Fall graduation is just a few weeks away, and many Iowa State seniors are facing that inevitable question, “Do you have a job yet?”

Beverly Madden, director of Career Planning and Placement Services, said spring graduation is certainly ISU’s largest graduation ceremony, but it has become quite common for students to graduate after the fall semester.

Steve Kravinsky, director of Business and Liberal Arts and Sciences Career Services, said it is “difficult to say” what kind of shape the job market is in for December graduates.

“Most [Fall 1998] graduates are still looking for work,” he said. “A lot of people don’t even begin job hunting until after graduation. It’s a very good market, but we don’t get much information until after graduation.

“Intuitively, I would say it’s going very well,” Kravinsky said.

Madden said she doesn’t like to speculate about “hot” career areas.

“Every one of our programs is an essential program,” she said.

Kravinsky said in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, graduates with computer skills are in the highest demand.

“I would guess anybody in [computer science] or [management information services] is doing very well,” Kravinsky said.

He said the job market for humanities graduates “hasn’t changed for 25 years.” He said humanities students who have a focus and who have been planning for the future probably have a lot going for them.

Kravinsky said there are no disadvantages to graduating in December as opposed to graduating in May.

“There are fewer jobs and fewer people [in December],” he said. “The ratio is about the same.”

Kravinsky said as long as students who are graduating in December began their job search early, they are likely to be employed by January.

“The only thing that could be problematic is if you procrastinate,” he said. “There has been lots of recruiting going on; we’ve had a couple hundred companies interviewing students already this semester.”

Larry Hanneman, director of Engineering Career Services, said ISU engineering students also are in high demand this winter.

“Certainly the first part of the semester was looking exceptionally strong,” Hanneman said. “Looking at the career fair participation and interview schedules … I think it’s fair to say [the job market] is very strong.”

Hanneman said recruiting has become fairly continuous throughout the year.

“We may see more strength in the fall than in the spring because competition is so strong for our graduates,” Hanneman said. He said recruiters are putting in more effort early in the fall season than they did in the past.

“Much of the recruiting for spring graduates [also] takes place in the fall,” he said.

Hanneman said all engineering specialty areas have promising job markets.

“The shortages are going to be in [electrical engineering] and computer [engineering], and industrial and manufacturing, but all areas are strong,” he said.

Debbie Lettow, record analyst for Records and Registration, said about 1,300 bachelor’s degrees, 260 master’s degrees, one specialist degree and 100 doctorate degrees will be awarded this December.

“We’re running just about the same as last December,” Lettow said. She said usually about 2,000 undergraduates, 100 veterinary medicine students, 300 master’s candidates and 100 doctorate candidates graduate in the spring.