University Chronicle

Issue date: 4/27/09 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: Heather Dumas

It's time for commencement, and you may be asking yourself: what now? Unless you already have a job or are in line to earn a doctorate that will keep you in school for years to come, then this is the end of your school days and the start of the 40+ hour work-life begins. Even under normal economic circumstances, graduation is the beginning of a stressful new start in life, but graduating in 2009 brings on its own set of issues. What are graduates to do if graduating during a recession?

Travel has become a really popular option, because travel agencies and airlines drastically reduce their prices to desired destinations all around the world and if you're not committed to a job yet or if you're willing to take a chance on economic recovery making more jobs available later or if you don't have serious obligations (children, pets, etc.), you might as well go explore the world now. But make sure you have a good post-getaway plan for when you return (i.e. moving back in with parents or with a friend, enough cash in savings, etc..) so you do not find yourself homeless or in complete financial ruin.

Another option is to get a stop-gap job. Stop-gap is a temporary job that will pay the bills and help you build up a little extra cash for survival. Try your old contacts and employers if you have to. But don't be afraid to branch out and try something new where you can make money right away, even if it's not in your preferred position. Just remember that this is a temporary venture until you land the job you have studied and worked so hard for.

If you're feeling a little iffy about your job prospects and the condition of the working world out there, remember staying in school may be an option. However, if you're on a student loan program the main drawbacks are that you will have more debt to pay back later. And if your loan is administered by a U.S bank then you may not be able to get it renewed at all in this current financial crisis and you'll be delaying yourself a few years later than your peers.

Unfortunately, that college diploma is no guarantee of employment, especially when jobs are hard to find for everyone.

But, there are steps college students can take to make themselves stand-out and preparation for the professional world is a large part of the battle. Project confidence and positivity, because when you believe you can do the job, the potential employer will believe that you can too. And let us face it, when you feel good, you look good. Both breed the confidence that gives you a sense of "you-go-girl!" or "you-go-boy!".

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