There’s nothing worse than finding yourself, a recent college graduate, unable to find a job, stuck with student loans to pay off, and with looming expenses of rent and other bills. Maybe your grades weren’t as good in college, or you picked a low-demand major (like English or Spanish), or perhaps you waited too long to begin your job hunt when everyone around you started months earlier. Whatever the reason, you’re now stuck in a rut, you’re lost, and you don’t know what to do.

Now, I’m going to start off by telling you that the absolute WORST thing you could do at this point is to feel sorry for yourself. God knows I’m no expert in serious life situations, but this is something I DO know for sure. Not only is self-pity not going to get you anywhere, it may even further prevent you from improving your situation. However, there are a number of things that I feel you could be doing to get yourself out of the hole instead of digging yourself deeper.

1. Part-time college classes. Even though you’re searching for a job, you’re probably not doing anything productive in the time you’re waiting to hear back from employers. So take a few classes in the field that you’re looking for employment for at a local college to show prospective employers that you’re not just wasting your time at home waiting to hear back from employers, and that you’re still being productive even while out of school.

2. Volunteer programs. Programs like tutoring or Habitat for Humanity can build social and leadership skills that can increase your chances of finding a job. They are also good sources for making contacts with potential employers.

3. Headhunters. If you’re having trouble finding a job by yourself, you may want to consider contacting a headhunter. CollegeRecruiter.com provides an article that discusses how to begin your search for a headhunter to represent you. Although most headhunter agencies only match jobs for executives, there are still agencies out there who represent entry-level job seekers.

4. Temp Agency. You may also want to consider starting as a temp. It may not be as glamorous as a full-time job, but it will still get your foot into the door. And many temp positions will hire you into a full-time position if you do well in the position.

5. Graduate School. Sometimes the job market might not be suited for your industry at the moment you’re doing your job search, or employers might require that you have more work experience or a higher level of education. If so, going on to graduate school may be the correct answer. You may be adding onto your debt with the extra tuition costs, but having a masters degree may be well worth it when you land a decent-paying job.

Personally if I was slapped with the pink slip the next day at work, I’d consider joining the Peace Corps or teaching English in a foreign country, like China or Japan. I may even consider taking a few extra classes while teaching to accumulate class credits and buff up my resume for my next job searching adventure. I think the overall point is to keep yourself active instead of wasting time doing nothing at home.

Whatever you do, don’t lose faith and give up. There will always be a way out of the rut you’re stuck in. And if there isn’t, well, you could always join the military… (not something I would suggest unless you’re going to become an officer.)