While it's true that it's a tough job market, employers say that those soon graduating from college shouldn't feel hopeless about their prospects. With the right strategy, they point out, grads can still launch their careers with great success.

"While it's not as promising as it has been in the past because everyone has scaled back on hiring, the thing to remember is that employers do need college talent. They do need that new talent to train, that ball of clay to mold," says Sue fuller, director of talent management for EDL Consulting in Northbrook, Ill.

Bob Daugherty, U.S. sourcing leader from PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York, has two words for graduates seeking jobs with unemployment at 8.5 percent: "Don't panic."

That's not to say everyone is listening. Seniors are feeling the anxiety as fewer companies are visiting campuses to recruit. They face stiff competition for jobs from much more experienced applicants, and companies continue to say they will keep their workforces lean for now.

Still, Fuller says her company hired five college grads in January after receiving 200 applications, and Daugherty says he believes the available student body "is one of the most talented we've seen." Cathy Chin, employee experience manager for I Love Rewards, a Web-based employee rewards and recognition program in Toronto, Ontario, says that her company has made college hires. Chin says she believes the key is that students must learn how to promote and transfer their college skills and activities to the professional world.

"We realize that college students aren't going to have as many skills as someone who has been in the work force for a while. But we're looking at how their past success will equal their future success. What have they done in school? In a job? In volunteering?" Chin says.

Daugherty agrees, adding that it should not just be seniors who need to be concerned with making themselves stand out to employers.

"It's going to get worse for two more cycles of students. That means juniors and sophomores are going to have a tougher time," Daugherty says. "It's a hyper-competitive job market, and it's only going to get worse. You've got to start figuring out how you're going to show your value. You can't wait to do that until you're a senior."

Those interviewed for this story say there are a number of steps both graduates and underclassmen can take to not only position themselves better for a job, but also to impress employers during an interview. They recommend:

» A personal brand. What makes you unique? How have you committed yourself to a cause or a passion? "You need to get accomplishments under your belt," Chin says.

» Stepping forward. Daugherty says he was impressed with a student after the young man not only showed up early for a presentation but sat in the front, asked questions, introduced himself and offered a resume after Daugherty's talk. "The kid was a sophomore," he says. "This is somebody we want to keep track of."

» Doing the homework. "The people we hired had great phone interviews showing a lot of personality, poise and confidence. When we narrowed it down to a top 10 to interview in person, they showed up very polished and knew about us and our competitors. They weren't going to have to be spoon fed if we hired them," Fuller says.

» Walking the talk: "We want to see if you're going to fit in with our company, and that means doing your research and being able to speak intelligently about the subject and our company," Chin says. "But we're also watching you when you walk around, from the minute you come into our lobby. Do you look at our awards? Are you nice to the receptionist? We want to see that you're fully engaged."

» Building relationships. All those interviewed agreed that both graduates and undergraduates need to work on networking with other professionals, their faculty and the college career center. Students should strive to not only make these business connections in person, but also through online networking sites such as LinkedIn. A word of warning, however, comes from Fuller regarding some less-than-professional behavior online: "We're very mindful of how people behave online. We do check. Business is about reputation and relationships, so we're looking to see how they manage themselves online."

Finally, employers interviewed for this story agreed that students shouldn't worry too much about specific internships, as they are looking for students who show a commitment and energy for learning and growing, whether it's through their volunteerism, a job or academic pursuits.

"A part of going to school is just enjoying your time and learning from others. Do something different and enjoy yourself and just experiencing different things. Diversity makes you unique," Daugherty says.

Anita Bruzzese can be reached c/o Gannett ContentOne, 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA, 22107