Carlos Araya is the maître d' at The Palm, a fancy New York steak house that caters to high-flying Wall Street types.

Most of the customers actually know him because not so long ago he was one of them.

Araya was laid off from his job as a commodities trader in 2008. He used to make a whopping $200,000 but since then he's been unable to find work on Wall Street so he took the only job that he was offered...a restaurant maître d'. His new salary is just $25,000!

"At end of month or middle of month when you get the bills you realize, 'Oh man, there is such a great disparity between what was and what is,'" he says.

Obviously, these days you have to take what you can get.

INSIDE EDITION spoke with author Ariane de Bonvoisin for tips on how to navigate the toughest job market in decades. She wrote The First 30 Days, a guide for making the transition from college to the real world. 

De Bonvoisin met with two of INSIDE EDITION's interns, who are also recent college graduates. She offered some of her tips on getting the job they want.

Be Original.
"You need to do things that no one is doing," she says.

Do something you love.

Network!
She says, "Treat every single person you know as if they have a piece to the puzzle."

Be specific.
"Be very specific [about what you want]," says de Bonvoisin. "A lot of times graduates will show up and they will say, 'Do you know anyone who's hiring?' Now that's a really vague question. If you say, 'Do you know anyone who's hiring in the music business?' I could probably give you some names."

Plus, don't forget to also look the part! Bold colors, according to de Bonvoisin, show some personality and the ability to take a bit of a risk.

And though de Bonvoisin does not guarantee job seekers a position in 30 days, she says following her steps will be the road to success.

For a more detailed list of the Top 10 tips author Ariane de Bonvoisin has to navigate the "no-job market" today, visit Graduation, Getting a Job, Getting a Life!

To read an excerpt from The First 30 Days, visit www.harpercollins.com.

For more information about Ariane de Bonvoisin, visit her website www.first30days.com.