In this economy a lot of employers are unwilling to commit to permanent hires until they start seeing more consistency in their bottom line. But Ravenheart is right on the money: Contracting (I guess it's a glorified word for Temping) is quite prevalent. Do a search for "Temp Agency" and you'll get dozens and dozens of hits. Some are general Temp agencies, and others are industry-specific.

This will help you in several ways: 1) The agencies will be doing the "looking" for you. You give them your resume and skill set, and they will run with it and get back to you when they've gota prospective match.
2) While a temp/contracting position may lack some of the "perks" of being an FTE (i.e. 401k, disability, etc.) it allows you to get your foot in the door at an established firm/company. THIS is the key. Once you're in there, you can dazzle them with your skill set and work ethic. This gives you an excellent chance of getting your contract renewed, or better yet going from "temp" to "perm" at the end of the contract period.

And if they don't renew, you will still get the extra few lines in your resume.

Now get cracking! Oh, and SanGuru is right as well: the school itself does not matter as much as you think. As long as someone has actually heard of it and it's an accredited 4-year college you're good to go. No such thing as "the wrong school", unless it's Osama Bin Laden's Terrorist University at Tora Bora.

now if the school is in Bora Bora.. it would matter..

That first job is always the toughest one to get - in a good economy - let alone in a bad one.

You've received some good advice:

- consider contracting for a year or two. (By the way, expect to get paid shit and probably no benefits.)
- network, network, network - are there any associations or clubs in the area?
- don't look at an MBA as a "gap filler." Wrong attitude.

Be patient. This economy sucks, and for every job posting, there are hundreds of responses. A recent grad with little experience is at a huge disadvantage when competing against a pool of experienced personnel. It is going to be tough for 'ya. Good luck.

Another thing: The Charlotte, NC area has one of the largest concentrations of German companies in America. Check out the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce for a listing... possibly consider an internship with one of them.

Juan

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Whenever I text "Barack," my phone suggests the word "Capable." I guess my my phone IS pretty smart.

Thats the first thing that our International Business class told us. Some godawful meeting time like 6 AM on Tuesdays or something, but it has worked well for people in the past.