Navigating the Shifting Job Market and Career Preparation

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Entrance to the Wheaton College Center for Vocation and Career.

Photo by Kayla Smith

From the Great Recession of 2008 to the rise of remote work and the gig economy, the workplace has undergone major shifts in recent years. As college students stand on the cusp of launching their careers, Wheaton College must rise to the task of ensuring its soon-to-be alumni are equipped for an increasingly multifaceted workforce landscape.

TRENDS SHAPING THE WORKFORCE TODAY

A few topics and trends regularly arise when discussing the state of the workplace today. One of the more controversial? Remote work.

Although it is not a new concept, remote work’s popularity soared during COVID-19 as employees sheltered at home and learned the art of Zoom video calls. In a 2023 study, Pew Research found that 39% of U.S. workers now have the option to work remotely in some capacity, and 14% are working remotely full time.

There are many who argue in favor of remote work, claiming increased productivity and saving time and money in the absence of a commute. However, Dr. Denise Daniels ’91, Hudson T. Harrison Professor of Entrepreneurship at Wheaton, believes that for entry-level workers in particular, remote work is largely a disadvantage.

“The rise of remote work did not serve young adults well,” Daniels said. “They don’t have the opportunity to be known in casual ways and build their network.” New remote workers also miss out on learning by observation, like acquiring office culture skills.

Generative artificial intelligence is another controversial trend that has become a game changer in the workforce. Already, companies are indicating that they will use AI to handle traditionally entry-level responsibilities, reducing the demand for recent graduates. In a 2024 study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, results showed that employers planned to hire 5.8% fewer new graduates than they did the year prior.

“It’s never been easier than it is today to learn technical skills,” said JeeIn Youn ’21, who works as a consultant at Slalom, a business and technology consulting firm. “Just a few years ago, consultants who knew how to write complex Excel formulas were seen as more skilled than those who didn’t. Today, every consultant is using AI to generate the exact same formulas.”

Youn notes that her liberal arts education was extremely valuable once she entered the consulting world. Her background in interdisciplinary subjects equipped her to think critically, pick up new topics quickly, and remain flexible throughout the workday. These “soft” skills are becoming increasingly valuable in the workplace, especially as AI begins taking care of the “hard” skills. Around 80% of leaders in a 2024 study believed that soft skills are more important than ever with the evolution of AI.

Some workplace trends are specific to a particular industry. Education, for example, is a field that has undergone many shifts over the decades. The increase in classroom diversity is one significant evolution. On average across the United States, schools are now composed of over 50% minority populations.

Dr. Brita Beitler ’04, Assistant Professor of Education and Secondary Education Coordinator, explains that with this upward trend of diverse learners, experience with students of varying backgrounds is especially in demand. “Principals are looking for teachers to have endorsements in English-learning or special education,” she said. “When I look at the job boards and talk with administrators, those are the endorsements that principals are looking for first.”

To that end, all first-year education majors at Wheaton participate in a cross-cultural tutoring experience, matched with students at local schools who have a language or cultural background that is different from their own. This cross-cultural experience is crucial for students who hope to one day have their own classroom.

Even as prerequisites for teachers rise, so does public scrutiny. “Teachers can sometimes feel like they are under a microscope right now, and that’s a really difficult position to be in,” Beitler said. “Because of the challenges teachers face, our students who choose to teach are incredibly courageous.”

HOW WHEATON IS EQUIPPING STUDENTS FOR THE WORKFORCE

Developing a student’s sense of vocation is one of the first steps to guiding them to career success. The Wheaton College Center for Vocation and Career creates space for these conversations through one-on-one career coaching sessions and integrates that goal thematically into all of their events.

“Even before we hope to help students grow in career competencies, our aim is that every Wheaton student will develop a robust theology of vocation,” said Director of the CVC Olivia Zimmermann Lorimer ’11. “We are not just preparing students to be strong early career talent. We are also helping to equip a generation of Christ-followers who continue to partner in the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.”

Daniels has conducted extensive scholarship on faith in the workplace. In her recent book, Religion in a Changing Workplace (Oxford University Press, 2024), she and her coauthors surveyed over 15,000 people in the workforce and found that about one in five people say their work is a calling. She believes Wheaton changes that narrative for its students. “Wheaton does a particularly good job of teaching students to frame their interests and abilities to their Christian calling—what that means and how it plays out,” she said. “We’re very explicit about applying a faith lens to the workplace.”

The CVC hosts dozens of events annually, all geared toward preparing students for the world of work that awaits them. Twice a year, the CVC brings in 50+ employers for a career fair. Networking Night welcomes young alumni back to campus to share their experience with current students. Mock interviews give students the chance to get feedback on their interview chops. What Are Your Five (WAY5) helps students learn about their strengths through the CliftonStrengths Assessment. A special Senior Series presents five events to seniors, equipping them with final resources and knowledge, from budgeting best practices to professional headshots.

Students looking for more individualized support can connect with full-time career coaches for help navigating the job search, learning interview basics, maximizing the first 90 days of a new position, and more. Each year, the CVC also employs over 20 students, many of whom serve as CVC ambassadors. As peer advisers, the ambassadors assist with crafting resumes, writing cover letters, and looking for internships.

“Hearing from their peers can help make career conversations feel more real to students and seem more in context with their college experience,” said Lorimer. “That first step for so many students can be fraught with anxiety as they think, ‘I have to have it all figured out.’ Being able to connect with one of their peers can remove that barrier to entry.”

