Many graduating college seniors are worried about their future and prospects of finding a job in the current tough economic market.

Robert Anderson, 24, a Waipi'o resident and a senior at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa, said he looks at job listings in the newspaper every day, but doesn't find much there for him.

"I looked in the job listings yesterday, and there was only one job listing," said Anderson, who will graduate this spring with a degree in political science. When it comes to living at home, he said: "Gonna have to."

"I have a friend living in a car (and) he has a degree in international relations and a minor in French and can't find a job at McDonald's," he said.

Anderson said he would like to get a job with the foreign service or some other position in the federal government.

Nationwide, 2.6 million jobs were lost in 2008, and 2 million more jobs are expected to be eliminated this year as companies cut their spending and lay off workers in response to the deepening economic downturn. In Hawai'i, the unemployment rate reached 5.5 percent in December, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the highest in a decade.

Although the job prospects for 2009 college graduates and college seniors look grim, there are other options, according to local economic experts.

"Expand your parameters of your search to places that boost your experience. Look into things related to your field rather than directly (tied to your) field," said Lawrence "Bill" Boyd, a labor economist at UH-West O'ahu.

Boyd said he also once had to survive a recession and find a job.

"I was actually in a recession and what I did was I, in a very organized fashion, was find an internship, temporary part-time job, then a full-time job," he said.

Current fields that are faring well in the economic downturn are healthcare, security, technology and research, according to Beth Busch at Success Advertising. And there are ways for graduates to get a foot in the door.

"I would say start early, lay the groundwork for the job they want, and network. Make contacts so that you can get a job when you graduate," Busch said.

Her company matches up employers with potential employees. Success Advertising is a co-sponsor of Workforce and JobQuest fairs in Hawai'i, where hundreds of applicants can meet employers.

Many collegians go to graduate school rather than look for work immediately after getting their undergraduate degree. Experience is crucial for students trying to find work, and student internships increase their chances of getting a job, experts say.

UH student Harald Stiller, 24, an 'Aiea resident, completed an internship for Lufthansa Airlines in Boston and at Skype headquarters in Luxembourg, Belgium. But that hasn't helped him land a job.

"I'm a bit worried about what the future has or doesn't have to offer," said Stiller, who is studying travel industry management. "I just hope that I make the right decision for my career at this important junction of my life." Stiller will graduate in the spring.

Stiller has considered working for the federal government, perhaps in the foreign service, or pursuing a career in the military.

"College graduates in 2009 are going to be facing pretty bad prospects, but 2010 might be better," said labor economist Boyd.