Post College Depression

As I was reading other blogs about the transition to from college to career, I came across a term that I think is worth discussing: Post-College Depression.

The likely causes of a post-college depression would be the realization that one has no idea how to survive on their own. That school is over, and it's time to work on a career. The word career, itself, might strike a depressing chord in the heads of wandering twenty somethings.

As we see the trend of moving back in with mom and dad becoming more popular, so might the numbers of those suffering from post-college depression increase. Let's face it. Most parents will never see their children like adults. And the last things any young adult trying to stand out on his own wants, is to be treated like a kid. He/she needs respect. They need to know their word is meaningful and poignant. And having to ask mom and dad for money to go out, just kills any chance for this sense of self.

So what are we to do? Let the fear of the real world scare us into the ground. Sit around moping? No. We take action.

As I mentioned in my tips for job hunting, persistence is the key! If the cause of post-college depression, is a fear of the world, then we must persist in challenging those fears. It's just like trying to conquer your fear of heights. What do you do? You go up to the 100th floor and you face it. You conquer your fears. And the fear of making it in the real world is no different. It can be conquered, and you can do it.

If at this point, you're saying to yourself "No, I can't do it. Not me" I want you to take a look around at the other people who are doing it. Watch a talk show. There are tons of maniacs on those who manage to make ends meet and survive without the help of their parents. Then, I want you to realize how much better you are than most people. You are ambitious, you have goals, and you have a college degree.

So if you're feeling afraid of what comes next, persist in conquering those fears with constant research into how you can succeed. Look for that job you've wanted, and grab it. Don't hesitate to try out many different options. If you try enough, you're bound to figure something out.

Decisions Decisions

You might be reading this blog because you're nervous about what you are going to do after school. If you are still in school, then there's good news. You have time to sit and think.

Plan your future. What do you want to do. This is where you'll have to be honest with yourself. Do you really want to go to law school? Are you just doing something to please your parents. Consider your options. And while you do that, consider what you want, and figure out what your options are that are most closely associated with that. This is your life, and you don't want to harbor any resentment. You make the decisions. Remember that.

If you decide that you want to head out into the workforce right after school, then start looking for jobs now. If you wait until after graduation, you are not as likely to find the job you want. When you find the job you want, see what you can do to increase your chances of getting that job. Find out if there are any internships or classes that will better your chances. Before you apply for any job, make sure your resume is as polished as it can be. Take your time with it.

Save money. Where ever you can add a dollar to your savings, do it. It's important not to go out into the world without any backup money. Things come up, and you might not be used to paying for everything on your own. So put some money in your savings account every month, at least.
If you decide to go to graduate school then start looking into the financial aspects. Find out if there are grants or low interest loans you can take out to pay for it. Do your research so that you will not be surprised by the costs you incur paying for grad school. Also, don't forget to check out the schools you apply to. You don't want to be stuck at a school or in an area that you don't like. Check it out.

The main thing is to think your future through. This is likely going to be your first time on your own. Plan for it so you're ready for everything. It'll benefit you in the long run.

Dollars and Cents

How much money is in your wallet? What about your bank account? Does it stand up to the amount of debt you have? Are you in financial hell?

If you've broken a cold sweat recently, thinking about your financial worries, then worry no more. It isn't going to get you anything besides high blood pressure. A negative approach to our problems, such as is worrying, makes them much more difficult to deal with. You aren't the first person to experience financial troubles, and you won't be the last.

DEBT

If you have monthly payments on several credit cards, and you can barely afford even one of them, consider consolidation. It will consolidate all of your payments into one, considerably lower payment. It may have a negative effect on your credit, but so will continued late payments or bankruptcy. It will stop those collection calls, and you may find some financial peace, finally.

However, debt consolidation isn't for everybody. Contact a non-profit credit counselor and find out whether or not bankruptcy is the best alternative for you. You should, however, do your best to avoid bankruptcy, as it is a black mark on your credit. But the most important thing, is that you thoroughly consider all of your options. You should be comfortable with your decision. It should IMPROVE things, not make them worse.

In addition to debt management, find out if there is anyway you can supplement your income. You don't want to fall into a get-rich-quick scam, so if it seems to good to be true, it probably is. Think about selling some of your items on e-bay. Many people have made a part-time job out of selling and re-selling items on e-bay, and who knows? You might just have a knack for it.

If you can, consider getting a part time job waiting tables. Tips can be lucrative, and often, the hours are small enough to fit in as a part time job. Look through the newspaper and the internet to see if there is a job out there right for you. Also, consider blogging. Many websites, such as ehow.com and helium.com will pay you for your articles. If you have good writing skills, this may be a viable option, but it will take hard work, and most likely some research.

If you don't want to write, yet your willing to do hard work and some research, then use the internet as a resource for how you can generate extra income. Thousands of people have already done it, and you can do it too. There are millions of dollars being paid to people through the internet.

