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Human Resources Dive
College students see internships, job offers cancelled due to coronavirus
By Ryan Golden
April 21, 2020
Dive Brief:
Three-quarters of college students in an April 10 to April 12 survey by
College Reaction said internships or post-graduate jobs they secured
had been canceled, moved remote or delayed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The poll, which captured the responses of 822 students, also found that
about 90% were at least moderately concerned about the pandemic's
impact on the U.S. job market and economy. Most (71%) were concerned
about job and internship opportunities, while some 65% were concerned
about their personal financial situation.
Respondents also indicated that the pandemic has taken a toll on their
mental health, with more than half citing mental health distress as a
result of the pandemic. Sixty-seven percent said they were concerned
about the effects of social isolation.
Dive Insight:
The writing is on the wall for recruiters and job seekers. A March
survey by Willis Towers Watson found that 42% of companies had either
reduced or frozen hiring in response to COVID-19, while an additional
28% were at least considering doing so. The pandemic's impact on hiring
has also shown up in statistics for job boards, with Indeed reporting
near the end of March that job posts on its site were down 15% from the
same point last year.
College students in many areas face the prospect that their internships
and early career goals will be set back. Employers ranging from the
Walt Disney Co. to Yelp have canceled, delayed or otherwise altered
upcoming internship programs, although some report that their offers
are still up in the air, according to sources who previously spoke to
HR Dive.
Some employers are pledging to carry on with their plans in spite of
the pandemic. Citigroup said it would delay its summer analyst
internship program by several weeks, but the company added it would pay
interns during the delay and guarantee full-time offers to interns at
certain locations, provided they meet the program's minimum
requirements.
Others have pulled from the playbooks of workplaces and schools by
moving internship programs to the web. Microsoft said it would shift
from hosting 4,000 students on its campuses this summer — slated to be
the largest program in the company's history — to preparing a virtual
experience that will allow interns to "co-create their summer
experience," the company said in a April 6 statement.
"Micro-internship" provider Parker Dewey similarly announced it would
assist partner organizations with moving their internships remote as an
alternative to cancellation.
The College Reaction poll captures another aspect of the pandemic: its
toll on emotional and financial well-being. Previously, an Axios poll
conducted with research firm Ipsos found evidence of both declining
access to mental health resources and worsening mental health among
U.S. workers. But HR departments can take action to address mental
health issues related to the pandemic. This can include expanding
access to therapy services for workers and instituting engagement
measures like virtual happy hours or water coolers to encourage
socialization.
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