Our team spends a lot of time with the companies and alumni who recruit Lundquist students. When we meet with them, we ask what they’re looking for. What follows is what they’re telling us right now, and what it means for you this summer. 

The job market for recent graduates is more competitive than it’s been in over a decade. We’ll share the data at the bottom of this post if you want to get into it. The more valuable thing to know is what employers are actually saying about who stands out. Knowing that, you can decide what you want to do. That’s what this post is about. 

Before You Leave Campus 

Narrow down what you’re interested in. 

Recruiters tell us one of the biggest differentiators between candidates is simple: knowing what you want. Students who can say “I’m interested in X and here’s why” are dramatically easier to advocate for than students who say “I’m keeping my options open”, which is… not helpful. You don’t need to have it all figured out. But having a direction matters. If you’re not sure where to start, the Mohr Career Strategy Team can help you work through it.  ProTip:  We have Zoom appointments available all summer! 

Update your Handshake profile now. 

This is one of the most underused moves a student can make. When your Handshake profile is complete with your major, interests, career goals, and skills, the platform curates job and internship opportunities directly to you and makes you more visible to recruiters who are actively searching for students. Don’t “select all”. Similar to the point above, you don’t need to have it all figured out, but have a direction is good. Recruiters tell us they use it. Make sure your profile is “findable”. 

Where Entry-Level Opportunities Are Growing

Not all industries are moving in the same direction right now, and knowing the difference helps you point your energy in the right place. The good news for Lundquist business students: according to NACE’s Job Outlook 2026, the industries projecting the most entry-level hiring growth include finance, insurance and real estate, management consulting, and professional services. These are squarely in your wheelhouse. 

Tech is a different story. Big tech hiring of new graduates is down significantly from its peak, and general tech hiring remains uneven. That does not mean avoid tech entirely, but it does mean going in with clear skills and specific targets rather than a broad “I want to work in tech” approach. The students landing roles in that space are the ones who can demonstrate something specific. The summer actions below apply everywhere, but they matter especially if tech is where you want to go. 

Ways To Build Career Momentum This Summer 

Get experience, even if it is not a formal internship. 

When we ask recruiters what separates candidates who get offers from those who don’t, experience comes up every time. And it’s not just internships. Any situation where you took on real responsibility, solved a real problem, or produced a real result. Part-time work, freelance projects, helping a local business, volunteering… it all counts if you can talk about it specifically. According to NACE research, graduates with experiential learning earn an average of $15,000 more early in their careers than those without it. Don’t downplay your part time job – employers aren’t.  Check out our new “Pre-internship experience builders” resource for ideas. 

Build a skill you can actually demonstrate. 

The other thing that separates candidates who get offers are skills. They are hiring based on what candidates can do, not just where they went to school. 70% of employers now use skills-based hiring, up from 65% the prior year. If you’re not sure what skills to build, start with O*NET OnLine, a free tool from the U.S. Department of Labor that lets you search any job title and see exactly which skills employers in that field are looking for. Pick one skill that keeps showing up. Use this summer to get better at it and build something you can show.  Again, our new “Pre-internship experience builders” resource has ways you can build skills now. 

Have a few real conversations with people in careers that interest you. 

Alumni and recruiters tell us consistently that students who have done informational interviews arrive better prepared, ask sharper questions, and come across as more serious candidates. The good news: you have a direct line to over 3,200 Lundquist alumni who have raised their hand and said they want to help. Lundquist Connect is the platform where you can find and message alumni by a variety of filters like industry, location, or role. Everyone on it is there by choice. Search for someone doing work that interests you. Ask how they got there. Most people are willing to talk. They just don’t get asked. 

When You Return in the Fall 

Come back with a story, not just a resume update. 

Every recruiter visit and career fair conversation in the fall starts the same way: “So what did you do this summer?” We hear from our recruiting partners that this question is not small talk. It’s the first filter. But here’s what most students miss: the experience itself is only half of it. How you talk about it is the ball game. 

Recruiters are not just listening to what you did. They are listening for how clearly you can connect what you did to why they should care.  Connect your experience to a skill, a result, or a lesson. “I volunteered at a small business and helped them grow their Instagram following by 40% over the summer by testing different content strategies” is a story. “I did social media marketing” is not. The students who can articulate their experience with specificity and confidence are the ones who move forward. The Mohr Career Strategy Team ca help you build that language before recruiting season starts. ProTip:  We have Zoom appointments available all summer! 

Want to See the Data? 

Here is what the most recent research says about the job market for new college graduates, sourced from Handshake’s 2026 Workforce Outlook and other leading labor market researchers. 

• Class of 2026 seniors are submitting 23 applications per full-time job on average, double the rate of the Class of 2023. Handshake Labor Market Recap, January 2026 
• Job postings on Handshake declined more than 16% year over year as of August 2025, while the average number of applications per job rose 26%. Handshake 2026 Workforce Outlook 
• The unemployment rate for recent college graduates hit 5.7% in Q1 2026, the highest since 2013. Federal Reserve Bank of New York 
• 61% of Class of 2026 seniors are pessimistic about their career prospects, up from 50% of the Class of 2024 two years ago. Handshake 2026 Workforce Outlook 
• Graduates with experiential learning earn an average of $59,059 early in their careers vs. $44,048 for those without it, a $15,000 gap. NACE, 2025 
• 70% of employers now use skills-based hiring, up from 65% the prior year. NACE Job Outlook 2026 
• The share of job descriptions on Handshake mentioning generative AI has increased nearly 5x since 2023. Employers increasingly want candidates who know how to use AI tools. Handshake 2026 Workforce Outlook 

Make a Plan This Summer

We understand the headwinds you’re facing.  Meet with your Mohr Career Strategy Team to make a plan to rise to meet them.