[The J-Man]

OP, I'm going to be a little harsh with you here, but I think you need some very direct and real advice.

1.) The job market is not bad right now. Don't buy into the media doom and gloom. White collar jobs are booming for the most part. If you can't get a job, you're doing something wrong.

2.) The vast majority of college grads get job offers before graduating through on campus interviews and career fairs and/or internships. If you're graduating in a few months and you don't already have something lined up, you've shit the bed. Don't worry, I did the same thing. I found it very hard to get a job after graduation because I ignored the on campus stuff. If you have any opportunities for career fairs (probably virtual) between now and graduation, DO IT.

3.) Too late now, but your major is somewhat generic. Marketing/management majors have a hard time getting jobs, followed by finance. Accounting and info systems majors get jobs very easily. You have an uphill battle with this. Look into the consulting firms and big 4 accounting firms (they will hire management majors for advisory jobs). I can all but guarantee you that these firms are recruiting on your campus right now. KPMG, EY, Deloitte, PWC, Accenture, etc. Consulting firms in client facing roles are by far the best way to launch your career, but the hours suck. Fortunately, you only have to put in a few years and you're well on your way to $100K+.

3.) Your first job is about getting in the door somewhere and getting years of experience on your resume. Don't be picky.

4.) When interviewing, it is critical to ask thoughtful questions. When I interview somebody I don't care about them answering my questions. I want them to ask me questions about the job and the company. Asking relevant, thoughtful questions shows intellect. This is as much or more important than your answers to the questions that they ask you. I cannot stress this enough. This is how you will get a job offer. Ask questions. Ask questions. Ask questions. Questions about the company, the team, the job, etc. You will impress them with your questions, not with your answers.

5.) If you don't know how recruiters work, they are scum. Literally scum of the earth. Do not be intimidated, used or manipulated by them. They will lie to you and waste your time every chance they get. Use them to your advantage, not the other way around. They work for you. Just remember that. They get paid when they land you a job. Without you, they don't eat. I have used recruiters as a job seeker and as an employer. 99/100 of them are scum. Beware.

Like you, I ran my own little part time business before/during college. After college I took a job with KPMG. The job sucked because I didn't land it on campus - it was an internal job (not client facing) that I got 6 months after graduation through Monster.com. I quit the job after 2 years to double down on my business. I was very successful with my business full time for 4 years and then it started going to shit due to various market forces. I sold the business and went back to the consulting world. Having KPMG on my resume was the only thing that got me interviews and back into the corporate world. Nobody cared that I ran my own successful business. Running your own business full time is a grind and every year that you do it is year that you aren't building skills on a resume that large employers care about. 5+ years out of college, I found myself in a nearly entry level position. Something for you to consider. I have no regrets.

As far as relationships, those are key once you land a job. Collecting business cards or Linkedin connections doesn't do much anymore (although it is a necessity). I'm talking about meaningful working relationships with like minded people who you connect with. When you have a meaningful connection with somebody, embrace it and nurture it, don't ignore it. Those deeper connections that you make with people will serve you well throughout your career. It only takes a handful of tight connections to accelerate your career. Find a mentor if you can, and when you're in a position to do so, be a mentor to others. Always be confident and assertive but not an asshole.

Good luck and report back when you land something.