Graduating Jobless - A report

those who went to Bike Polo sunburned. The restaurant quickly fills up to capacity leaving people waiting outside to hear the results.

Things pick up even more when trophies start getting handed out. Vomit Squad receives the scavenger Hunt Trophy, a welded cluster of bike parts forming a hand holding a small mock bike.

We all agree, it's pretty cool. Team Guild wins the events overall on I Saturday, the first team in the six I years of Slaughterama history to ever win in their first year of 1 competing. Everyone applauds them loudly as they receive their trophy. Finally, the last trophy goes to Riders of the Apocalypse, who, being rather close in their relation to the Cutthroats, receive a "Fuck

It. We Win Anyways" Trophy. It gets a good laugh. With the ceremony over, people say their goodbyes and slowly trickle off. Some go to meet up with friends somewhere else and some, like me, go home and go to bed ready for a few days of rest. With the weekend finally at a close all there is to do is lie back and shrug off the unexplainable cuts and bruises, the hangover, the filth covering almost every inch of your body and smile. Smile because you just experienced one of the most amazing weekends Richmond has to offer and lived to tell about it; smile because deep down you know that you have a new favorite holiday; smile because you know that you can barely wait until it happens again next year.

Sara D'Eugenio photo

Graduating job ess

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The old adage, "it's not what you know, it's who you know," may be the key to getting a job after college during today's economic recession and limited job market. "Most interviews that I've been to mostly want to know who you are rather than asking you what you know. They know your credentials with your resume," said Cordell Briggs, a finance major. Some students have been lucky enough to snag a job before graduation day. Others have not been as successful and continue to search for their first "real job," while somehave been forced to move back to their parent's homes because of the lack of job availability. Graduating students are hard pressed to find a job that pays more than a $7 an hour position at a retail store. The large shift in unemployment rates is a result of the current economy. "The jobs are disappearing and those laid off with years of experience are filling positions that recent college graduates, without hands on industry experience, would otherwise be qualified for," said Christy Ross, a fashion major. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state of Wyoming has a 3.9 percent unemployment rate making it the state with the lowest unemployment rate. Virginia, registers on the map with a 6.6 percent, and Michigan leads the way with the highest unemployment rate, 12 percent. Some graduating seniors have turned to the Internet and other electronic media to search for jobs. "There are the job super sites like Monster and Career Builder, but I actually found Craigslist to be more helpful with finding specific job listings of what I was looking for," said Amanda Richey, a 2008 VCU graduate. Briggs found talking to friends that are VCU alumni and networking to be the most successful way to find a job. "If you go to where the businessmen and women hang out, you will find good leads and also references for jobs either with those companies or that industry," Briggs said. Although a search through the job market jungle may become frustrating at times it is important to stay positive and have patience. "Waiting to hear back from an employer in regards to an interview is one of the most disheartening experiences," Ross said. "Patience really is a virtue in this arena."

The current recession has made searching for a job after graduation seem like an uphill battle. In the end, remember not to focus on one job opening but to branch out, network and apply relentlessly until you get a phone call saying, "You're hired." Both Ross and Briggs continue to search for a job but Ross has opted to attend VCU's graduate school to fill the jobless gap. Amanda Richey, who graduated VCU in 2008, has moved back home and works part-time while continuing to look for a job.