Wilson found banking jobs dried up last fall with the financial crisis. Aspiring teachers are coming up empty this spring
"Right now is particularly bad because of budget cuts, and most school district have put freezes on hiring," said education major Shannon Sprouse.
Sprouse wants to teach kindergarten, but will settle for a nanny job.
"People always need childcare each summer, so that's productive in my search," she explained.
And Carolina grads are not alone. Across the nation, while 51 percent of college seniors had jobs at graduation two years ago, only 26 percent found jobs last year at diploma time.
Career counselor Tim Stiles says new grads should be flexible and persistent.
"Don't give up. Keep trying. I know you have a lot of competition out there, but we're still seeing new jobs being produced every week," he said.
James Ludemann has a nursing job lined up, but he has friends graduating with student loans to pay for now with odd jobs.
"Whether it's waitressing or whatever, they have to find a way to bring in a little bit of money," he said.
