College grads can double their odds of finding a job by doing this

It's true: Work does beget work, according to a survey by job site ZipRecruiter.

Work experience can often predict whether a college graduate lands a job out of school, the survey showed. Working during college more than doubles graduates’ odds of landing a job (81% versus 40%), ZipRecruiter found after surveying, between Jan. 30 and March 16, 1,500 students who graduated last year and 1,500 who will graduate this year.

In a slowing job market in which the share of entry-level positions is shrinking, competition is fierce among graduates, the report said. Knowing what makes a graduate stand out to employers can make a difference in landing a job, it said.

"In a tougher market, outcomes are not random," ZipRecruiter said. "More competition for entry-level roles means employers can be more selective about who they choose to fill them. Data shows that the single strongest predictor of post-graduation employment is whether a student worked in any capacity during college. It takes experience to make experience."

Work experience not only helps graduates land a job, but it also speeds up the time it takes to get one, the survey said.