CLEVELAND -- With finals and graduation approaching, college campuses like Kent State University are a flurry of activity. But the forecast for the job market for graduating seniors is a bit dreary.

Kent State senior LaToya Peterson said, "People aren't hiring. They're actually reducing the number of positions."

Peterson started her job search months ago.

"I got involved in different organizations," Peterson said. "I researched on the Internet, changed my Facebook page (and) called friends of friends of family members."

Peterson also worked for free.

"It was hard because I had to get it out of mind that it was an internship and I had to do it like it was a job," Peterson said.

Ann Motayar is the director of Kent State's Career Services Center. She said the hiring of college seniors is down 22 percent from last year.

"What had been a three- to six-month job search to find a career position is now a six- to nine-month job search," Motayar said.

Even this year's job fair at Kent -- which usually draws about 100 companies -- drew just 75. Less jobs mean more competition.

So what can young people do to stay competitive?

• Be flexible
• Be willing to relocate
• Be prepared to expect less benefits, or temporary work
• Don't undervalue your part-time job

"That first employment experience may not be the dream job they were looking for," Motayar said. "Maybe they've had an interest in (human resources) but they're working in a restaurant. Perhaps they can get involved in the hiring process or even training new employees."

And most important, intern for a company you want to work for.

Motayar said, "It's the No. 1 way employers are recruiting candidates."

That's what Peterson did. As a political science major, she interned with a local state representative.

"I started putting in 40 hours, then 50 hours, then 60 hours a week of work," Peterson said.

And after just three months, another state representative offered her a job.

Peterson explained, "She just saw how hard I worked unpaid," meaning her free work paid off.

Even though the job market isn't easy, there are people still hiring. For example, college counselors told NewsChannel5's Joy Benedict that government agencies and the transportation and health care fields are still looking for employees with all skill levels.