In the midst of a rotten economy and rising unemployment, spring college graduates may be left with a bitter taste in their mouths when it comes to landing their dream job.

2009 college graduates will receive their degrees this May, but for many, their sense of elation will be met with the ominous reality that the United States is experiencing some daunting financial woes. Unemployment rose from 7.6 percent to 8.1 percent in March according to a report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This increase marks the highest point of unemployment for the U.S. in 25 years.

Zach Friend, senior general studies major, has spent the last four years going to college at Missouri Southern.

“I have been busting my ass to graduate on time,” Friend said. “I’ve been working non-stop to build a strong resume, so when it comes time to graduate, I can get a good job.”

For Friend, however, it is beginning to seem like his hard work and dedication to school may go by the wayside in these troubled times.

“I am worried about where I am going to be after I graduate,” he said. “With the economy getting worse by the day and more and more people getting laid off, I wonder if there will even be a job for me when I graduate.”

Other college students are beginning to share Friend’s sentiments about graduating and joining the work force. And with unemployment rates expected to rise even higher by the end of the year according to the Federal government, it seems like this inauspicious feeling could soon be found as a common concern among many graduating seniors.

For some recent college graduates, however, finding work has been easier than expected. Kari Hobson graduated from MSSU last May with a degree in business marketing. Hobson has experienced little difficulty with getting a job, and has an easy strategy to acquire employment.

“You really have to put yourself out there in times like these,” she said. “You have to widen your variety and make yourself available to all sorts of fields and options, despite whatever you went to school for. It’s not rocket science.”

Hobson proves that one can have a degree in a certain field, but still land a good job that has no relation to his or her emphasis of study.

“I went to school for business and marketing,” Hobson said. “Now, I work as a youth counselor and events coordinator at a summer ranch for teenagers in Montana. Like I said, it is all about variety and availability. Employers just want to know that you have a college degree.”

Some may want to heed Hobson’s advice, especially if they find themselves unable to get a job. However, abstaining from a finicky attitude may not always be the solution. If the economy continues its current trend it may be more than just college students fretting about the future of job availability and stability.