“I can’t wait to get out of school and get a great job! The prospects out there are limitless!”

Sound familiar? Not anymore. People were actually saying this no more than eight months ago. Now, the idea of a job market is laughable. Try to have a conversation about looking for work, and you’re guaranteed to get snickers in your direction.

I have been finished with classes for nearly three months, and the pessimism out here is staggering. Millions of people have been laid off, Wall Street looks like post-Visigoths Rome and new jobs are nowhere to be seen. The media says there is little hope because people like to read bad news. What should we do with our diplomas, in lieu of making origami cranes or using them for begging signs?

I have a solution to our employment conundrum: humility. It was a lack of humility that got us here in the first place, and this simple word will do much to change our society. It’s time to rid ourselves of that prideful state of mind that said, “I deserve to own a second rental property for no money down and an HD plasma TV on credit, even though I can’t afford to make payments.” Pride led people to overspending through a sense of material entitlement.

How can humility apply to us new graduates, who know everything? When searching for a job, be willing to settle for less. Not only may a humble job be the best you can do, it’ll also endow you with a good work ethic. In other words, be willing to approach the service industry.

I work at a restaurant, and I’m learning how to form relationships, show hospitality and be dependable. These are skills that could translate into any discipline. When I tell people I work at a restaurant, I have to answer the asinine question, “What are you planning on doing?” I’m planning on working — because I have a job.

Apply humility to the rest of your life as well. A good friend of mine just moved back home to save money on rent and pay off school debt. It’s not as glamorous as having your own flat in the city, but it makes better sense. Another friend got laid off, but he’s been diligent in searching for work, and he’s been willing to take lower positions that aren’t exactly what he wants to do. This humility — the kind that acknowledges work as a privilege — is admirable.

It’s easy to pine for a growth economy where jobs were getting passed out like candy corn. But we don’t have anything close to that anymore, so be grateful for any work you can find. Work is a learning activity — both work that requires a diploma and work that looks more like manual labor. Don’t forego making coffee or waving a sign on a street corner because you think it’s beneath you. OK, waving a sign is beneath me, but don’t tell anyone. I promise I’m trying to grow in humility.

Reach columnist Jackson Rohrbaugh at opinion@dailyuw.com.