How to get a temp job when employers aren't looking for temps

A recent college grad -- we'll call him Tony -- left an expensive private college in New York City with a degree in film.

The high cost of living in New York combined with his student loans and the slow start that comes with a career in the arts has him desperately in need of a part-time job to, literally, put food on the table.

So he applied for a job as a cashier at a Banana Republic store and made it to an interview, where he was told that his resume looked credential -- retail experience, college degree, etc.

But then the hiring manager asked him a question he wasn't expecting: "You're obviously interested in film -- you spent a lot of money to pursue a career in that. If your dream job comes along in a month, you'll leave us, won't you?"

Tony conceded that he would -- and that was the last question. When he got off the subway and checked his e-mail, he had a form letter informing him that he hadn't been selected for the job.