Graduating seniors at the University of Mississippi are entering one of the most uncertain job markets in recent years, with The New York Times calling it the worst spring for college graduates since the rise of COVID-19 in 2020.
The New York Times article cites a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, stating that the unemployment rate for college graduates aged 22 to 27 increased from 4.8% in December 2024 to 5.7% in December 2025. In December 2025, Mississippi had an overall 3.1% unemployment rate compared to the national unemployment rate of 4.1%, according to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.
Data collected by the Ole Miss Career Center reflects these challenges locally, with 23% of May 2025 graduates — about 898 of approximately 3,938 students — still seeking employment by graduation last May. The data comes from a self-reported survey shared by the Office of Institutional Research, Effectiveness and Planning and is currently unreleased to the public.
Gracie Roberts, a senior business analytics and information systems major from Clinton, Miss., has struggled finding a job despite being open to any location and job related to her field of study.
“I think it’s overwhelming,” Roberts said. “I think that you scroll on TikTok or Instagram and every time you hear the word job, it’s usually a video talking about how awful the current job market is and how awful the economy is. That makes it so stressful.”
Roberts started her job search at the beginning of the 2026 spring semester, but she feels like she should have started earlier.
“I feel a little bit behind,” Roberts said. “I feel like I should have started in November or October, but I also feel like everyone’s in a similar position to me right now.”
Brock Thompson, a senior management major from Naples, Fla., has only been searching for a job since the beginning of March, but he has decided to stop worrying about it. He currently works remotely as a sales representative intern for Axis Medical, a medical device company in Birmingham, Ala., but he is looking for something more permanent.
“It’s been stressful, but I’ve been learning to let go of that stress,” Thompson said. “I feel like I have a really good footing in a really good place regardless of whatever job comes next.”
Though Thompson is choosing not to stress, he still makes a point to apply for as many jobs as possible.
“I have been reaching out to a lot of people locally and a lot of small business owners,” Thompson said. “I think that’s the best way to get into the job market, to build up some experience for yourself and grow with a smaller company.”
Thompson would prefer to stay within a 12-hour radius of Oxford, but he is exploring other options.
“As of more recently, I’ve been more open to exploring elsewhere and possibilities of moving, just with the idea that there’s not a huge job market here for early graduates starting their career,” Thompson said.
Emily Clark, a senior hospitality management major from Ocean City, Md., has found it difficult to balance school, her career search and her social life. She began her job search during winter break, and she has had several interviews with no response. She is open to any offer but would prefer to have a job in event planning.
“It’s definitely stressful having to apply for all of the jobs and then also do all of my school work, then adding in making the most of my last semester with all of my friends,” Clark said.
As students navigate these challenges, the Ole Miss Career Center is working to provide guidance and support.
Anthony Rowan, a career advisor at the Ole Miss Career Center, encouraged students to stay dedicated even when the job search seems difficult.
“While it may seem to be a little bit harder — maybe take a little bit longer — as long as students are continuing to give it their best effort and make sure they are disciplined in their search process, that’s one of the biggest pieces of advice that I tend to give students,” Rowan said.
Rowan said students should devote adequate time to finding a career to have the best chances.
“The biggest thing for students is to just continue to prioritize and keep their job search as a part-time job in and of itself,” Rowan said.
The ability to utilize artificial intelligence is a skill that Rowan believes may help students when they are applying to jobs.
“I think knowing how to use AI or being able to use it in some form or fashion is going to start to become a more commonplace baseline skill that a lot of companies may be looking for,” Rowan said.
Rowan warned against using AI without checking its work but said it was useful for outlining and proofreading application materials.
“There’s a really big emphasis and a need to remain authentic when applying to these kinds of things,” Rowan said. “Using AI to help generate ideas or to check for grammar in these professional documents that you’re using is totally okay. I think it’s just a matter of having it generate writing for you without double checking it is where people may get really tripped up.”
The Ole Miss Career Center, which is located in the Martindale-Cole Student Services Center in room 303, offers resources for students who need assistance with obtaining a job.
“Of course, we can’t guarantee a job or an internship for anybody, but we can try our best to, with the resources that we’ve collected and the knowledge that we have, to make sure that students can put their best foot forward,” Rowan said.
Resume, personal statement and cover letter critiques are one of the most popular resources, according to Rowan. Students can also schedule mock interviews and interview preparation sessions.
Career counseling is also available through the Ole Miss Career Center for students who are not sure what career path they want to pursue. These sessions can include free Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and SuperStrong personality assessments to provide helpful insights into what the student may be interested in.
Free professional headshots are also offered at the center. If in search of business clothing, all students are eligible for one free professional outfit per semester through the Ole Miss Career Center’s Career Closet, located in the South Oxford Center. The closet is open from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. every Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters.
“We want to try to help in any way we can,” Rowan said.
Clark offered her perspective on handling the uncertainty of looking for a job as a senior at UM.
“I just take it one day at a time,” Clark said. “I look for what I can do to try to push me along in the process, but I’m trying to stay as calm as possible.”
