Advice for College Graduates Class of 2010
Many college students have the luxury of avoiding practical thoughts of reality while living in an academic world that promises a successful future with each passing class that leads to a college degree. College is generally fun and for the most part, easy. However, it rarely prepares you for the real world. It is no surprise that so many college students sail through their college years choosing to be blissfully oblivious to the details of real life after college. If you are part of the college graduating class of 2010, you face some unique challenges. Here is some advice for you. Consider it a cheat sheet for real life 101.
Don’t be ashamed to move back in with mom and dad – for a while anyway
If you do not already have your own place with a steady income and a sound budget, it may be a smart idea to move back home until you get all that sorted out. Don’t be ashamed. You are not the only college graduate who will be moving back in with mom and dad. According to a recent poll by Collegegrad.com, 80 percent of 2009 college graduates moved back home with their parents after graduation, up from 77 percent in 2008, 73 percent in 2007 and 67 percent in 2006. Moving in with the parents is smart because it saves you lots of money while you figure out how you are going to afford to live on your own. Just be mindful that you are no longer living in the dorms and be respectful of the house rules. Offer to contribute to the household like an adult if you want to be treated like one.
Size up your expenses and debt – if you have any
Do your budget. If you have any student loans, you usually have a grace period of 6 months or so before you have to start paying money back. Even so, find out your your payment will be and factor that into your monthly living expenses. You may not be paying rent and utilities if you have chosen to move home, but gym memberships, credit cards, car payments, gas and other expenses still need to get paid. You may have to eliminate some things from your freshly graduated, broke budget. Make it a priority to pay off any consumer debt and devise a plan to do this once you find a job.
Just get a job
This is of course the reason you attended college in the first place, right? Well, keep in mind your first job out of college may not be your dream job. According to Collegegrad.com’s Director of Marketing and PR, Adeola Ogunwole,t he competitive job market is only one dynamic getting in the way of college graduates’ gainful employment. The other big obstacle is unreasonable expectations. Consider your first job a starter job – something to keep you busy and help put a little cash your pocket while you work toward the ideal career. Don’t feel bad if you don’t even know what that ideal career is. You have plenty of time to figure that out and it will always change as you get more experience and figure out exactly what you do and don’t like about various industries. The average person changes careers several times in his or her lifetime (not jobs, careers). So you might as well get started and get the crappy jobs out of the way first.
Define your goals (short term and long term)
While you are working your way through your first entry-level job, you may feel a sense of disappointment. “Is this what I went to college for?” many college graduates wonder. Use this as a motivation to figure out what you really want to do with your life. Look on the bright side and make the best of the experience. Entry-level positions can teach you, by process of elimination, what you like and dislike about that job. Keep notes and put your career goals in writing. As you define your goals, let others know about them too. Your boss may help you move to a different department within the company or your parents may have friends that work in a field that you are curious about. If you have personal goals of getting married and starting a family, define, write down and imagine how your life would look with those aspects as well. It may seem corny, but these jedi mind tricks can be a powerful tool when it comes to going after and getting what you want.
Don’t be so hard on yourself
Very few college graduates get the life that they imagined for themselves immediately after graduating. It takes much more than a four year degree to acquire skills, maturity and experience. While it may not seem like it for a while, there is life after college. Be patient and enjoy the ride.
April Lentini writes for Apartment Guide in Austin.
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I would like to expand a little bit on getting your first job out of college. The interview process for recent graduates can be hard on a first-timer. With the large number of applicants racing for jobs, there a number of things one must consider. Even if your resume is perfect and you answer all questions right in the interview, there is a chance you will not make it to a second interview.
In this economy, employers have the option of selecting candidates based on illegal qualifications such as sex, race and even marital status. Because of the high number of applicants, this can be easily covered up in Human Resources reports.
I have witnessed in increase in these types of hiring over the past year and I expect them continue. The important thing to remember is not to get discouraged with the job interview process. Some circumstances are outside of your control and it will turn out better for you in the long-run!
I absolutely agree with your first point! I lived at home for three years after school and purchased my first home with a healthy down payment and money to spare at the age of 26. It is SO worth it!
I’d also recommend working on your network. Attend networking events and join LinkedIn groups to start participating and becoming familiar with the power players in your line of work that you’d like to go into. It is never too early to start getting your name out there, and you might find yourself uncovering job prospects that you never would’ve found otherwise.
The Veechi Job Genius only searches entry level jobs. You should check it out! veechi.com