Despite the discouraging numbers, college graduates are still trying to find ways to stand out in a competitive market and appeal to HR departments by focusing on their strengths and available resources.

Sena Shellenberger, a business operations specialist for vFlyer in San Francisco, graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 2010 with bachelor's degrees in human resources and psychology. Though Shellenberger acknowledges the job market is a tough environment for recent college graduates, she has found ways to appeal to employers.

"I think the market is pretty saturated with business college degrees, which makes it really competitive for us who are trying to find a job," Shellenberger says. "The business schools are also doing a better job of preparing students."

Career resources available to college students include free resume critiques, access to career counselors, mock interviews and networking events. In Shellenberger's experience, some college courses also help place students in internships, which, she believes, was an invaluable selling point for gaining employment during a time when many recent college graduates are struggling to do so.

"I feel if I would have left college without any internship experience, I would have been really intimidated when applying to entry-level jobs without that experience," Shellenberger says. "I think companies really value it and, in some ways, might expect it."

Besides the fewer available opportunities for recent college graduates, they are also accepting lower salaries. According to a Rutgers University study, $30,000 was the median starting salary for 2006-2008 college graduates; however, that salary figure dropped to $27,000 for 2009-2010 graduates.

Part of the reason entry-level jobs are facing pay cuts, Shellenberger says, is possibly because of the perceived loyalty among recent college graduates. Unlike older generations, recent college graduates have a tendency to switch jobs frequently, which may equally sway employers from committing to them.

"Some job seekers in my generation are not as loyal," Shellenberger says. "It's shifting to more of a job-hopping mentality, so they're more prone to leave if they find a better opportunity or are offered better benefits in six months. Maybe some grads from our generation aren't doing a good job at showing dedication to the company."

Advantages of recent college grads

The SHRM survey states that though recent college graduates are viewed as more technology savvy than older job seekers, it's sometimes not enough to get hired. Shellenberger, however, believes this attribute should be considered by HR departments and is an important advantage recent college graduates hold.

"Technology is a huge advantage that we have, and a lot of companies are looking for that," Shellenberger says. "We know how to use pretty much any basic application a job would require, such as Microsoft Office, and in addition to that, we are very familiar with social media and can quickly handle a company's social media needs."

What recent college graduates lack in experience, they do make up for in enthusiasm and drive, and those are qualities HR departments should consider when making employment decisions, Shellenberger says. Recent college graduates realize how lucky they are when a job opportunity becomes available, and they have the ambition to take advantage of the situation.

"Because the job market is so competitive, it might be easy to find a recent grad that would be anxious to get a job," Shellenberger says. "I think any recent grad from any generation will be more hungry; they're going to be more excited and enthusiastic for the position."