Young people finishing college in December are having a tough time finding work. That’s no surprise. It’s been the case for years now — young adult unemployment has been on the rise since 2007. But after U.S. unemployment rates bounced back a bit in 2010, the spiraling trend for young adults (aged 20-24) continued.

Millennials in Crisis

If older Americans are in an unemployment slump, the Millennial Generation, which includes young adults in the 20-something age range, are in an unemployment crisis. Many in this generation have moved back in with their parents. While young adult unemployment rates in the U.S. have ranged from 12% to 15% in recent years, it’s been widely posited that this figure is actually much higher.

That’s because unemployment rates only factor in the number of people actively looking for employment. The truth is, many young people have given up, opting instead to enroll in continuing education and master’s degree programs. Others have decided to spend a year volunteering or doing other unpaid work, and a great many have simply given up searching for work.

One recent research report, by the Anne E. Casey Foundation estimates that the number of working young adults in America was actually just 50% in 2011. Young people are facing a near impossibility finding part-time jobs, let alone full-time employment.

Entry Level International Jobs an Option?

With so much frustration around the tough economic climate facing Millennials, many of these unattached, desperate-for-work young people have begun looking for work abroad, in hopes that they can find new horizons (or at least work experience) on distant shores in the form of entry level international jobs. But a 2011 International Gallup Poll showed that young people are twice as likely to be unemployed worldwide as their elder counterparts.

A more recent infographic, released by Political Fiber, a young people’s political publication produced at the University of Kansas, paints an even bleaker picture for those seeking entry level international jobs:

From the looks of things, Asia is the best bet most young people have for finding entry level international jobs. But if going international isn’t a solution for these Millennials what can they do to find work and begin their careers? This is a question that’s certain to become more pressing over the coming years.

What advice do you give young people looking for work? Share your thoughts on this situation below.