from class to corporate

Some of you may have nine to five jobs already, but the majority is still searching for employment in this new chapter. I come to say my fellow graduates: 

It gets better. 

I can neither confirm or deny this notion because I've only been living the post graduate life for a few months now. I am employed, but not in a position in my field or using my degree. This will be the norm for most of us. At some point, following graduation, we must stop mourning the past and move on to the future. 

It's natural to feel sad and nostalgic at this time of the year. We've been programmed to move in and attend class for the past four years. Now that we've graduated it's almost like well, what do we do now? We live. We now have the power to make our new lives whatever we would like. You find new things to do, new people to hang out with, or new ways to hang out with old people. The best part of finding employment is you now have real income to do things with. You can afford to travel or plan fun activities with friends on the weekends. Yes, there are some elements that are out of our control like WHEN we will find such employment. Nonetheless, the rest of our lives is what we make it. It's just like our college years. College was what we made it whether we choose to make friends, join clubs, go to parties, or go to class. We made choices that made our experience are great as it was. 

It's time to make those choices again. What are you going to do now? What are your goals for the next year? What can you now do that you weren't able to before? 

Personally,every time I begin to mourn the days of old I think about the family I gained from my alma mater. Although my time attending class is over, I always have those connections to fall back on. I haven't lost anything truthfully, only gained some amazing people and experiences that have shaped me. We can only assume it gets better from here because I see graduates living highly fulfilling lives all around me. 

& the best thing about it is they are still benefiting from the relationships and knowledge they built during college. 

-amb 

Forbes Article

I know, personally, I didn't realize how much money it takes to live on your own. It wasn't until I realistically priced an apartment that I realized how difficult it would be for me to maintain one directly out of college. Unless you want to live with an apartment and that is all, you will have no money. Sometimes you can have just an apartment and STILL have money. Why? All the hidden expenses. You can't live in an apartment without heat, air, insurance, electricity, or savings. You really need three months of rent saved before you're prepared to move. 

I say all of this to say: as you begin working after college, you need to budget. 

I'm now working on a template for my monthly budget. I have monthly bills for loans, a credit card, and I'd like to purchase a cell phone separately from my parents. I need to record and track these expenses. I need to track my pay checks. It's important to know how much you make, how much is deducted for insurance, and how much you're contributing to your 401K. Some of you maybe thinking: retirement? This early? Yes. The sooner that you start, the more you have. Plus, most companies match your contribution or a portion of your contribution. Why not take advantage of that? 

Outline your expenses. Allot money for EVERYTHING. Not just the big bills, but the small expenses. For example, I can think of something to buy with every paycheck I make lol. So, I'm planning on allotting a certain amount I can spend on the desires of my heart. The basis of my budget is as follows: 

10% to God 

10% to Savings ( for the next couple months before my loan payments kick in, this will be increased)

80% to live on 

The 80% will be divided as well. I'm going to determine how much I think is acceptable to spend on entertainment( movies, dinners, nights out). I also am going to budget for gas and car related expenses  when I start driving at the end of October. There's so much more, but I won't bore you. It is essential to take everything into consideration.

The reality is 70% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. I have no desire to work 40 hours a week and still be broke. How do we prevent this? Dumb logic would say "Well if you make enough money, you won't be broke" No. If you're a good steward over the money that is supplied to you, you won't be broke. You could be making $80,000 a year, if you don't manage it well you'll be left with zero. Make a plan and work your plan. ( When I find a budget template I like, I'll post it!) 

Be money smart :) 

-amb 

Here's an article from Campus Philly about How to Master a phone interview: 

Click this link to read the entire article ---> http://campusphilly.org/2013/07/25/how-to-ace-a-phone-interview-for-a-job/