Secret agent:

Is there any way to use your current boss as a reference, even though you're not crazy about her knowing that you're looking for a new job? According to Diane Burns, a career management coach based in Baltimore, says probably not. In fact, if you're looking for some recommendation from your supervisor, it's best to wait until you are almost certain the new job is yours.

Tech woes

The unemployment rate for IT graduates is more than 16 percent, compared with an overall unemployment rate around 9 percent, found a report published by the Higher Education Careers Services Unit. One possible explanation is that the rate of technological change is so fast that graduates might find their knowledge obsolete after three years in school. IT grads also tend to be less experienced when they graduate, and may be pickier about the jobs they accept, noted an author of the report.