At this time of year, a whole new crop of college graduates will be created. But after the ceremony comes the next big test: finding a job. Hiring for new grads is up, but the unemployment rate for people with new degrees is still a hefty 8.8 percent.

Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger Personal Finance, says that “grades count, but they are not the only thing.”

New grads need to offer would-be employers a little something extra, Bodnar says: “Any kind of experience that you have, whether it is a co-op program or a summer internship or an internship during the school year, can give you an edge.”

It’s also important to stress life skills – things you learned outside the classroom, such as leadership positions in student organizations, Bodnar says.

And finally, remember employers are looking for people who can communicate well – digitally and in person: “Knowing how to make a presentation, write an email in grammatical English, those things are very important.”

Follow @WTOP on Twitter.