The word is out: the job market is presently about as tough as it has been for three decades. Why? You name it. Off shoring, a bad economy, and rampant illegal immigration all contribute. As a recent college graduate, the market can look disappointingly tough. But there are ways to find a good job despite the competition. Here’s how:

• Use the college network long before you graduate. Professors can introduce you to businesspeople that they know long before the diplomas are handed out. Meet potential employers in your field and tell them about your skill set. Additionally, colleges offer job fairs that just don’t come to small towns, nor cities. Attend all of them, and network yourself until you’re blue in the face. Your first hire is potentially present, so let them know about you.

• Talk up your recent education. Employers offering the highest paying jobs seek either experience or training. It’s no matter if you’re short on experience. Simply focus on your recent, cutting edge training. Talk shop with your interviewer on a familiar level when the interview comes around. The point is to impress them, not to be relaxed and suave.

• Take any job that you can, even working customer service at a local cellular provider until you find employment in your chosen field. Employers don’t like to see any gaps on a resume, and waiting for your dream job to materialize may be akin to shooting yourself in the foot.

The job market won’t remain tough forever. In the meantime, it takes higher than average persistence and tenacity to stick it out until suitable employment comes along. Be patient and work will arrive eventually!