The work of landing a job has students’ attention

STEPHANIE XÓCHTIL GARCIA-PALMA

Stephanie-Xóchtil Garcia-Palma, a UNC Charlotte senior, has applied to 100 internships as part of her initiative to land a job upon graduation.

Stephanie-Xóchtil Garcia-Palma is worried about her career prospects.

Garcia-Palma, a senior communication studies major at UNC Charlotte, juggles multiple expectations, including applying to 100 internships while managing a full course load. Garcia-Palma’s days typically run from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., with commuting, lunch breaks, and basic self-care consuming time she would prefer to dedicate to applications. She was accepted into five internships, opportunities that feel less aligned with her career goals.

“The job search in itself feels like a job,” she said. 

Students like Garcia-Palma are increasingly anxious about the future. The biggest contributor is the tightening job market and heightened competition. According to the National Association of College and Employers Job Outlook 2026 report, hiring projections rose only 1.6% from the previous year that was already challenging for graduates.

LinkedIn’s “Future of Skills” report shows that skill requirements have changed 24% globally since 2015, and the rate is expected to increase to 39–44% by 2025. This shift reflects how remote work has reshaped collaboration and artificial intelligence redefining roles. 

Garcia-Palma is involved in campus organizations such as Club de Español Para Amigos and writes for MIDA magazine yet feels pressure to constantly add more skills and experiences. At times she feels tempted to join additional clubs “just to look better on a résumé,” she admits, but acknowledges that it would be “consuming” to commit to so much at once.

“It’s more like a dream to be able to do what you want to do,” she said. 

Baijhan Robinson, a certified nursing assistant, is enrolled at Central Piedmont Community College to earn a nurse practitioner degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurse practitioners rank third in fastest-growing occupations from 2024–2034, and support roles like CNAs continue to rise. Because of the demand, Robinson feels more secure in her career prospects. However, the industry is not without challenges, especially the emotional and physical toll. 

“When it comes to nursing and healthcare, you need that human emotion when you’re caring for people,” she said. 

Robinson is concerned about how nurse shortages can lead to lowered standards in hiring. “Sometimes you just catch an attitude, maybe it’s not a good day for them and they end up flipping,” she said. “I think jobs hire people also because they really need that role filled.” 

Still, Robinson believes the job market encourages creativity and adaptability. She cites examples of people she knows who used nontraditional paths to find meaningful work. 

“I know people who have gotten degrees in music, and they work at Guitar Center,” she said. “But they’re able to have music classes there because they have that little bit of background.” 

NACE reports that employers highly value practical experience: “Nearly all respondents cited U.S.-based internships as valuable, while slightly more than three-quarters find value in co-ops,” the organization said. 

More than 40% of employers consider on-campus work experience and apprenticeships important. As LinkedIn reported, graduates must adapt to new skills companies increasingly expect of employees. “Employer use of skills-based hiring has grown over the last year, with nearly 70% now saying they are using it,” NACE reported. In fact, 13.3% of jobs now require AI skills, including 10.5% of entry-level postings.

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