It’s been a tough week, but we survived it without catching the swine flu! That’s probably because we used that pandemic as the perfect excuse to skip class and spend the day doing more productive things (and avoiding strangers’ sneezes): we learned som new make up techniques, hit up Forever 21, and watched lots of TV. Too bad Miss California and Kim Kardashian were taking over the airwaves.

We  spent the rest of the week thinking about being an independent woman and wondered if we were just being too picky to find that right guy to sweep us off our feet. When that got too depressing we started thinking about the end of the semester instead. There’s still so much left to do before we move out! We have to get ready for graduation, get real jobs or get ready to transfer to a new school (beware if you’re switching to NYU, though; we got some bad news about their financial aid package).

All this stress really made us miss high school, where we would be getting ready for prom right about now. Which is why we are putting the books away for the night and grabbing a drink. Don’t worry, it’s just one.

As the semester comes to a close, one thing that’s on my mind (and the minds of most everyone I know) besides finals and start-of-summer parties is getting a job.

Whether it’s a summer job, internship, or, if you’re graduating like I am, an entry-level position into a career, finding a job is a top priority.  However, we all know that isn’t as easy as we’d like it to be.  Competition for jobs is higher than ever with the tough job market we’re in, which is why you have to stand out in the sea off all the other job/internship applicants out there.

But before you purchase some sort of ridiculous costume or do the dirty with your interviewer in attempts to stick out in his or her mind, try a few of these more professional ideas:

1.  Network, network, network – You’ve heard it before, and I’m telling you again: networking is one of the most important things you can do when it comes to helping you get a job.  Think you don’t have connections?  Think again.  Reach out to everyone you know–professors, friends, coworkers, your parents–you never know who has info on great job openings. There are also tons of online groups catered to all sorts of fields that set up networking events in cities across the country. Sign up and go to these; you will meet tons of people in your field that can help you out down the road.

2. Utilize your school’s career center – Sometimes universities get job listings that don’t go into public listings.  You may not find anything the first time, but keep checking, because new jobs open up all the time.  Plus, your career center can offer more than just job listings.  Depending on your university, you can get career counseling, have your resume checked, and even do mock interviews. Read More »

You’re so busy with classes (and a rockin’ social life), you can’t seem to get ahead in the finance field.  Sure, summer might be a great time to soak up some sun for those college students who are lucky enough NOT to be struggling with student loans, car payments, credit card bills, etc.  But for a large majority of us, summer is the time to keep working our asses off… and get paid.

If you’re stressing about debt, never fear– summer is just around the corner.  And if you act now, chances are, you can secure a summer job so you’ll be ready to pay for books, bar tabs, and fall semester housing come August.  The question is, where should you look? Read More »