Tuesday was the first day of fall, students are enjoying the last days of warm weather, first tests are just hitting and extracurricular activities are in full swing.

   May 8, 2010, the day you will either graduate or head into the working world for another three months, may seem far off.

   But if your employment situation eight months from now isn’t on your mind, it should be. Now is the time to get started finding a job or internship.

   In case you haven’t heard the news, it’s career fair season.

   Engineers had their career fair yesterday, Business and LAS Colleges do so today, and Agriculture will host its own Oct. 13.

   So get gussied up, pick that suit up from the cleaners and attend, because companies are making hiring decisions earlier than ever before.

   For the three-quarters of us who aren’t seniors, an internship is becoming steadily more important for finding that first job. Many companies are looking at internships not as helpful experience for a full-time applicant, but as a requirement. More and more, you need some type of experiential education even to get your foot in the door, which has become a bigger challenge than ever.

   As anybody can tell you, the job market isn’t that great. Unemployment in Iowa climbed to 6.8 percent in August, up from 6.5 percent in July, according to figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A 6.8 percent rate represents 114,000 people — many of whom have years of experience — looking for work and not finding it.

   But from a national perspective, Iowa is doing well. If you’re hoping to get out of dodge [or Fort Dodge, as the case may be], if you want to move, say to sunny California, the situation is even bleaker. Unemployment in The Golden State hangs at a whopping 12.2 percent.

   Sure, you could move to North Dakota [the nation’s most-employed state, with 4.3 percent unemployment], but is it worth the risk of dying in a mid-July blizzard or being attacked by a polar bear? No matter where you decide to go, the bottom line is that this year’s crop of ISU students is going to have a tougher time than most.

That doesn’t mean you don’t have a shot. There are still companies out there looking for good people. Although employer attendance at Iowa State’s three fall career fairs is down overall, there are still about 500 companies coming to Iowa State to meet you.

   But the low-hanging fruit in the employment world is decidedly higher than it was, and getting hired could take a lot of work.

   So, go to the career fair. Talk to potential employers. Hand out some resumes.

   If you’re an underclassman and you aren’t looking for summer employment, go anyway. We know it’s awkward — walking around, engaging company reps in small talk — but it’s great practice. The job world is full of awkwardness and small talk. You’ll be ahead of the curve in coming years.

   Get on Iowa State’s online Career Management Services system. About 600 employers use the system to search for potential interns and employees.

    Take advantage of career services. Their task is to help you succeed. Whether it’s a question about resumes, interviews or salary negotiations, your career service office probably has an answer. And, in general, just get going. Because if you don’t, your position will be filled by those who do.