Student Unemployment Increasing: What You Can Do.

While unemployment rates begin to fall for several groups, young people are still hurting. In November, the national unemployment rate fell 0.2% to 10%, yet the unemployment rate for 18-24 year-olds rose four-tenths of a percent to 16%. Furthermore, the unemployment rate for college-graduates in the demographic is 10.6%, the worst since 1983.

Countless newspapers have been examining these types stories for the past year, with the most recent numbers coming from an article in the Los Angeles times. The news is incredibly defeating to an age-group that should be defined by its optimism for the future. The recession has been disastrous for entry-level hires, and is not expected to significantly improve. The effects of high unemployment will ripple through the country for decades through increased homelessness, use of government welfare such as food stamps, and thus long-lasting financial strains on the government itself.

If you have just graduated in May, June, or even December 2008, and are still without a full-time job, you are not alone. This of course is the problem, that there are a too few jobs and too many qualified applicants. What can you do in the meantime to increase your chances of finding a job?

1) Intern or Volunteer. The 2009 NACE survey indicates that 73 percent of students who did find jobs had been interns somewhere. If you did not have time to intern in college, try it now. If you have a problem working for free, think of it as a long-term investment to increase your future earnings quotient. Non-profits pretty much always have work to do, and they look great on resume. More importantly, by taking money out of the equation you’re doing things you’re truly passionate about, which is not only fulfilling, but can lead to similar (paid) opportunities. You can find internships on Craigslist, or for more altruistic sectors, Idealist.org.

2) Local part-time jobs. A major executive from a communications company told an interview “When I’m hiring someone, one thing I look for is restaurant experience. If an applicant can handle the pressure of serving people food in a  busy restaurant, then they can handle any job.” Try working at a bar or restaurant. Keep an eye out for “Help Wanted” signs. You may actually find that working as a server or bartender may be more profitable than most jobs.

3) Keep applying. No matter how many applications you’ve filled out, until you get a job you still have one more to do. Don’t let disappointment stop you from even trying to look. If you’re getting interviews, you’re doing something right. Even if those interviews don’t go well, the practice will pay off in the long run.

4) Take advantage of College employment services. One of my big regrets is I did not use my school’s employment services very much. Most universities have career centers that can edit your resume, give you interview pointers, even help you figure out what field would be best for you. Best of all, they can put you in touch with recruitment agencies or employers directly, and may have connections. If you are a student now, make an appointment ASAP, whether you’re a first-year or a senior.

5) Network Network Network. I hate networking. It’s embarrassing, you feel like you’re using people, and it seems like more work that its worth. That said, continue doing it. Drop little hints of interest in your current employment situation. You never know, and given that a huge amount of employment occurs because of some connection, you’d be silly not to try it.  I’ve found that alumni are particularly keen on helping out new graduates; some are quite surprised that they haven’t been asked already, or aren’t asked enough.

6) Temping. Working for a temp agency accomplishes several things at once; it keeps you busy, it is positive networking if you do a good job, and you get paid. If you cannot or are unable to work for free, temping can get you by, especially in larger cities.

7) Keep busy. Anything you can do is better than nothing. Employment applications are a full time job, but you can put that on your resume. Get out there and intern, volunteer, blog, anything that can fill in the question “what have you been doing for the last 6 months?” Given the employment environment, companies love to see that an applicant has been keeping themselves busy despite the lagging economy.

LA Times, Mother Jones