Like many of her classmates, Ms. Capel had a job lined up last fall, but in March her prospective employer sent her a certified letter rescinding the offer. I'm getting less and less optimistic as graduation nears, and I'll have to start paying bills. It's just bad timing. One M.B.A. student, who did not want his name or the name of his business school used because he feared it might jeopardize his job search, thought he had a consulting job waiting, until he got a call in March telling him the firm could no longer guarantee its offer. Right now I'm still looking.
Some students sound remarkably calm about their prospects.
Jason Barker, a graduating M.B.A. student at Georgetown University, has not found a job, but seems unconcerned. There are plenty of jobs out there. The steps being taken to defer and deter hires are evident at a number of high-profile companies. And career counselors at a range of colleges and business schools nationwide report that they are rushing to help students who have received bad news from expected employers. With the economy slowing, not only is there less for current employees to do, but fewer older workers are quitting and more new ones are knocking at the door, employers say.