Posted on 05/07/2011 7:40:22 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
As graduation season rapidly approaches, black college graduates may face a greater burden in the job market than their white counterparts. Black college graduates are twice as likely to be unemployed as white college graduates.
The recession has only worsened this problem. Unemployment among blacks is disproportionately higher than the rest of the population.
Reasons for this trend include black students are not adequately prepared for the job market. They may have the degrees, but they lack the connections or professional skills to be successful in the workplace.
Students may have the knowledge, but not the resume; or the resume, but not the knowledge. Also, since many current black college graduates are first-generation college students, they may not have the same professional networks within their families that white college graduates may have.
Even when black people have significant professional and networking opportunities, race can still play a role in their employability. The New York Times cited a study that said Caucasian, Asian and Latino managers hired a greater number of white job applicants and fewer black job applicants than black managers did.
Other concerns and signs of more covert, and possibly even unconscious, racism included the tendency to hire candidates with less "ethnic-sounding" names or candidates to whom they felt they were a better fit for the "cultural environment" of the workplace.
The presidency of Barack Obama was also cited as a possible challenge to the employment of black college graduates. Since many people feel that President Obama's election demonstrated the limitless possibilities for black people, black job applicants are more likely to be seen as playing the victim if they express their feelings about racism or cultural bias in the job application process.
In some ways, Obama's election also diminished the severity of the need for programs and opportunities targeted toward cultural diversity in the workplace. Therefore, attempts to level the playing field of opportunity have decreased, leaving many black college graduates to continue to combat discrimination with, what is often viewed as, an old argument and with less ammunition.
Regardless of the reasons for the disparity in employment rates, black college graduates must navigate the job market the way it is now. Lack of opportunity can only be countered by continuing to be proactive.
Pro-activity does not just mean training harder or longer to improve or increase skills and marketability or working consistently to build connections.
If there are no opportunities available, black college graduates must create their own because entrepreneurship is the only definitive solution to the problem of employability. The difficulties associated with working for others decrease if we take steps to work for ourselves.
“the tendency to hire candidates with less “ethnic-sounding” names”
I guess this means Tayshon and L’Queesha can’t find jobs, but William and Mary can.
I’ll get flamed for this.....but have you seen video clips, news clips, etc. of today’s so-called ‘college grads’ of so-called ‘black colleges’?
I’ve heard better command of the English language in grammar schools. It’s worse than pathetic. They bought into the hip-hop culture, can’t drive it out of themselves in four years of ‘racial studies’ and nonsense degrees....then wonder why they can’t get jobs.
Gee golly. Can’t imagine why this is.....thinking......thinking....
Black youth unemployment is around 50%, IIRC.
The article above is a mild example of that, as well.
Most blacks probably receive a public school education.
Ergo, tbe education they receive at public schools is ludicrous.
Moreover, that is why many blacks drop out, turn to gangs, booze, drugs and crime.
It also makes them dumber than dirt and that is why the prisons are overflowing with minorities.
Politically incorrect. You bet your !@#$%^&*! ass.
If a HLS grad such a Ubama does a piss poor job, what is one to expect of Texas Southern(horrible school) grad?
Bologney!
The kids having trouble getting jobs
are white hetero males. Jobs go first
to offshore Indians, minorities, women
and gays.
That’s the facts jack!
They have hope and change in office and will vote 95-97% for him again in 2012. Can’t fix stupid....
Yea I’m sure employers are lining up to hire Black Studies majors just so they can walk right into potential lawsuits.
“Black Studies”?!
Talk about a B.S. in B.S. degree.
No, it got one into the presidency. The American people support affirmative action and have for years or they wouldn’t nominate or elect the people they do.
Would it be racist to mention the 800-pound gorilla in the room?
The other issue is that they may also be heading away from fields of study where they can actually learn something, i.e. engineering or sciences. This can also be seen the implied fallacy where the article treats all degrees and colleges as equivalent and all actually meaning something.
As is being brought out on Instapundit frequently, the higher education bubble to a large degree is the result of the dumbing down of education in general, so that a college degree now is in too many cases, what a high school diploma was a mere 5 decades ago.
I was one of the only Americans in my computer science master’s (ok, it wasnt that good of a program, but it was ok) in NYC. I saw only 1 black guy there my entire time. Other than that it was Russians, Chinese, Indians, and Koreans. If the college that produced this article really wants to help its students and target groups, it would reduce the fluff degrees and start building a viable technical program.
they may not have the same professional networks within their families that white college graduates may have.
Gimme a break - you build your professional network AFTER you start working. You never hear other 1st generation grads making this whiny complaint.
black job applicants are more likely to be seen as playing the victim if they express their feelings about racism or cultural bias in the job application process.
There's NO WAY IN HELL I would EVER hire someone who complained about racism in the hiring process. You would be hiring a ticking time bomb of a future discrimination lawsuit.
attempts to level the playing field of opportunity have decreased
Right, level the playing field by giving you special treatment and further devauluating the perception of your record.
black college graduates must create their own because entrepreneurship is the only definitive solution to the problem of employability
Oh don't do that, you might get off the plantation and start voting Republican.
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