Although the CVC offers an extensive number of resources on campus, one of the most important experiences an entry-level job applicant can have on their resume these days is an internship. Over the past several decades, internships have skyrocketed in popularity due to their power in preparing a student for the workplace. In 1980, only 3% of college graduates completed an internship before entering the workforce. Now, 80% of college graduates have an internship under their belt before accepting a full-time position.

“For many employers, a lack of an internship is a non-starter for a candidate,” Lorimer said. Internships are so essential now that the CVC offers internship grants to remove financial obstacles for students participating in unpaid or underpaid internships.

The CVC also hosts Externship Day, a one-day internship for undergraduate students. In February 2025, 117 students were sent out to 43 externship locations, largely hosted by alumni. Over the course of a single workday, student “externs” shadow a professional in their industry of choice, learn more about the company they were matched with, and network with other members of their host’s team. From consulting firms to Christian publishing, and from high schools to construction sites, local alumni across Chicagoland free up their schedule for a day to walk students through their career path and day-to-day rhythms of their current role.

The Center for Urban Engagement is another Wheaton College center helping students explore the intersection of faith and vocation. CUE programs include unique academic tracks, research opportunities, events, and partnerships, focusing specifically on urban and marginalized spaces.

“CUE is trying to form students to be attractive Christian witnesses in a world where being Christian carries mixed or even negative connotations,” said Dr. Gregory Lee, Associate Professor of Theology and Urban Studies. “We want them to be biblically and theologically formed, socially engaged, and able to integrate their faith with service to others, with a special focus on marginalized communities.”

In addition to resources offered through the CVC and CUE, departments across campus contribute to Wheaton students’s career readiness in the classroom with skills and tools unique to their area of study.

For example, STEM undergraduates have valuable access to conducting laboratory work at Wheaton, which provides crucial experience as they apply to graduate school or pursue other research roles. Professor of Analytical Chemistry Dr. Daniel Burden’s research spans chemistry, physics, and biology fields, exposing his student lab workers to a wide range of fields where they could apply their skills in the future. Students then develop skills in quantitative analysis, technology, attention to detail, organization, interpersonal communication, and manual and mental dexterity.

In the business and economics department, students take classes that integrate key career knowledge into the curriculum. One class that intentionally equips students with practical career skills is Principles of Management. Throughout the course, students are required to connect with three managers through resources like LinkedIn and personal networking, then engage in a “career conversation” to learn about each manager’s professional journey. For many students, this is their first time networking, a skill that can serve them well when job searching down the road. “Regularly, I hear that this is the best project we do,” Daniels said. “It allows students to figure out what they might like in a future job, and it builds up and cultivates their network.”

THE VALUE OF WHEATON’S ALUMNI NETWORK

It is estimated that over half of open jobs are never posted publicly and instead filled internally or through networking. Even jobs that are posted online can receive thousands of applicants in a matter of hours. Differentiators like having an internal connection can be the make-or-break to getting applicants through the door.

Consulting firms are notoriously difficult to break into. They follow a structured recruiting system, partnering with target schools to recruit entry-level talent, meaning that students attending non-target schools have to find alternative ways to land a position. For Youn, Wheaton’s alumni network was her ticket into consulting.

“I reached out to almost every Wheaton graduate in consulting,” Youn said. “Everyone immediately responded to my unsolicited LinkedIn message and offered to connect with me. Alumni I connected with would always say, ‘I’m paying it forward thanks to the alumni that helped me when I was in your shoes.’ That stuck with me.”

Youn followed suit, and now “pays it forward” through her social media channels, which collectively reach over 100,000 followers. She creates content that offers insight on how students from non-target colleges can break into the consulting industry.

Networking is also key to career advancement. In a study of nearly 200 lawyers at a large North American law firm, lawyers that networked internally and externally saw greater career success than those who did not. So for students in college, networking skills are crucial to develop even before they begin looking for their first role.

One of CUE’s programs is the Fellowship in Public Interest Law, for which students complete an 8–10 week paid internship at Chicago-based organizations serving the legal needs of under-resourced communities. Students involved in FPIL are matched with a mentor to provide support throughout the summer.

As a first-generation college student and first-generation law student, Lawrence (Larry) Arndt ’24 was on the search for reliable guidance in getting his career started. “Besides what I had seen in the media, I knew very little about what being an attorney actually meant, let alone what it entailed,” he said. “Before FPIL, I had no idea where to even begin regarding the law school application process. I searched tirelessly to find a way to get experience before making the larger commitment to pursue law school.”

During his internship in 2024 with TheMetroAlliance, Arndt was mentored by Steven Whitmer ’93, a partner at Troutman Pepper Locke. Whitmer chose to mentor FPIL students to help demystify the legal profession, becoming another example in a long line of alumni who have returned to their alma mater to offer support to younger Wheaties exploring the workforce. Arndt and Whitmer’s relationship continued even after the summer, and they met to discuss Arndt’s journey through the LSAT and his first semester at the University of Illinois Law School. Recently, Arndt accepted a position at Troutman Pepper Locke as a summer associate, a fruitful result of their mentorship.

“When I went to Wheaton College, I didn’t know any lawyers and knew very little about the legal profession,” Whitmer said. “It was an intimidating frontier for sure. Larry and I both played baseball at Wheaton College, so we hit it off right away. All along, the goal has been to support Larry as he continues to excel on the road to the legal profession.”

This is only a snapshot of the many means for students to engage with workplace culture and trends prior to ever hitting the job market. From classes in art to zoology, and in a wide range of academic centers and certificate programs, Wheaton students are capitalizing on valuable opportunities to develop both interpersonal and technical skills for their future careers, wherever those callings may take them.