Due to the state of the current economy, college seniors are looking for creative ways to find jobs. Although networking and prospecting are excellent strategies for finding unadvertised opportunities, many new graduates are also considering internships as a way to gain additional experience to include on their resume. Internships can be an excellent alternative to finding a job and a way to bide time until the economy rebounds and more positions become available.
So far this year The National Association of Colleges and Employers has announced that only 19.7% of college seniors have received a job offer for after graduation. Just two years ago, 51% of college seniors had landed a job prior to graduating from college. Although there are jobs available for entry-level candidates, being proactive and flexible in the job search definitely increases the likelihood of finding a position in this tough economy.
In addition to searching the numerous internship sites available online, new graduates can also contact family, friends, previous supervisors to ask about available internships and entry-level jobs at their place of employment. Even combining an unpaid internship with a night job, could increase an applicants chances of employment once the employer resumes their hiring. Also, volunteering a few hours or days a week makes a nice addition to any resume and shows employers a level of dedication and commitment as applicants strive to improve their knowledge and skills even if they've been unable to secure a job in their area of interest.
I would definitely recommend WetFeet’s series on interviewing, finding a job, resume writing, etc. Right now they are selling a package that includes an interviewing tutorial video, and it’s only $79. All of the books are really useful for recent grads or people graduating soon, but can be just as useful 10 years later.
Link: http://shop.wetfeet.com/promo/gradpack.aspx