New York Graduates Say Finding a Job Is More Than Who You Know

In this competitive job market, we hear this phrase all the time, "It's not what you know. It's WHO you know."  It is really important to make contacts when looking for a job...or is it?

A survey done by Madonna University says maybe it isn't all about who you know anymore. The survey by the University asked college graduates how they found their current job and if it was because of personal contacts.

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Surprisingly, most graduates in New York said that they found their first job after college through online job searches rather than through personal connections and networking.

Starting Salaries

Among recent college graduates in New York, 38% reported that their starting salaries ranged from $20,000 to $40,000.

GPA and Salary

The survey looked into whether or not there was a connection between a student's GPA (Grade Point Average) and earnings. 6 in 10 graduates with a GPA below 3.0 earned $40,000 or more a year.

The number of graduates making $40,000 and above increased for graduates with higher GPAs. For graduates with a GPA between 3.0 and 3.5, over 70% made $40,000 or more each year. This grew to 73% for those with a GPA above 3.5.

Salary Growth

About 1 in 4 recent graduates said that their salary increased by 20% or more since they started working after college. For New York graduates or soon-to-be graduates who will be entering the job market, this study shows that while it's a good idea to network and make connections, it isn't a bad idea to also keep an eye on online job search platforms when looking for a job after college.