In any case, take your financial problems in stride. Don't ignore them, as that will lead to greater problems in the future. If you work steadily at solving your problems and are consistent about learning ways to solve them (THE INTERNET is your friend), you'll surely come out on top. As your new found skills will stay with you long after your financial worries are gone.

Be A Copy Cat. Start a Blog.

Do you ever catch yourself admiring someone elses idea? Do you ever wish that you had it first? Specifically, are you looking for a business idea, but think all the good ones are taken? Well here's a secret that will be extremely valuable to you.

STEAL IT!

The money making ideas are all out there. If you think every popular website or blog is the first of its kind, you are very mistaken. Ever since the beginning of man kind we've been stealing ideas from our fellow man.

There's Perez Hilton, TMZ, Superficalworld, etc. And on top of those, there are hundreds of other blogs and magazines devoted to celebrity gossip. Which one was first? WHO CARES! There is room for you on the bandwagon.

However, if you decide to use an idea like a men's magazine, or website, as a business, remember that you are COMPETING with everybody else in that genre. So do your best to stand out.

Create a persona. Whatever your blog is about, make it something recognizable. Use a distinctive color scheme, and have a consistent tone throughout your site. Don't be afraid to go to an extreme, so long as it doesn't completely turn people off. And remember, "one man's trash is another man's treasure." So think about what your target demographic is. Who is going to be using your site or product? Cater to them, not those who aren't interested in the first place.

Invest your time in it. Spend time making everything as good as you can. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was any successful business. It will be months before you can really experience great success, maybe longer. Take your time marketing and spreading the word about your business. Spread the word. Get your link on as many sites as possible. Use Facebook, Myspace, and other social networking sites to spread the word. They are great for free advertising.

Make sure what your saying is something that people want to hear. You can find out what people want to hear by visiting other popular blogs. Do what they do, but do it better.

To Be or Not To Be- A College Degree

Contemplating the debt (+80k) I have amassed during the four and a half years spent getting my undergraduate degree, I cannot help but question the importance of such a time consuming and costly endeavor. Was it all worth it?
My mother and father, ever since I can remember, both pushed the importance of a college education, claiming it was a necessary part of a successful adult life. They painted a grim picture for those who didn't attend college. "They'll never get a good job," they would tell me. "You need a college degree." And that was all they ever told me. There was no detailed explanation. It was a simple as that. No degree, no job.
So I, like most people I knew, though not all, applied to colleges, chose the one I liked the best, and as one of the more unfortunate ones, took out massive loans to cover my tuition. I attended school out-of-state, so my tuition costs were more than double my resident counter-parts. By the time I understood what an advantage taking a year off to obtain residency would be, I was a senior. So I decided to finish, taking an extra semester on top of the average 4 years to finish.
What I found, looking into the job market, was not a network of employers eager to take anybody with BA. In fact, that was less often a requirement than the dreaded 2+ years of experience I was faced with nearly every time. 2+ years of experience? I was busy getting my degree.
The lesson here is that college students should not bank solely on their degrees as a keys to that 50k salary they figured they'd get after graduation. It's necessary to start thinking about the future perhaps years before they graduate. Internships, and/or part time jobs in their desired field are an important tool, and will give students a much needed edge when applying for work after school.
The question, however, is still loud and clear. Is a degree worth the cost? The answer is: it depends. "Fifty-eight members of The Forbes 400 either avoided college or ditched it partway through." Bill Gates being one of them, had an uncanny flare for computers. A friend of mine who never went to college, is making 75k a year doing personal training. And my cousin, who is the same age as me, makes 41k a year working for his father.
It's a dog-eat-dog world out there. You've got to go out and claw away to get your share of the pie. If all you do in four years at college is get a degree, then as far as earning is concerned, you are four years behind the curve. All of the people who didnt go to college (and who aren't still living with their parents) have been gaining real world experience. They are learning how to earn, which is ultimately everybody's goal.
However, "Lifetime incomes of college grads in today's dollars average nearly $300,000 more than high school graduates over a 40-year career.(2)" Though this may be due to a variety of factors (I suspect socio-economic class is one of them), it is still a potentially important statistic. Long after one graduates college, the degree remains a strong presence on his/her resume. However, actual experience and tangible work related success, is perhaps just as strong, if not stronger.
Finally, if you see something, grab it. If you think a business idea that you have will take off, or you see an oppurtunity that intrigues you, go for it. College or no college. Though you might fall into a sect of the population with a lesser average income, your drive and ambition most likely distinguishes you as part of another sect, whose average income I suspect is much higher. A college degree is not necessary. It may help, though.

Job Hunting- 5 Tips That Will Help You Find The Perfect Job

One of the most important skills a young person can have is the ability to find a job. Whether that be a temporary job you find working retail, or a job that sets you up for a career in your field, not everybody understands what it takes to find a job.

