College grads can double their odds of finding a job by doing this
According to one, it is true that work begets work. questionnaire By job site ZipRecruiter.
The survey showed that work experience can often predict whether a college graduate will take a job outside of school. After surveying between January 30 and March 16, ZipRecruiter found that graduates who worked during college more than doubled their odds of finding a job (81% vs. 40%); 1,500 students who graduated last year and 1,500 students who will graduate this year.
One job market slowdown Competition for graduates is fierce where the share of entry-level positions is declining, the report said. It is stated that knowing what makes a graduate stand out in the eyes of employers can make a difference in getting a job.
“In a tougher market, results are not random,” ZipRecruiter said. “More competition for entry-level roles means employers can be more selective about who fills these positions. Data shows that the strongest predictor of post-graduation employment is whether a student held any positions at the university. It takes experience to gain experience.”
The survey states that work experience not only helps graduates find a job, but also speeds up the time to find a job.
“The advantage of work experience is compounding,” he said. “Working during school builds a resume, but more importantly, it speeds up the entire job search timeline.”
When employers look to hire for entry-level positions, they expect some training to be required. So they’re looking at whether someone can “do a job and keep it afloat,” said Cory Stahle, a senior economist at Indeed. “If you worked, showed up every day, and did a good job, businesses take that as a sign that you are potentially a good employee.”
Business operations skills were the most sought-after skills, really found After analyzing 3,000 job postings in the last three months of 2025. It was stated that customer service (37.1%) and administrative (35.8%) skills were among the most desired business operations skills by companies.
Yes, tasks like checking IDs at the campus library, organizing and filing papers in the office, answering phones or working at the mall count, Stahle said. “Getting a feel for how business works and how a job works, getting that information, and communicating that to an employer is something that happens every day,” he said.
ZipRecruiter said kids working in college tend to start their job search before graduation (73% vs. 43%) and are twice as likely to find a job even before graduation ceremonies (20% vs. 12%). Part of this is networking, the job platform said. Nearly 88% of employed recent graduates say networking is important to secure their first job, the report said.
