Job hunting in a tighter market For entry-level techies and college grads the old rules of hunting still apply. Don't be jealous of that older sibling who landed his dream job with a huge signing bonus right out of college three years ago. Even with all the talk of an economic downturn, lucrative job opportunities for college graduates are still plentiful.
Total jobs are still at the highest in American history.
With a current 4.5 percent unemployment rate, we are not seeing anything like the unemployment numbers we've experienced during real recessions. In 1983 it was at 10.4 percent and even in 1992 it was as high as 7.4 percent. College grads to be offered one-fifth of open jobs. Granted, 4.5 percent unemployment is the highest level since October 1998. As a nation, then, we are still enjoying historically low rates of unemployment.