1) Persistence!
If you are in need of a job you need to devote yourself to finding one. It is highly unlikely that one will just fall into your lap, and it is not productive to sit back and imagine that everything will work itself out. As they say, "God Helps those who help themselves." So get away from the TV, grab a newspaper or get on your computer and start looking. It should be the first thing you do all day and should take a minimum of three hours each day.

2) Have a Resume
Many jobs, especially more professional ones, will require that you have a resume. There are many free and paid resume building sites online. Many of them require registration, and often times the pay sites, like Monster.com and Pongo.com will distribute your resume for you. If that is something you are interested, consider investing in a feature like this. TAKE YOUR TIME. Your resume is the best insight into your person that an employer has. It's often more meaningful than the interview itself, as it displays your previous work experiences and accomplishments. Consider how you word your descriptions, and make sure you have a cover letter. Potential employers will want to know where your coming from as an employee, and what your objectives are in your career. For a vast array of tips in building and distributing your resume visit:
http://www.collegegrad.com/resumes/
Note: Know your resume so that you aren't surprised and at a loss for words during an interview. A good interviewer will know when you have embellished on your resume.

3) Network
Use your resources. Remember "It's not what you know, it's who you know." Relatives are a great way of launching very successful careers. These are people who are more inclined to do more for you and your career. Also consider your friends, and your friends' parents. Some of them might be employers, and you might be the employee that they're looking for. And even if they're not looking, it cannot hurt, and it may in fact be a great help, to send them a resume. Make sure you don't hand them your resume at their home or while they are somewhere that they might lose it.. If it is at their office, they will have it on hand while they are recruiting employees.

4) Be Involved In Your Field
Unpaid internships and entry level jobs "in the mail room", are great for starting careers. The closer you are to the people who do your ideal job, the closer YOU are to doing it. You can make friends with the boss and work hard for a promotion. Simon Cowell, the British Judge on American Idol, started in the mail room at EMI, a large record label and became one of their most successful producers and executives.

5) Persistence!
Don't be afraid of rejection. It is part of the process. The more rejections you get, the more likely you are to get an acceptance. Your ideal job is waiting out there for you, it's just a matter of what you're willing to do to get it.

Where Do I Go From Here?

For those of us who have enjoyed an easy going college experience-- one where bills are paid by mom and dad, where if we work, it's only for extra spending money, and even a successful one with a good GPA and a few extra curriculars-- thinking about life after school can be a harrowing, and stressful ordeal. Suddenly, those jobs at coffee shops and working a cash register become obsolete. They won't maintain the life style you have grown to accustomed to, they won't help you pay off those college loans, and they are certainly not what you want to be doing for the rest of your life.

You want a career.

Maybe some of you realize what makes this such a difficult feat: SO DOES EVERYBODY ELSE. Looking at your resume, you might think that you have too little experience, or maybe you have none at all. Maybe you think to yourself "There is no job for me." For those of you suffering with the latter problem, take advantage of your resources.

The internet offers many oppurtunities. For one, it contains many job listings. Sites like Monster.com help you build your resume and find a job. Also, check your schools website. It probably has a database of jobs in the area. Find out if your school has a career center. Most universities do, and there are people there that will help you. It's their job to do so. The internet not only lists jobs, but now more than ever, it is creating them.

Start your own blog. It's easy. There are tons of free blogging sites that will offer to host your ramblings. And you can blog about anything you want. If your blog is successful, it is something you can put on your resume. Provided that your topic is something of relevance to others, you can make contacts in a desired field as well as encourage your own personal growth towards the field of your choice. Read the following article by Ryan Healy, a 2006 graduate of Penn State and found of Brazen Careerist, an online resource for young professionals.

http://www.employeeevolution.com/archives/2007/05/20/learning-to-run-a-business-get-a-blog-not-a-job/

Think of your blog as a business. And if the blog isn't enough business for you, go ahead and start your own business. If you can generate traffic on a website, you can sell advertising space. Take a potential blog topic, and take it further by creating a multi-faceted website. Put your creative skills to good use by designing t-shirts. The more traffic you can acquire, the more customers you are likely to have. If you are familiar with Perezhilton.com, then you are familiar with how successful a successful blog can be a business. The ads that run on his website earn him thousands upon thousands of dollars day!

For inspiration on your blog or business, look around the web at sites that interest you. When you find a site that you like, make your own site. Use their ideas and generate your own base of visitors. There are a lot of low cost website builders you can purchase online. Here is a list of "Tips For Running A Business In Your Dorm Room" from College-Business.com and a page of advice on "How to Make a Web Site of Your Own"

http://campus-business.com/2007/11/21/tips-for-running-a-business-in-your-dorm-room/

http://www.mardiros.net/design-guidelines.html

Don't expect to immediately earn thousands. Put a good amount of your time into this. It will reflect on your blog or business, and your potential readers and/or customers will take notice.

In addition to the aforementioned, take time to consider your options. Don't waste your time. Stay motivated and ambitious. The more time you put into making the transition between college and a career, the more edge you have over the competition.