<p>It sounds like you are doing all the right things - Linked In, using your college’s resources, etc. It’s a tough market out there!</p>
<p>My company sent me to a Fred Pryor training seminar on Excel. I use Excel a lot, but the 2 day seminar was really helpful. I think it would be helpful if you just had a basic knowledge of Excel as well, and it relatively inexpensive - something like $127 for the 2 days. You might want to look into that. (Google Fred Pryor Excel)</p>
<p>My S was an Econ major '11, like you he was Phi Beta Kappa and still having a rough time getting anywhere with his job search. In July his younger sister’s boyfriend forwarded him a job posting he had received from a family friend (the BF, a rising senior in college, had been looking for a summer internship, but the family friend misunderstood and thought he had graduated and was looking for permanent work.) Thru that connection my son got a job that he started August 1. It required him to relocate, but luckily he can temporarily live with his grandparents and save some money. This job came out of left field when he had been getting no responses to his many resumes and applications, so keep networking - you never know when the least likely person will be the one with the connection you need!</p>
<p>To keep his enthusiasm up before he found this job, I asked my son how many jobs he thought he should apply to each day. He came up with 2 - 4 (I was thinking 3 - 5). But we agreed that once he found and applied to 3 jobs per day, he could take the rest of the day off to do what he wanted, guilt-free. I also suggested he set up a spreadsheet so that he could follow-up on applications & resumes he had sent. Following up is really important - sometimes HR people are just so busy they wait to see who follows up to determine who is REALLY interested, then begin interviewing.</p>
<p>Also, I work with a woman who was a French major and Drama minor. She started her career by teaching French at a private school. After a couple years, she left there and went to work as the director’s assistant at a non-profit French Cultural Center & Library. A couple years later, with a lot of fundraising experience under her belt, she returned to the private school and became their director of development. Perhaps an unusual career trajectory, but it shows French majors can get a job!</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>