There was a national groan as the employment numbers for May were released by the Department of Labor showing an uptick in unemployment to 9.1% and a growing number of individuals giving up on finding employment. According to the Associated Press, 42 nationally-recognized economists estimate that as many as half a million Americans have given up on finding employment since November. These kinds of doomsday reports figure significantly into the national perception of the jobs market, and can often become counter-productive in  and of themselves; a record number of college grads moving back with parents, employment close to 50% among new grads, record underemployment.

     There are two things to consider as the national conversation turns into one depressing monologue on joblessness after another.

     #1 Consider your sources. Many of these media outlets forcast doomsday predictions out of a need for higher ratings and/or sheer laziness. It's easier to broadcast an uptick in unemployment numbers and say, correlatively, that it will translate to poor prospects for college grads than to actually investigate and see if it does.

     #2 Our unemployment is only partially a result of the economic recession. Another part is the transitional nature of economies, and we're entering a problem of structural unemployment. In other words, some of the people that are unemployed lack the skills necessary to do the jobs that are available. Our emphases in production and manufacturing are dropping dramatically while service and tech industries are booming. College grads are uniquely positioned to enter these industries with brand new skill sets.

     A new study released in May by NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers), a Bethlehem, Pennsylvania based organization,  finds that 2011 may be the year of employment for college grads. Employers plan on hiring up to 19.3% more college grads this year than they have since 2007. In addition, the starting salary this year is up 3.5% from this time last year, a first since 2008.

     NACE is not the only provider of good news to offset all of the gloom and doom. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does report an overall increase of 192,000 jobs to the work force this year, higher than in any year since 2007, and though talking heads like to focus on a single month of poor growth, it's not enough to frame the big picture. Things are looking up.

     However, the levels of competition are still very high. The modest increases in college grad hiring does not offset the fact that previous years classes still looking for work and it will take some time to absorb the glut of skilled entry-level workers.

     Case in point, my little brother graduated from college with a bachelor's in secondary education in 2009. He was unable to find work as a teacher despite being one of the top in his class and having very high recommendations from a private college. Instead, he worked as a prep-cook in a restaurant and substitute taught for a year. This summer he attacked the hiring process much more vigorously and recently had his first interview, the 5th of 24 applicants to a very small school district in eastern Iowa. Huge bills to student loan providers, working odd-jobs to subsist, and high anxiety over what job prospects he is able to cultivate makes him very typical of college graduates in the past two years. This also will provide some very stiff competition to new grads as they attempt to enter the workforce. It has never been more important to distinguish one's self among peers and potential coworkers...but the horizon does look a little brighter!