Ryan ChartrandThe U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics announced an increase in the national unemployment rate from 6.8 percent in November to 7.2 percent in December.
CNN reported that more than 11,500 jobs were cut on Jan. 27 alone adding to the nearly quarter-million jobs cut so far in 2009.
Planning on graduating soon?
College seniors will soon graduate and move into a job market that doesn’t want them.
With the potential skyrocketing costs of college tuition looming on the horizon, school may not be the best place to be either.
It’s not the end of the world though.
Surviving during unstable economic times is difficult but do-able if you are willing to make some minor sacrifices.
Here’s a suggestion: Grow up.
It’s time to face the reality that a job with a 40-hour work-week, a respectable salary, benefits and a retirement plan is not going to fall in your lap.
These types of jobs are the ones currently getting cut.
Having a back-up plan means mentally preparing yourself to take on the task of working 50 to 60 hours a week at two to three different jobs to afford to make payments on those towering student loans, car payments, bills, rent. well, you get the idea.
Think like an employer.
In this economy, would you want to pay someone a full-time salary, benefits and retirement, or would you rather find a few part-time, lower-payed people to fill the position?
Whether applying for a job in your field or not, a willingness to work part-time and forgo benefits for a few years has the potential of making you a much more appealing candidate than a seasoned veteran demanding a hefty salary and all the extras.
Following up this employment opportunity with a positive attitude and a matching work ethic may open up a potential full-time, benefited position down the road.
If part-time work isn’t hiring, remember that there’s a whole country out there dealing with a financial burden as well.
Know your skills – all of them.
Some homeowners, business owners and other entities are willing to sacrifice the craftsmanship of licensed contractors for small jobs around their homes and offices and are willing to pay well above the state’s minimum wage – and tax free.
Listings on Craigslist and the Mustang Jobs Web site are perfect for finding temporary work that can almost always appeal to your little-known trade skills. If you are handy with a hammer, help the Mr. So-and-so household build a shed for $12 an hour some weekend. Walk people’s dogs, hoe a flowerbed. Enjoy your hobby, get exercise, and most of all, enjoy getting paid for it.
The second and probably most important suggestion for surviving in the tough times in your post-college era is to make it essential to rule out the non-essential.
Protect your hard earnings by learning to eliminate needless spending.
If you’re not good at balancing your checkbook, consider, at least, making a daily list of what you purchased and at the end of the month evaluate where your bad spending habits are.
Cutting back on that $2-a-day coffee habit will save you more than $50 a month. Extend the life of your leftovers by incorporating them into new and creative dishes in the days after cooking them.
Make it a must to save. Even if you’re only putting $25 a month into a savings account, do it. The time after rent is paid, bills are taken care of and the loan payments are sent is the perfect time to look at your checking account and realistically determine an amount to transfer to savings.
If your spending is up a lot one month, resist the urge to spend the next and put it away immediately.
You’ll thank yourself later.
Josh Ayers is a journalism senior and a Mustang Daily reporter.