As the economy continues to worsen and more people continue to lose their jobs, it's becoming harder to find an entry level job.

Especially now, many employers are focused on how to get the most amount of work done for the least amount of money. And because entry level jobs are usually filled be workers that have the least experience, they are usually the first to get cut.

According to an article by Examiner, people currently looking for an entry level job should know they may have to put in a little more time and effort than usual. This especially includes paying more attention to your resume, which will probably be examined more rigorously.

"The job market is currently over saturated with those looking for entry level positions," the article notes. "Employers are receiving an abundance of resumes for a smaller-than-usual number of jobs.

"Because of this, many hiring managers will begin to weed out applicants in order to make things more manageable, so would-be workers should make sure that they dot their I’s and cross their T’s," the article continues.

If you're new to the job market, you can have your college career center look at your resume to make sure it's up to par. Those who don't have access to college resources can turn to other students, alumni or recruitment agencies. Aside from the resume, those seeking entry level jobs also should practice their interviewing techniques.

"For some, this may be the first job search they have ever conducted, making this even more important," the article states. "Sample questions can be found on a variety of Internet sites that will help to give an applicant an idea of what they make be asked.

"Consider these questions and what would be an appropriate response," the article adds. "Try having a friend or family member who has been through the interview process before conduct a mock interview to allow time to practice."

If you're interested in obtaining an internship with a small company, this year may provide you with that opportunity.

As many large companies are cutting back on their internship programs because of the economy, students are going to have fewer opportunities with larger companies. While this may be looked upon as a negative, it should turn into a positive for smaller companies.

As students are rejected from or are unable to find internships with larger companies - especially those affected by the financial industry - they'll have to accept the idea of working for a smaller company. This will help those smaller companies snatch up talented interns that would be otherwise unavailable, according to an article by The Wall Street Journal.

“The large firms, who do M.B.A. internship recruiting in a big way, have for the most part indicated that they’ll be taking less this year,” Tom Kozicki, executive director of the MBA Career Center at the University of California in Irvine, said in the article.

If a company is planning to offer a summer internship, they usually begin considering what that position will entail during January and February and will then contact universities to advertise the position. Students should begin applying shorty after that.

"Summer internships are a way a small company can get specialized and unique help they otherwise couldn’t get, or couldn’t justify hiring permanently," the article notes. "Many companies can also benefit from getting someone with a fresh, young perspective to help spot new opportunities.

"An M.B.A. intern might be a good option for companies that need high-level strategic help, such as someone who can build a comprehensive new marketing program or complex financial analysis," the article continues. "A college undergrad could be better suited for an internship with less responsibility or strategizing. Talking with the school’s M.B.A. or undergrad career center is a good start, since they can steer you in the right direction."

A new partnership program is hoping to help students obtain internships.

Destination ImagiNation has partnered with the Capital Area REACH Program to help students find innovative internships and training curriculum. Destination ImagiNation will conduct monthly workshops to Capital Area REACH Program participants from January through May, which will help them prepare for community service, summer internship and future employment.

The workshops will be hands-on and will incorporate skills such as problem solving, effective communication and creativity and will teach students to apply these skills to everyday life. The program aims to have students enter the workplace with more appropriate expectations, attitudes and work-maturity skills.

"We're thrilled to team with the Capital Area REACH Program," DI President Rusty McCarty said in a press release. "Their participants are great students and devoted community activists, and we hope our training workshops can help as they grow into successful adults."

The Capital Area REACH Program helps students in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. become more successful in school, work and their communities. The program has been getting students involved in community service with the help of local adult volunteers and employers for more than six years. Students partner with local employers, business and community volunteers and faith-based organizations and learn such skills as organization, perseverance, timeliness and creativity.

"When we look for internship candidates, we look for students who can adapt to the way our firm functions so they can take advantage of the experience," Tom Crawford, president of C2 group, said in the press release. "REACH's new training curriculum will really enhance the internship experience for students by teaching them how to creatively approach problems to solve them quickly."

With a new year upon us and a sluggish economy, what can job seekers looking for entry-level jobs expect to find?

While many experts expect things to get worse before they can get better, many companies are still planning on hiring new workers, including recent college graduates. However, according to an article by the Cleveland Examiner, employers will be more selective and cautious in their hiring.

Here are a few things job seekers can expect during the coming year, according to Jennifer Kushnell, president and co-founder of ysn interactive, in the article:

First, entrepreneurship will become a more enticing path for new graduates. Because stability in many other careers is being questioned, many students will want to explore more entrepreneurial options.

Second, "helicopter parents" will have to spend less time away from their children as they're forced to face their own economic challenge.

"While boomers have become notorious for their excessive attention, coaching and coddling of their kids, young people may find themselves having to fend for themselves more and more as parents are challenged to shift their attention to their own stability and success," the article notes. "This will be a blessing in disguise, though, for recent graduates who have yet to experience independent living, earning and decision making. "

Third, younger people will have to start working harder for opportunities. It is expected that the number of campus recruiters will decline, career fairs will feature fewer companies, career centers will be more challenged and companies will be less visible on campuses.

Fourth, networking will be critical to those hoping to find internships or entry-level jobs. Services like Twitter, MySpace and Facebook will be used more for recruiting and will help job seekers create new relationships, connections and opportunities.

Lastly, traditional resumes will be replaced with new technology, such as video resumes or other online profiles.

"Résumés will become passé," the article adds. "Recruiters get fed up with spending their time combing through them. Job seekers will get fed up with trying to sell themselves with an old school medium. New technologies and norms will arise to connect the two much more intelligently and less randomly."

Companies that need some extra help getting work done during these tough financial times should look into hiring MBA students for internships.

Interns preparing for MBA jobs can often help finish important projects and create new business opportunities. Boise State University's International Programs office and the Small Business Development Center, which provides consulting services to businesses, are working together to help place students in these types of internships.

During the upcoming spring, 10 MBA students from the International Trade Institute of Taiwan will complete internships with local companies in Boise. The program is in its fourth year at the college, according to an article by the Idaho Statesman.

"All the students have exceptional English skills, and this is the final step toward achieving their MBA," Rick Vycitol, director of the Idaho SBDC Region III at BSU, said in the article.

Students completing internships will be expected to work four days per week, with Mondays reserved for class meetings. Students have identified business topics they're interested in and industries they would like to work in to help with the internship process. Industries with the most interest are cosmetics, sales, information technology, advertising, financial services and call centers.

Students are often employed in school districts, accounting firms and banking and public relations firms. The Idaho Candy Company is one business that has benefited from hiring interns.

"I'm constantly trying to figure out different ways of doing things and get other input in a fairly inexpensive way," Dave Wagers, president of Idaho Candy, said in the article. "This is one way to get some bright people who have different perspectives."

Companies interested in hosting interns aren't charged any fees, but must provide interns with situations in which they can interact with company employees and culture.