Job market 2

One specific section of the MSU annual Recruiting Trends report was starting salaries.
Of the around 2,000 companies and employers who responded, 73 percent said they don't expect to raise salaries this year, but on the other hand, less than 2 percent expect to lower starting salaries.
Looking at the table of employers who contributed to the report, the average starting salary is about $37,000 per year.
The highest-paying average starting salary for a bachelor's degree is electrical engineering, paying about $52,000 per year, according to the report.
For engineers with a professional degree, average starting salaries are about $71,000.
The lower end of the spectrum features social work, psychology, multimedia design, broadcasting and anthropology/sociology, all hovering around $34,000.
Although the numbers might seem low, nearly one-fifth of employers in the report said the expect to start new employees with a low salary, only to add employment incentives and pay raises after 12 months of working there.
"The average salaries account for base salary only, and do not include signing bonuses, estimated commissions, or other salary incentives," the report stated.
The section of the report finished up with a reminder to students saying that low salaries are typical for students who just finish up college. The report said those with low levels of experience receive low levels of pay.

Job Market 1

With the current state of the United State's job market being as sluggish as it is, it is increasingly important for high school and college students to gain as much experience as they can while in school.
Many students turn to not only one, but multiple internships while attending school or during winter and summer breaks.
Within the MSU School of Journalism, many professors and employees send out links via email to internship postings they find on the Internet, or links that are being sent to them. Twitter, Facebook and various social media websites also are good sources of networking and searching for an internship.
Although some people argue that internships simply are free work, given that many are unpaid, other people argue that the experience and networking that comes from interning is invaluable to both resumes and the student's professional life.
An article in cnn.com, titled "Why are internships so important?" states, "The hope of gaining an advantage for future employment has increased both the number and quality of internship applications."
The article also explains how companies are forced to cut down on full-time positions given the economy, and are relying more and more on cheaper work done by interns.

Trashball recap

By Alyssa Girardi

In Wednesday afternoon's trashball matchup, the seasoned veteran beat the rookie, as Jesse O'Brien defeated Derek Blalock 5-1.
O'Brien has been playing the game for more than two years, and this game was Blalock's first ever.
O'Brien kicked things off early, with a goal in the first inning.
Blalock responded in the second inning, tying things up at 1-1, but O'Brien wasn't having any of it.
He went into the third and final inning with a bang, scoring four goals and rounding out the game with a score of 5-1.
Despite the loss, Blalock seemed unaffected by the loss, returning to his desk immediately after the game with a smile on his face.
There is no word on when the next trashball game will be.

Trashball preview

By Alyssa Girardi

For the first time since summer, trashball is making an appearance in The State News newsroom.
Trashball, a game created by college journalists at The State News in East Lansing, is a game between two players. Both players stand about fifteen feet apart, with a trash next to them.
Each player gets three turns to throw a ball into the other's trashcan. If they score on the third, the player keeps shooting until they miss.
The matchup is between veteran Jesse O'Brien and newcomer to the game Derek Blalock.
Over the summer, O'Brien was one of the top trashball players at The State News, and Blalock is yet to play a game.
The match is set to start at 4 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, in the center of the newsroom.