In today’s workforce, too many recent college graduates are underemployed—working in jobs that don’t require a college degree or align with their field of study. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, nearly 40% of recent grads are underemployed in their first job, with many remaining that way for years.
This trend signals more than just a tight job market—it’s a wake-up call for higher education programs to do more. Underemployment isn't just an economic metric; it represents the lack of necessary advising infrastructure in higher education today. Today’s college students are seeking help to navigate their educational and career decisions, yet the fragmented, complex, and transactional nature of academic and career advising at most institutions isn’t meeting the minimum requirements.Higher education promises students that earning a degree will lead to economic and social mobility through greater opportunities, meaningful work, and financial stability. However, these promises often unravel after graduation when advising systems treat academics and careers as separate discussions. Academic advising generally emphasizes course registration and degree audits. Career services, on the other hand, are often siloed—understaffed, underpromoted, and underutilized. A 2023 Inside Higher Ed survey found that 32% of juniors and seniors had never visited their career center, and a Gallup-Purdue Index study reported that only 16% of graduates found their career services experience “very helpful.” When the lack of academic and career advising services is combined with fragmented, outdated, or reactive systems, students not only fail to utilize them but also graduate without a clear roadmap. They enter the job market with mismatched expectations, limited exposure to career paths, and little understanding of how to translate their education into meaningful employment.
Colleges and universities often claim to prepare students for life after graduation, yet the divide between academic and career advising tells another story. These two forms of advising are not separate tasks; they are deeply interdependent. A student cannot make informed academic decisions without understanding how those decisions relate to potential career outcomes.
When institutions regard academic advising as simply ticking off degree requirements—and career advising as a late-stage, optional service—they deny students the comprehensive support necessary for making confident, aligned choices. This artificial divide directly contributes to the underemployment crisis, as students graduate with diplomas in hand and uncertainty in their minds.
Trade schools offer a more integrated model where education and employment are seamlessly aligned. Students in these programs benefit from clear, defined pathways from classroom to career. That clarity drives direction, confidence, and employability. College students want the same thing: a structured, personalized path from enrollment to employment. And they deserve it. As university leaders, we have the unique opportunity—and responsibility—to build the systems that make these pathways visible, accessible, and actionable for every student. Doing so isn’t just good for student success outcomes; it’s essential for institutional relevance and long-term success.
The underemployment crisis isn’t accidental; it stems from advising systems that haven’t kept pace with today’s students or the job market. However, it’s fixable if colleges and universities prioritize advising as a central pillar of student success rather than as an afterthought.
When done correctly, advising not only helps students graduate but also prepares them with direction, confidence, and a clear understanding of how to transform their education into meaningful employment. This is the valuable outcome that students, parents, and employers are all seeking.