Students and alumni packed a Sacramento State ballroom converted into a career fair on Wednesday, looking for leads on a job or internship.

Ken Estrella, a Stockton division manager for electrical wholesaler Consolidated Electrical Distributors, said he noticed a difference between job candidates at this year's fair and those he saw last year.

Most everyone got the suit-and-tie memo, he said, even on a day that felt like spring break.

"No skateboarders," Estrella said with a smile. "They look more professional. You can see the difference between the people cruising by and people looking for a career."

But recruiter Donovan Davis noticed one area where many students have room for improvement.

Davis, regional recruiting manager for car rental firm Enterprise Holdings, talks to Sac State students from time to time about how to get in front of employers, how to prepare to land that first job.

"I wish they'd come up with a better 'elevator pitch,' " he said, referring to the quick, persuasive summary of your experience and abilities that shows a potential employer what you have to offer and – more importantly – gives that employer a reason to hire you.

"You can't just say, 'I need a job,' " he said. "You have to do your research before coming in. It's a competitive market. You've got to find a way to stand out above the crowd."

Especially now.

Yes, the economy is slowly improving, the jobless rate inching downward, but graduates and soon-to-be grads still have a tough search ahead for work or internships in today's job market.

The national unemployment rate for college students is 10.8 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's almost identical to Sacramento's 10.9 percent.

Jason Molay, a Sacramento State student services coordinator, put a good face on it.

"We're talking to employers and they see a light at the end of the tunnel," Molay said Wednesday. "It's still difficult for students, but it's getting brighter. We're telling students that they have to be proactive. Even volunteer (positions) and internships" he said, can help get a foot in the door.

Being proactive means being prepared from the résumé to the first meeting with a would-be boss, and that's where Kellie Oliver comes in.

A career counseling intern, Oliver relates to the rookies and sees everything from a student's first stab at an employment history to résumés from those "who don't realize they can put their course work down as experience."

Her advice for the young job seekers:

• Make sure your experience is relevant to the job.

• Organize your résumé to highlight that relevant job experience or course work.

• Find your focus. That helps both student and counselor craft the best résumé. "What is the résumé's purpose? That guides us," Oliver said.

Outside the ballroom Wednesday, Daniel Rickard stood in line waiting for a career center volunteer to give his résumé the once-over.

Rickard graduated from Sacramento State last year with a marketing degree, but hasn't had much luck converting that into a job.

He was quick to talk and he did, about the Kings, the arena talks, and how his girlfriend told him to get to the job fair and have someone look at that résumé.

"My résumé's probably not up to par," he admitted.

But he knew what he needed to do.

"Getting face-to-face with actual people – that is important," Rickard said. "It's really important that students take full advantage. A degree doesn't guarantee."

Sacramento State's career center has tips for students on how to devise a job-search strategy. Find them at www.csus.edu/careercenter, then select "job search."

Let us hear from you

Is your company hiring? Is your organization hosting a career fair? Is your campus rolling out a job skills program? Contact Job Front at dvsmith@sacbee.com.

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