May 2007 will release another group of MSU graduates into the job market with one question in mind: "What's next?"

For some, the job search will be relatively short and painless, but many will find it a long and unwelcome trek.

The most recent blow to Michigan's economical infrastructure is the recently announced closing of Pfizer Inc. research and development facility in Ann Arbor.

The decision, part of a three-year plan to cut expenses for the world's leading drug company, cost the state approximately 2,400 jobs.

Despite encouragement from Gov. Jennifer Granholm following Google's arrival in Ann Arbor, it appears interest in the Great Lakes state has waned.

The unemployment rate climbed from 6.7 percent in 2005 to 7.1 percent in 2006.

Looking to the future doesn't appear to hold much promise for the lagging economy either.

The House Fiscal Agency estimates that the unemployment rate will continue to rise, reaching 7.4 percent this year, and possibly 7.8 percent by 2008.

The common culprit for the state's financial woes is the decline of Michigan's principle market: the automotive industry. A lack of profits for Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp. and DaimlerChrysler AG have led to major cutbacks, costing thousands of jobs in the process.

Desperate times led to desperate measures for the Big Three automakers in the form of globalization. Jobs that once supported Michigan families are being sent overseas to be completed at a fraction of the cost.

The loss of Pfizer Inc. hits close to home as plans continue to expand the MSU College of Human Medicine to West Michigan.

The new medical school in Grand Rapids is expected to draw in students from around the country, but as more and more high tech- and science-based jobs continue to leave, Michigan's appeal for higher education could be fading along with the prospect of staying in state following commencement.

Recent graduates, master's students and the rest of Michigan's unemployed may be left with no other option but to leave in search of work.

Job fairs are bringing in employers from all over the country, each with their own set of enticing options, making attempts to keep Michiganians working close to home less appealing.

But, with the number of employees looking to leave on the rise, competition for jobs may get worse.

Job security is the order of the day, with the nail-biting question not only being "Will I get a job?" but "How long will it last?"