As first time claims for state unemployment insurance benefits continue to go up, a fresh batch of job hunters is hitting the job market — the graduates.

While State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond urged jobseekers to look for work, explore training and education opportunities and to make full use of the reemployment services at the department’s 53 career centers around the state, some people are taking this time to go back to college or tech school.

But what about those who have spent the past four years getting an education to get that dream job?

New survey data from the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University in Boston show that in the first four months of 2009, less than half the nation’s 4 million college graduates were working in degree-requiring jobs.

That’s down from 54 percent last year.

‘’I’ve never seen it this low and we’ve been analyzing this stuff for over 20 years," said center director Andrew Sum.

Research shows that graduates who take jobs below their education level earn less and take years to match earnings of graduates who landed jobs immediately upon graduation.

These "mal-employed" workers oftentimes are taking jobs high school students are qualified to hold.

Since the recession, "mal-employment" numbers have spiked for college grads, and all signs suggest the trend will continue for the foreseeable future.

Employers expect to hire 22 percent fewer graduating seniors for entry-level positions this year than in 2008, according to a recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers . And 17 percent of surveyed firms said they’d trim college hiring even more this fall.

Sixty-four percent of college seniors surveyed by the association of colleges and employers worry about finding a job.

For some grads, they find jobs only to be released shortly thereafter due to budget cuts. Then, they’re learning the hard way about how to apply for unemployment. Despite all this, Thurmond has released statements showing slight optimism.

"The over-the-year increases in initial claims have declined from the triple-digits we experienced earlier in the year," said State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond. "Initial claims were also down from April to May in 11 of our state’s 14 metro areas. I remain hopeful that Georgia’s job losses will continue to decline in the coming months."

Most of the state initial claims were filed by laid-off workers in manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, construction, and administrative and support services.

And, the number of jobless workers receiving unemployment insurance benefits rose 110 percent over the year, from 74,981 in May of 2008 to 157,544 in May of 2009.