Why don't you get a job?

One of the biggest fears for kids of my generation is that there are going to be no jobs for us after college. We're all gearing up. I'm sticking with my undergraduate major in psychology because "I can get hired anywhere". I have no idea if there is an validity in that statement, but it gives me hope.

The standards are a lot higher than when my parents and grandparents went to school. Back then, a high school degree was like a bachelor's degree now. That means that I have to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in education just so that I can be considered for jobs. Also, we're going to hit the job market at one of it's toughest times and we're going to have to compete with other people our age with nearly the same credentials. Not only am I stressed about how far I'm going to have to take my education (and how I'm going to pay for it), but I also have to find the time to pump up my resume with research and other extracurricular pursuits.  I'm freaking out, worrying that I don't have enough time to devote to my schoolwork, training for my job (so I can pay for food/grad school), looking for undergraduate research work, and still finding time to relax so that I don't go insane and can function at a normal level.

And what do I keep hearing? Get a job. The general conception is that there are too many people, not just college students, lazing about and complaining that they can't afford basic necessities like health care or good food. Everyone thinks they should get jobs. They make it sound so simple. What about the fact that there are probably too many overqualified applicants for positions, making it that much more competitive to get a position. Or maybe there simply aren't enough jobs. A couple years ago our parents were dealing with fears of being laid off and in a few more years, we're not only going to have to compete with our own age group but also older people still in the job hunt.

What particularly frustrates me is that section of an application where you list prior experience in the workplace. Until this past summer, I had none. I had to list my position as "volunteer" at the local hospital and my salary as "0". What is particularly frustrating is when I have to give the reason for leaving the position and I have to write "I stopped volunteering so that I could get a paid job". See how well that worked out. It seems that all jobs expect some sort of past experience, but what if you can't get your foot in the door? It seems like there are fewer entry-level jobs being offered nowadays and yet you can't be hired without prior experience.

I'm sorry, all you people who say "just get a job". It's just not that easy.