Good developers will get hired in any economy. In order, the things people will take away from a college resume (other than an opinion on your ability to structure information): 1. Experience. Usually in the form of internships and/or research, good quality experience that results in a recommendation is the best proof that you can get things done. 2. Grades. I don't know why people are saying grades don't matter. I have a limited amount of time to interview and I'll take a 3.8 over a 3.3 over an unlisted GPA any day of the week. 3. School. It's unfortunate that the high school performance and financial resources that make a difference in school choice end up affecting the first couple years of your career. The fact remains that some schools produce a higher signal to noise ratio. Your goal early in your career should not be money. It should be getting the best experience possible. If you're unable to find a job in your chosen field then look for jobs where your daily tasks will be as relevant as possible. Then go home and work on things in your spare time that you can brag about. The suggestions of open source projects were spot on. An open source project can serve multiple purposes. You'll gain experience, make contacts, and show that you're passionate about your field. A personal project that produces something you can demo can also be a good option.

Good developers will get hired in any economy.

In order, the things people will take away from a college resume (other than an opinion on your ability to structure information):

1. Experience. Usually in the form of internships and/or research, good quality experience that results in a recommendation is the best proof that you can get things done.
2. Grades. I don't know why people are saying grades don't matter. I have a limited amount of time to interview and I'll take a 3.8 over a 3.3 over an unlisted GPA any day of the week.
3. School. It's unfortunate that the high school performance and financial resources that make a difference in school choice end up affecting the first couple years of your career. The fact remains that some schools produce a higher signal to noise ratio.

Your goal early in your career should not be money. It should be getting the best experience possible. If you're unable to find a job in your chosen field then look for jobs where your daily tasks will be as relevant as possible or go back to school.

The suggestions of open source projects were spot on. An open source project can serve multiple purposes. You'll gain experience, make contacts, and show that you're passionate about your field. A personal project that produces something you can demo can also be a good option.