NO MORE EASY STREET COLLEGE GRADUATES MUST WORK HARDER AS JOBS GET SCARCE.

Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer

Forget signing bonuses and the other frills of the heady dot-com years.

With a slumping economy made even worse by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, today's college graduates find themselves searching longer and harder for that dream job.

And when they do find it, they're competing against experienced workers set adrift by company layoffs.

``Frankly, I won't be surprised to see a large portion of our graduates this spring get pretty decent jobs and end up having to wait tables on the weekends or a couple of nights a week'' just to make ends meet, said Kathie Kieran-Johnson, director of Pepperdine University's Center for Career and Academic Advising.

But graduates can take heart: Jobs in sales and insurance are plentiful and the federal government is hiring in record numbers to replace its graying work force. Graduate schools, too, are seeing a rise in their applications as newly minted degree holders seek refuge in a tough job market.

``Part of it is, when they see a more competitive job market, students want to have a more competitive resume,'' said Melanie Williams, professor of business law and director of graduate programs for the College of Business and Economics at California State University, Northridge. ``When the dot-coms were going wild, people were dropping out of MBA programs because they could earn so much money.''

Jose Mendoza, a recent CSUN graduate, knows well the rocky terrain of the job landscape. Hoping to land a job in the film industry, the 24-year- old Canoga Park man recently made a list of finalists for entry-level positions at Warner Bros. Studios that attracted more than 2,000 applicants.

But despite his eagerness and bachelor's degree in business, Mendoza was left on the cutting room floor.

``I was so excited about it,'' Mendoza said of the Warner Bros. job. ``I think I was relying on it way too much and not doing everything I possibly could.''

Doing `A work'

Mendoza's experience isn't unique, say area career counselors. New college graduates need to approach their job hunt the same way they would pursue a top-notch grade, Pepperdine's Kieran-Johnson said.

``They have to take the process very, very seriously,'' she said. ``This is a job market where, if you don't do A work, if your resume, references and cover letter package isn't absolutely stunning, you're wasting your time.''

And even a ``good'' job offer these days doesn't mean graduates' bank accounts will be flush. Just three years ago, new college graduates could demand starting salaries in the middle $30,000s. Now they're lucky to field offers in the low $30,000s.

``Companies are absolutely reducing salaries,'' Kieran-Johnson said.

What's more, layoffs have dumped experienced employees on the job market. They are job-seekers ``who, at this point, are willing to take entry-levelish jobs at entry-levelish salaries just to pay the bills and the mortgage,'' Kieran-Johnson said.

Nonetheless, jobs are out there - college graduates just need to look, said Adele Scheele, director of CSUN's Career Center. The federal government, for example, is hiring in record numbers to replace retiring employees.

A survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that while employers overall estimated a 36.4 percent drop in the number of new college graduates they expected to hire in 2001-02, the federal government expected to hire 16.2 percent more new college graduates this year.

Hiring projections were lowest among employers who typically hire students with degrees in economics/finance, business administration, computer science and civil engineering. These employers predicted a whopping 89.7 percent drop.

Insurance employers, however, expect to hire 30.8 percent more new grads. Sales is another field that students sometimes overlook, Scheele said. And a degree isn't necessary - some firms are willing to train new employees, she said.

Another option: grad school. Applications for CSUN's master of business administration degree program are running about 40 percent higher than normal for the coming fall semester, Williams said.

Employers, with more qualified candidates than openings, also feel the pressure of a tight market.

``Some of our groups have had to turn away very sharp individuals in the process and that's because of the limited spots we've got,'' said Kristine Pacifico, manager of recruitment programs for Warner Bros. ``We're letting them know we have numerous other opportunities in the company.''

One of those opportunities was snagged by CSUN student Patricia Lopez. Warner Bros. recently hired the 24-year-old Sherman Oaks woman for an entry-level position.

Her resume boasted five years experience as a legal secretary and an internship this spring with Columbia Tristar Films, during which she read scripts and did clerical work. She also will receive her bachelor's degree in communications from the University of New Mexico this month.

But Lopez said she would never have found out about the job if she hadn't visited CSUN's career counseling centers to learn more about on-campus interviews.

``I was so glad I went,'' said Lopez, who moved to California last year from New Mexico. ``I found out about a lot of job opportunities. I don't think people use it or the job counselors enough.''

Campus career centers offer job listings, on-campus interviews, one-on- one counseling and workshops that can help guide students in their search and polish their presentations, CSUN's Scheele said.

But job centers shouldn't be a student's only stop. Scheele advised job-hunters to network with their professors and use classroom assignments and internships to research and explore potential careers.

``You are in charge of your career,'' Scheele said. ``You have to take responsibility for it and shape it.''

Mendoza, for one, is using his disappointment to reinvigorate his job search. Fortunately, he lives at home, so his expenses are low. As the first person in his family to graduate from college, he's concerned that his lack of connections could hurt him in a market where networking is an important job tool.

But he has work experience and he's finding jobs on Internet sites and applying for openings.

``No matter what happens now, no matter how many interviews as I go on, if I get rejected, it's not going to hurt as much as that rejection letter from Warner Bros.,'' Mendoza said, chuckling ruefully. ``That's the only positive aspect of it.''

DOs AND DON'Ts

Looking for a job is tough business, especially in today's economic climate. Below is a list of things to do or avoid doing for job-hunters seeking to make the best impression on their potential employers.

--Do your homework - research the company before the interview.

--Make sure your cover letter and resume are focused.

--Don't mass-mail your resume without a cover letter; it will not get you a second look, much less an initial interview.

--Put ``references included'' at the bottom of your resume, then include a list of references. You're saving the prospective employer time and effort and presenting yourself as an organized person.

--Don't tell an employer what he already knows. Everyone wants to work for a great company that will let them use the skills they've developed and help them grow.

--Job hunting is not about you and what you want, but what you can do for the company. Keep that in mind with every word in your cover letter and every answer you give during the interview.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) Kathie Kieran-Johnson, director of Pepperdine University's Center for Career and Academic Advising, talks with student Jamie Broaddus about her search for a job in human resources.

(2) Jose Mendoza of Canoga Park, who graduated from CSUN in December, is back in the hunt for a film industry job after being passed over for an entry-level position at Warner Bros.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer

Box:

DOs AND DON'Ts (see text)

SOURCE: Kathie Kieran-Johnson, director of Pepperdine University's Center for Career and Academic Advising.