Some ISU graduates may have a difficult time finding a job next spring because of the country’s sluggish economy.

Business and Liberal Arts and Sciences Career Services can make that task easier, however, with many upcoming events.

Steve Kravinsky, director of career placement for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said the biggest event is Career Day. It will be held Sept. 25. 160 companies will be talking with potential employees.

Kravinsky urged students to take advantage of the programs offered, and not to be deterred by any news of the economy.

“I think the biggest concern we have is that students are reading the media headlines and on the surface our grads are going to assume there is nothing out there,” he said. “We are afraid a lot of people are not going to make an attempt to look for a job because they don’t think there’s anything out there, and we think that’s not true.”

Career Services also offers programs to help students prepare for a job search.

Kravinsky said students and graduates should not give up.

“We’re feeling that there will be plenty of jobs out there,” he said. “For every company not hiring, I can think of a company that is.”

Wallace Huffman, distinguished professor of economics in agriculture, said the labor market for college graduates looks promising despite present uncertainty.

“The long term is very good for college graduates,” Huffman said. “The labor market for graduates was good in the 1990s and I expect it to be very good in the 2000s.”

Huffman said he remains optimistic, but admitted disaster may occur.

“With the bad news over corporate scandals and other negative shocks, such as a potential war with Iraq, there is uncertainty about the spring labor market,” he said.

According to the Iowa Workforce Development employment forecast, 2002 to 2003, the number of non-farm payroll jobs is expected to increase 6.2 percent from about 1.45 million jobs in 2002 to 1.54 million jobs in 2003.

National predictions tend to follow the Iowa numbers.

Unexpected events like Sept. 11, however, can change the outlook. According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nature and severity of long-term impacts on the national economy are still unclear.

Students interested in the Business and LAS career services should stop by 208 Carver and register for the software system or make an appointment with a career counselor.