Will Work for Experience

So it's been a few months since you tossed that cap high in the air, packed it up and left campus behind. You should be comfortably settled at a desk somewhere, making a few rookie mistakes as you begin that climb up the career ladder. Instead, you're sucking down your second bowl of Cheerios in your pajamas while scanning Monster, Craigslist and job boards for any company that will have you.

We feel your pain, you wide-eyed college graduate, you. Truly we do. It's a tough job market for today's grads, combined with the fact that layoffs in numerous markets mean more people looking for work. The truth is that even with great grades and internships under your belt, you're still just one of many. The good news is, you can do something to stand out and improve the odds!

We've just received a new book called From B.A. to Payday: Launching Your Career After College. While we won't claim it's got earth-shattering advice you've never heard before (there's a good deal of interview etiquette, how-to's on resume and such) we do love its frank perspective on your generation and the specific hurdles you have to overcome to get out of your own way and find your dream job. If nothing else, read the first chapter on arrogance vs. confidence and the bit on cover letters—we promise you'll learn something valuable.

Take a peek at it and then come back and tell us—is the authors' advice helpful? Share your challeges—and successes—with us.