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FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Many college students getting ready to graduate are getting a crash course in the realities of finding a job.
According to the Department of Labor, the jobless rate for people ages 20 to 24 hit 9.6 percent in December. That tops the national rate of 5.8 percent.
"I think some students are going to have a real stark realization when they graduate and find out how tough the market is these days," said Cathy Barkley, a job placement counselor.
College students are not the only ones having a tough time finding work. The unemployment rate for people between the ages of 16 and 19 was 16 percent.
Barkley said that students should start their job searches early, learn how to network and get involved.
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