Just outside the Northern Illinois University Convocation Center after her graduation ceremony, Brianna Alexander is one of the lucky ones. Earning her master’s degree in science and nursing, she used her current job at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn to secure a career before graduating.

“It was kind of easy to stay within that realm to secure a job,” she said. “It’s in education, training new grad nurses. So, I’ll be staying at the hospital.”

She said knowing she has a job lined up means her graduation experience was “not overwhelming.”

But it can be stressful for many. The current labor market continues to be “challenging for recent college graduates at the start of 2026,” according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The unemployment rate remains “elevated” at about 5.7% in the first quarter of the year.

Things have changed drastically since the COVID-19 pandemic. Even for jobs always in high demand like nursing, Alexander said she feels like openings and opportunities have dried up.

“The job market for nurses then was like crazy, there [were] tons of openings because people were leaving the bedside, but now it’s kind of closing back up, like with other job markets,” Alexander said. “So I can definitely see how that would be stressful for some people.”

The pattern isn’t unique to health care. Workforce Development Director at Joliet Junior College, Dain Meza-Gotto, also echoed that sentiment. He has noticed that information technology positions “were really hot” just five years ago, but employers have slowed down on hiring.

“The labor market has shifted pretty dramatically, it seems like in that period of time,” he said.

The shift back could be because of the overall increased costs hitting the pockets of employers, McHenry County Workforce Network Board Director Jake Rohn said.

“Everything is costing more,” he said. “So I think the decisions are different.”

But it all depends on the industry. Jobs in health care, manufacturing, professional services, and transportation, distribution, and logistics all remain in high demand, Meza-Gotto said.

“This region is one of the most diverse economies within the nation,” he said. “I think it’s helpful when it comes to when there’s national economic downturn in one particular sector of the economy. It kind of spreads the load within the Chicagoland area.”

According to the Illinois Department of Employment Security, the best-performing sectors were private education, health services, and construction. The industries hit with the largest decrease in jobs were professional and business services; trade, transportation, and utilities; and financial activities.

“April’s numbers show continued resilience in parts of Illinois’ economy, with growth in several key sectors,” Deputy Governor Andy Manar said in an IDES news release. “At the same time, continued uncertainty coming from the federal government and other mixed economic indicators reinforce the need to continue investing in long-term growth, and maintain the fiscal discipline that has strengthened Illinois’ economic foundation.”

Barriers to entry

While hiring may be dwindling, qualifications for entry-level jobs are also ramping up. Rohn said the McHenry County Workforce Network is trying to bridge those gaps by working with employers to provide apprenticeship and internship opportunities.

“The level to get into the entry-level positions is getting higher and higher,” he said.

Teens applying for college are also facing challenges. Career coach and founder of Crystal Lake-based Conscious College Planning, Jackie Postelnick, said she’s seen an increase in competition in the college application process. Students are all applying to the same places due to websites like LinkedIn and Forbes ranking schools, Postelnick said.

“Everyone wants the top 50 or 100 schools on the rankings,” she said. “It’s just very unfairly putting out thousands of very successful and viable institutions out there and making them be perceived as less valuable. Because of that, everyone is applying to the same 50 to 100 schools.”

According to the University of Illinois website, its total admission rate is currently 36.6%.

‘Flexibility is crucial’

The dim hiring prospects and high costs of obtaining a bachelor’s degree have people reevaluating taking the traditional four-year higher education route. Plenty of opportunities in fields that require certificates or an associate’s degree, like manufacturing, have promising careers, Meza-Gotto said.

“It’s different than it was 20 to 30 years ago. Manufacturing is largely clean and not super noisy. They’re really reliable, stable jobs,” he said. “We’re trying to shift the perception.”

McHenry County College has seen its biggest enrollment increase in its manufacturing and advanced technology programs. Spokesperson Christina Haggerty said the college saw enrollment numbers jump up nearly 25% this year.

And for those who just graduated in fields with few hiring opportunities, Meza-Gotto said that is where “flexibility is crucial.” Graduates can find ways to apply their skills to other roles not necessarily directly tied to their degree.

Popular majors Postelnick’s teen clients are interested in are finance, engineering, business, and psychology. Even if not directly related, skills in those majors can be applied to a variety of jobs. Postelnick said she would like to see colleges and universities better explain how degrees can be utilized in the real world, with conventional examples as well as those that think outside the box.

Employers always seek out soft skills like communication, leadership, adaptability, and problem-solving, Meza-Gotto said.

Those skills are something that artificial intelligence cannot replace, but is something that may certainly change the future of many jobs.

“It will be a disruptor to our economy. It will be a disruptor to labor in the United States,” he said. “But there are a lot of other areas that we still have plentiful opportunities in.”

AI has its impact on the hiring process, too. Graduates should be aware that resumes are often screened by platforms like Indeed and ZipRecruiter for keywords that match the job requirements, Haggerty said.

There are plenty of free, local resources that can help people in the job market. Workforce networks like those in McHenry and Will counties offer free help with resume writing. The McHenry County Resource Center in Woodstock often has workshops covering topics like interview preparation and career coaching.

“That’s what we’re here for,” Rohn said. “There are resources in the community to help individuals get to where they want to be.”