"They're willing to work for $9 or $10 an hour," Bray said of recent graduates with bachelor's degrees.

But even that is problematic, she said. Employers often think the applicant will leave when something better comes along, particularly if the person is overqualified for the job, she said.

Those challenges mean more grads may be living at home or otherwise relying on their parents, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Their study found that more than 40% of college seniors expect to need financial help from their parents this year.

Waiting game

Some job seekers are choosing to put their searches on hold.

The study found that 59% of this year's graduates had started looking for a job, down from 64% the previous year.

Part of that is due to busy students focused on finishing their degrees before job hunting, said Rita Bocchinfuso-Cohen, director of career services at Fresno State.

But this year, more graduates may be deliberately waiting out the recession before searching for a job, she said.

Many Fresno State grads already had part-time or full-time jobs while in school to pay bills or support families, she said.

They're not jobs in their chosen career, but many are choosing to stay there until the job outlook improves, Bocchinfuso-Cohen said. While some will search for a job in their field in their spare time, some won't, she said.

"You work as much as you can at your lower-paying survival positions," she said.

Despite the gloomy job market, many college graduates and career center representatives refuse to get depressed. Companies are hiring, they say.

Sometimes a recent college grad is more appealing than other applicants, said Tim Conboy, branch manager of Ultimate Staffing Services in Fresno.

That's particularly true of positions that require up-to-date knowledge of technology, such as data entry or accounting programs, he said.

Companies still have work to do, "so bringing in a young college graduate with the technical skills becomes quite attractive," he said. And "the salary will be quite reasonable."

Job seeker Scipio Mundine, 40, of Fresno is optimistic. He's looking for a job as a maintenance mechanic after earning a certificate in the program from Fresno City College in February.

It's a change from his previous job doing housekeeping at a veterans hospital and the Marine Corps before that.

Mundine has had several interviews and is hoping one of the jobs will come through.

"I know there's people out there with more experience," he said. "Hopefully there's someone who will give me a chance."