The job market is in the tank.  The offer letter you have in your hand has been rescinded (or soon will be).  Your parents are on your back about getting a job.  What can you do NOW, today, to change your situation?

First, reevaluate your expectations.  Develop a career plan that works for you but is realistic given the current state of the economy.  Investigate the industries that still have a huge need for entry level workers: accounting, gaming, health care, education.  If you still want investment banking or Wall Street, expand your search to include smaller firms or firms where you can use the same skills.  But remember, even when things settle down, there are fewer i-banking firms than ever before.

Second, don’t underestimate the power of networking.  And I mean face to face networking.  In a crappy market, the best jobs are not posted on line.  From my past experience, I would receive at least 75 applications for every job I posted and that was in really good times.  I wouldn’t even want to think about how many applications I would get now…

Finally, do everything you can TODAY to develop your proessional skills.  Volunteer work, internships and temp work will help you fill the gaps in your background.  They are also a great way to network!