Before Carlos Yanar graduated from UTEP with a degree in finance, he knew he would have to start his search for jobs in order to start his career. In El Paso, there is a lot of competition for higher paying jobs, but not enough positions.  

“After graduating, I thought I wouldn’t have any problem getting a finance job,” Yanar said. “Finding a job became the least of my problems when I realized even getting interviews is a challenge.”  

It takes the average college grad three to six months to find employment after graduation, according to the University of Washington. 

The Department of Numbers in Texas reported El Paso’s Current Employment Statistics (CES) employment reached its peak of 329,900 in July. According to the employer survey, 3,100 jobs had been lost in El Paso in that time. 

Carlos said that he does not find it that hard to find new jobs here in El Paso due to the technological advances that have opened new opportunities for future generations, but he emphasized that the real struggle is to find a job that you like and matches your career goals.  

For students experiencing difficulty finding a job, the Career Center at UTEP is there to provide assistance on student’s career goals. The center helps UTEP students, before and after graduation, to jumpstart their career and not go into the career world lost or confused. 

Sophia Villalobos is a contributor and may be reached at [email protected]