PRELIMINARY CAREER ADVICE FOR STUDENTS

  • Build skills that work everywhere. The jobs that are hardest to cut are tied to pressures hitting every industry at once: data analytics, regulatory compliance, financial planning & analysis, project management, cybersecurity, and AI fluency. These aren't nice-to-haves anymore.
  • Lead with what you can do, not where you went. Major employers are moving toward skills-based hiring. Rework your resume around projects, outcomes, and demonstrated abilities rather than coursework and GPA.
  • Don't write off government. After cutting 264,000 workers last year, federal agencies are quietly rehiring — especially in cybersecurity, IT, data, and healthcare. OPM just launched a program to recruit 1,000 early-career technologists.
  • Follow the macro, not just the job boards. Oil shocks, tariff uncertainty, and interest rate decisions directly shape which companies are hiring and how fast they move. Understanding this context isn't optional if you want to target your search effectively.

TOP STORIES FOR LSA STUDENTS

1. Iran War Shuts Down World's Most Important Oil Route

U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran in late February led Iran to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, which carries roughly 20% of global oil. Gas prices jumped 27% in a single month and oil hit $126/barrel. This matters for job seekers because energy costs hit every industry simultaneously — hospitals, airlines, retailers, manufacturers. When operating costs spike like this, companies pull back on hiring and tighten budgets. 32 countries coordinated the largest emergency oil release in history to help stabilize markets, but the damage to hiring timelines is already underway.

Sources: CNN, Al Jazeera

2. The Fed Is Stuck, and That Affects Your Job Search

The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady at its current meeting. The problem: the economy is slowing (Q4 growth was just cut in half to 0.7%) while prices are still rising, especially with oil costs surging. That combination — stagflation — is the worst-case scenario for hiring. Normally the Fed would cut rates to stimulate the economy, but it can't do that while inflation is climbing. Some economists now expect zero rate cuts this year. The bottom line: companies in rate-sensitive industries like real estate, finance, and consumer lending are likely to stay cautious on hiring well into the summer.

Sources: CBS News, CNBC, The Street

3. Tariff Rules Have Changed Three Times in Three Weeks

The Supreme Court struck down the president's main tariff authority in late February. The administration immediately replaced it with a different tariff, then launched new trade investigations into 16 countries on March 12. In plain terms: the cost of importing goods into the U.S. has changed three times in under a month, and nobody knows where it lands next. Businesses can't plan when the rules keep shifting, which means they delay hiring. On the flip side, companies desperately need people who understand trade policy, supply chains, and regulatory compliance — making those skill sets more valuable by the week.

Sources: CNBC, SCOTUSblog

4. Some Companies Are Actually Hiring More Entry-Level Workers, Not Fewer

Not every story this month is bad news. IBM announced it's tripling U.S. entry-level hiring in 2026. McKinsey is increasing North American hiring by 12%. Cognizant is actively recruiting liberal arts and non-STEM grads. But what these companies want has changed. IBM says "learning agility" matters as much as technical skills. McKinsey now screens applicants with a game-based assessment that tests critical thinking instead of business knowledge. The takeaway: entry-level roles aren't disappearing, but they're being rebuilt around adaptability and problem-solving rather than GPA and degree name.

Source: IBM Think, HBR

 

For personalized advice, schedule a Hub Industry Advising appointment with one of the Hub's Employer Relations Managers:

Business & Tech: Justine Ezell
Nonprofit, Government & Arts: Isaac Messeder
Health & Sciences: Coty Pyscher