BLOOMINGTON – Graduation is right around the corner and graduating seniors are hustling to secure jobs right after if they haven’t already.

While many upcoming graduates entering fields such as Finance, technology, and data analysis have finalized their post-graduation plans, many students aspiring to enter fields such as media, journalism, and sports marketing are still having their fair share of struggles. One exception in this case however, is IU Media School senior Ashton Hackman who solidified his job as a multi-skilled reporter for WTHR in Indianapolis and in fact even started reporting for the station in the beginning of March.

Last Summer, Hackman also interned for WTHR which he said helped him greatly in the application and interview processes, which made him no stranger.

“When the time came for me to look for a job, my interview process felt a little bit easier because I didn’t have to spend time to introduce myself or go over my past work because they had already seen all of that,” explained Hackman.

This past November, the National Association of Colleges and Employers predicted an uptick of 7.3% of job openings for graduates in the class of 2025.

According to IU senior Bryce Redman, “A lot of people after covid thought that the job market would open up, but honestly it’s way more competitive.”

For the past several months, Redman, a sports marketing and management major, has been on the hunt for a job in the world of sports marketing. While succeeding in getting his foot through the door with the help of IU career resources, Redman has struggled with receiving call-backs.

“They made the interview process pretty easy. They’ve helped me get interviews, they’ve helped me get across, but its just been hard for me to get call-backs. No certain reason, I don’t know why, but it’s just been hard,” said Redman.

While predictions for job growth had been growing since the end of the Pandemic, recent tariffs put in place by President Trump are believed to potentially hinder actual growth.