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<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cI have a very diversified resume, and it was super-ridiculous,\u201d she added. \u201cI was trying to be patient because I wanted the right job, but it was frustrating to not hear anything from jobs I was super-qualified for.\u201d<\/p>\n
Myers is happy to report that she started in her new role as a health case management assistant in late August.<\/p>\n
Others who chimed in to share their own experiences hadn\u2019t been as fortunate, expressing frustration with the hiring process while finding solidarity with others in a similar position.<\/p>\n
One post read: \u201cI did not think it would be this hard with my resume to get a decent job in a city that has a million \u2018we are hiring\u2019 signs everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
A commenter agreed, writing: \u201cI hear this a lot that people can\u2019t even get called back. Yet places close so often over staffing issues. It just makes no sense.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve heard from so many, it\u2019s horrible. My daughter is 16 and has applied everywhere with never even a response, but I know people with college degrees and awesome job experience having trouble with no response from places,\u201d another added.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy husband has a great resume and over 172 applications since last October. Just gotta keep trying and hope someone gets back to you,\u201d one woman said.<\/p>\n
On paper, the United States job market looks strong. The Sioux Falls one looks even stronger.<\/p>\n Dipping back to 1.7 percent, the unemployment rate for July in the Sioux Falls metro area continued to be the lowest in the country, but job seekers said they still struggle to get hired, and recent grads report that the market has been tough.<\/p>\n The number of job openings in the Sioux Falls MSA rose to 11,014 in July, according to the state\u2019s virtual labor market data system. There were 10,489 open positions the previous month. A year ago, there were 12,008 openings.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really a job seeker\u2019s market right now,\u201d said state Labor and Regulation Secretary Marcia Hultman.<\/p>\n \u201cThose newly joining the workforce or those wanting to re-career have many options since there are more jobs available than people to fill them.\u201d<\/p>\n As of late July, the following list shows the top 10 industries with job openings advertised online in South Dakota:<\/p>\n \u201cOur post-secondary education system in South Dakota works hard to offer programs in which graduates will have a job after receiving their credentials,\u201d Hultman said. \u201cI encourage students, parents and teachers to take advantage of our career exploration tools to make informed decisions as well.\u201d<\/p>\n She also noted: \u201cTo help with recruitment efforts, businesses have been taking a close look at their job requirements, making their core values more visible and focusing on retention through mentorships. At the department level, we offer training and upskilling opportunities to youth, older workers and ex-offenders.\u201d<\/p>\n But finding the right job \u2013 or sometimes any job at all \u2013 can feel daunting.<\/p>\n Brady Henge eagerly attended a hiring event in late August by the state Labor Department featuring Hart2Hart Inc., the franchisee for local McDonald\u2019s locations.<\/p>\n \u201cI want a stable career, and I doubt McDonald\u2019s is going anywhere anytime soon,\u201d Henge said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve worked at many places, and this seems like a good work environment. I\u2019m a fast learner with a lot of experience in the food service industry.\u201d<\/p>\n Recent graduates also are finding an increasingly challenging job market.<\/p>\n The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that college graduates age 23 to 27 are experiencing 4.59 percent unemployment this year, up from 3.25 percent in 2019.<\/p>\n \u201cThis 1.34 percentage point increase represents more than just a statistical noise; it reflects a significant shift in how the economy is absorbing newly educated workers,\u201d according to a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. \u201cThe magnitude of this change becomes even more striking when compared with that of other demographic groups. Noncollege-educated workers in the same age range have seen a 0.47 percentage point increase in unemployment, while older college graduates have experienced a 0.38 percentage point rise.<\/p>\n \u201cThese disparities suggest that the traditional premium associated with higher education \u2014 at least for quickly landing a job \u2014 may be weakening. Recent graduates are finding themselves in an increasingly competitive environment where their educational credentials don\u2019t guarantee the same level of employment security they once did.\u201d<\/p>\n Statewide, graduates of professional degree programs such as health professions, engineering or education continue to see very high rates of job placement within six months of graduation, said Kevin Fullerton, director of career development at South Dakota State University.<\/p>\n Graduates in other disciplines are continuing to achieve high placement rates, especially among the graduates who complete internships as students, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cGenerally, bachelor\u2019s degrees are still competitive,\u201d he added. \u201cEven though there is a lot of talk about employers doing skills-based hiring, national data shows employers still value the bachelor\u2019s degree over students without a college degree.\u00a0 Advanced degrees are still a valuable way to focus on specializations.\u201d<\/p>\n Fullerton said automation is being used for certain tasks such as scheduling, taking minutes, data analysis and report generation.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, AI will always require someone to verify the work,\u201d he said. \u201cI do not see automation eliminating positions necessarily, but the positions will evolve. The new entry-level position will likely raise up to the next tier of job families such as program coordinators, advisers, etc. It will be important for graduates to know how to use AI and automation tools effectively and ethically. The applicants who know how to use AI will get the job.\u201d<\/p>\n AI is having a significant impact on the application process itself, though, he added.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is no longer solely large corporations who are relying on some version of applicant tracking systems to screen applications,\u201d Fullerton said.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is happening in the full range of employment opportunities, from local independent small businesses to global corporations. The constant push toward efficiency is not always a good thing. Long term, I think people will grow tired of the negative aspects of AI usage. We will recognize nuances in entry-level positions that are lost because of automation, which will result in us turning back toward personal connections and analog methodologies. We are already seeing this happen in some areas.\u201d<\/p>\n To learn more<\/strong><\/p>\n To help individual career planners and job seekers identify occupations with the most favorable job outlook from a labor market perspective, the Labor Market Information Center identifies high demand-high wage occupations, or \u201cHot Careers.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n It also holds weekly hiring and recruitment events at the new Sioux Falls One Stop office at Dawley Farm Village. The next is for Hart2Hart\/McDonald\u2019s, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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