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The global youth unemployment rate is at an all-time high and is predicted to increase this year.

The International Labour Organization, a U.N. agency that has been collecting this data for two decades, claims that out of about 620 million young people in the work force, an estimated 81 million were unemployed in 2009. The youth unemployment rate is expected to increase to 13.1 percent during 2010, up from 11.9 percent in 2007.

Youth have been hit harder than adults by unemployment during the financial crisis. As jobs became increasingly scarce, both trained and unskilled youth workers alike were pushed out of jobs by adults with more experience. The ILO predicts that as economies recover, the job market for youth will lag behind that of adults.

But if you're an unemployed youth, don't let this report from the ILO get you discouraged. Years of lost work experience can be hard to make up, and can have long-term affects on your career, salaries and rank. So instead use this information as fuel for your job search. Jobs might not be easy to find, but they're there. With a positive attitude, persistence and professionalism, you should be able to find a job.

Check out these job search tips, ask your questions in our forum, and good luck!