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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- When George W. Bush became president eight years ago, about 90,000 people applied for jobs in his administration. That's about a quarter of the number of people who are looking for a way into President-elect Obama's administration.

More than 350,000 resumes have been submitted online, according to the Obama transition team. Here's the rub: Only 3,000 to 4,000 jobs are available.

Some federal employment specialists say the record number of applicants can be attributed in part to the current state of the economy.

A lot of people want to work in a stable environment," said Kathryn Troutman, founder of The Resume Place. "They really don't know where else to go to look for a job that's stable and steady and would have potential, so I think the economy is one thing."

But the appeal of working for Barack Obama is also driving interest, Troutman added.

"I think a lot of people would really like to work for the Obama administration. They'd like to be part of these changes that he's talking about. The jobs that he's creating and the new programs that he's creating," she said.

That's why Loryn Wilson uploaded her resume on Change.gov. "I definitely feel the call to serve and to do something that is directly related to causes I care about," she said.

Wilson is a recent graduate of George Washington University in Washington. She has a bachelors degree in English and speaks enthusiastically of working for the new president. "I would actually like to work for the press secretary or the communications director. Ideally I'd be working on the White House side or maybe working for Michelle Obama in her communications shop."

The flood of applicants aren't just college graduates. People at various stages of their professional lives are taking an interest at federal jobs.

Fadel Lamen is a Washington-based political analyst specializing in Middle East affairs. He envisions himself working at the State Department or the White House.

"I think my understanding of the United States as a society, as a culture, as a government, as an interest - the national interest of America, as well as my understanding of the Arab world and the Muslim world, I think I can be a bridge that will help," Lamen said.

Lamen and Wilson have not gotten a call yet from the Obama team, but they say they remain hopeful. In the meantime, a spokesman for the Obama transition team says they have a team of 50 people dedicated to dealing with the flood of applications. The resumes are put into a database, allowing the team to search by specific experience, expertise and qualifications for a particular position.