Better Job Prospects Greet New Wake Forest Grads

Annie Eggleston graduated from Wake Forest University Monday with big plans for her future.

While a student she considered the corporate world, but learned early on that that kind of competitive workplace wasn't for her. Instead, she'll be heading to the southeast African nation of Malawi, where she's taken a job with the non-profit Hope International. It's the first step to a career in non-profit administration.

In recent years the struggling economy has made it hard for students such as Eggleston.   That uncertainty has brought nervousness and excitement for her and her classmates.

Economic experts say after years of sluggish growth, employers are once again looking to hire. Mercy Eyadiel is the executive director of employer relations at Wake Forest.  She describes the job outlook for new graduates as robust.

Eyadiel says having exposure to the working world is key. Those who will find it easier to land a job are those who did internships and took them seriously.

Danielle Dannahower will take another year at Wake Forest to complete a masters in accounting, and already has a job offer for 2015 with a Charlotte firm. Most of her friends have jobs waiting for them and some have multiple offers. Dannahower says the accounting path is a straightforward way to a job, but for other business majors, it can be less clear.

Last week, the N.C. Department of Commerce reported a 6.2 percent state-wide unemployment rate in April. In April of 213, the rate was 8.4 percent.