surveys have found the job market are actually improving for new grads. Wichita State University director of career services Jill Pletcher offers some job searching tips for college graduates.

Pletcher: “If you don't have experience, one of the things I'd recommend is get some sort of experience wherever you can, and maybe that's just a portion of a job that will then lead you to options for additional jobs down the road. And also as you do the job search make sure that you take time to do multiple applications. Don't put one in and then wait to hear something. Make sure that you continue to have applications out, so that you will have offers then."

Announcer: A survey by CollegeGrad.com, a search site for entry-level jobs, found employers increasing their entry-level hiring almost 12 percent over last year. This is Joe Kleinsasser at Wichita State University.

Sound bite #1

Pletcher says the job outlook for college graduates is good. The sound bite is 11 seconds and the outcue is "very strong."

Pletcher: “The overall job outlook seems still to be very positive. I keep waiting for things to fall, given the economy that's in other parts of the country, but that's not part of what we've heard in the Midwest, that things seem to be very strong."

Sound bite #2

Pletcher looks at the most promising career fields at the present time. The sound bite is 14 seconds and the outcue is "very difficult to fill."

Pletcher: “The most promising fields are pretty consistent over the past year or two — fields such as accounting, engineering, health-related occupations, I think nursing in particular, and some of the teaching fields, particularly at the secondary level, math, science. Some of those kinds of fields are very difficult to fill."

Sound bite #3

Pletcher talks about the career fields that are more competitive right now. The sound bite is 18 seconds and the outcue is "to make inroads there."

Pletcher: “The fields that are a little more difficult to get into, more competitive, would be things like some parts of communication, some marketing-related types of positions. Those that just require general liberal arts, the history and psychology and so on for those, students have to have a particular background to be able to make inroads there."

Sound bite #4

Pletcher explains how an applicant can be his or her own worst enemy in a job search. The sound bite is 20 seconds and the outcue is "doing everything online."

Pletcher: “I think being their own worst enemy comes with partially not allowing enough time for the job search. It's said that looking for a job can be a full-time job, and that is absolutely true. I think also not taking the time to put the time into the methods that are going to be most effective. And one of those is having people contact, rather than just doing everything online."

Sound bite #5

Pletcher cautions college students who may be in the habit of texting and writing in an abbreviated style. The sound bite is 15 seconds and the outcue is "many of those circumstances."

Pletcher: “One of the things I'm hearing from employers is some of the challenges students are having in terms of writing professionally, because of the texting and the abbreviated style that they use so frequently with their friends, that's carrying over into the workplace, and that is not going to be appropriate in many of those circumstances."