Moving Out of Your Parent’s Pad (AGAIN!)
In case you haven’t been following the news, more than 60 percent of recent college graduates are moving home after graduation. There are so many of us moving back in with our parents that our generation has been unofficially renamed “The Boomerang Generation.”
You probably know how I feel about this rebranding. But regardless of what they’re calling us behind our backs and to our faces, the ultimate issue remains: the majority of us are living at home, and we need to get out of there!
Are You Ready to Move Out of Your Parent’s House? by Jody Morse asks the hard questions you should ponder before you move out (again).
1. Do you have a stable job? “Stable” job should also be interpreted as “real” job. You can’t expect to live off the online sale of your beanie babies or baseball cards, or by working 10 hours a week at your local coffee shop (unless they pay you $100 an hour to steam milk).
2. Can you pay your rent? If you’re entire pay check is going to rent, your living situation is unrealistic – either downsize (whatever you may think, you don’t need that second bedroom for your collection of commemorative shot glasses) or go back home to mom and dad.
3. Will you be able to afford other expenses? There’s much more to worry about than rent (like food, utilities, internet, cable, cell phone, credit card bills, furniture etc. etc. etc.)
4. Are you willing to make sacrifices? The bottom line is if you are living with your parents, you current job probably isn’t paying much anyway. Living on your own will only make that worse. So, think twice before that Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale shopping spree, the big screen TV purchase or the new car loan.
5. Should you consider a roommate? Clearly having someone with whom you can split expenses is a good idea, especially if you’re on a tight budget. So, the roommate that you found on Craigslist disappeared in the middle of the night? I’m sure he’ll be back in no time with all of your missing electronics.
6. Are you emotionally ready to leave home? It seems like a dumb question, but maybe moving back home wasn’t truly about your lack of funds. Perhaps your move home was a reaction to you not wanting to enter the real world, make necessary sacrifices and transition to adulthood. Think about it.
Whether you’re ready to move out or not, go right now and hug your parents. Ten bucks says they are as bummed as you that you’re living at home again. So, tell mom and dad thanks.
photo from peoplejam.com
10 Mistakes All Interns Make, and So Can You!
Top 10 Goofs Interns Make from Business Week highlights the best ways to make your time as an intern utterly unsuccessful. Here you go.
1. The Entitlement Syndrome. Don’t write off your job as “just an internship” and start coming in late or taking two hour lunches. Think of your internship as a summer-long job interview.
2. No Flip-Flopping at the Office. Business casual doesn’t just mean casual. Attire expectations vary depending on location and company, but just be aware: it’s better to dress on the conservative side than expose too much, especially as an intern.
3. Forgetting to Unplug. Even if you don’t think that listening to your Ipod, talking on your cell phone or chatting on IM at work interferes with your responsibilities, your behavior might be interfering with how you’re being assessed as a professional. UPDATE: It depends on your industry, but many companies encourage their employees to use IM to communicate with colleagues at work. If you happened to IM your friends as well, just do it discretely and make sure it isn’t interfering with your work. Also, listening to your iPod may not be the end of the world if you’re finding it hard to concentrate amidst the constant office babble. Just check with your boss first. (update thanks to my coworker, Lexi).
4. Being a Wallflower. Good interpersonal skills are key. Socialize and make the most of company events to meet people and get advice.
5. Ducking the Extracurriculars. A lot of companies arrange informal events for employees to socialize. And while you might think that working through the party will make you look good, you may be missing the point.
6. Grunting About Grunt Work. You’re at the bottom, which means that no task is below you. Getting coffee, filing papers? Just smile and do it.
7. Missing the Big Picture. Don’t just stick to your team or department. Talk to as many people as possible so you get a better understanding of the entire company.
8. Failing to Ask Questions. You don’t know everything (or anything) about your new job and required tasks. Asking intelligent questions reflects your desire to learn.
9. Rejecting Criticism. Think of constructive criticism as a valuable opportunity to learn and improve your skills. Be open to hearing how you can do better.
10. Wasting Time. Being proactive is a huge part of being a successful intern. If you’re waiting to be told what to do, you’re not doing enough.
image from Businessweek.com
We’re the Boomerang Generation? You Must Be Mistaken.
There have been tons of articles reporting lately that about 60 percent of recent college graduates are moving back home with their parents. So, what? Right? Well, that’s a way higher percentage than any other generation before us. There are so many of us living high school-style with the rents that our generation has been renamed “The Boomerang Generation.” There’s even a Wikipedia page describing our failure and thus our rebranding.
I get the boomerang joke, i.e., we’re returning back like a boomerang. But I would prefer to be renamed for an object more age appropriate for us 20-somethings. We could, for example, be the Skip It generation. It’s the same concept, duh.
Or we could be the Stick-Ums generation. You know, that amazing Velcro toss game that you could play for hours, or until your dog got a hold of the tennis ball and either wouldn’t give it back or slobbered on it so thoroughly that it would no longer stick to the disk. Who doesn’t remember the trademark Velcro
CCCRRRRUUUUCCCHHHHH sound that probably drove our parents crazy. Now that’s an appropriate name for our generation! After college, back at home, driving our parents crazy again, but this time with the ever-so cheerful sounds of Twiiter updates on the minute and an incessant stream of 30 second song clips from iTunes.
I am disappointed with the renaming attempt. But regardless of the new title, our generations’ situation is dire. Don’t fret if you’re living at home, though. You are not alone, and help is on the way. Keep an eye out for upcoming posts about successfully moving back in with Mom and Dad, and how to get the hell out of there as soon as possible.
Oh, and do me a favor? Anytime you hear someone refer to us as the boomerang generation, kindly and confidently remark that they must be mistaken. We’re the Stretch Armstrong generation. Clearly, we always return to our original…uh…home address.
Job? Check. Friends? Check. Romance? Um…
This post may seem a little off-course from the usual career, pr and life advice of PRPrep, but part of being successful in your job is spending time away from work. And summertime offers some great options for chillin’ with your sweetie.
So, if you’re tired of your summer dates consisting of siting in front of the air conditioner, Askmen.com has the top ten fun ideas for outdoor dating.
10. Eat at an outdoor restaurant or cafe. An oldie but a goodie.
9. Go to the beach, lake or river. Apparently, just find water.
8. Have fun at carnivals, festivals or outdoor shows. Brewfest anyone?
7. Pick fruits at a farm. Fresh picked romance.
6. Enjoy a boat ride. You too can be king of the world.
5. Play sports. If she can’t catch a frisbee maybe she’s not the girl for you anyway. Only kidding.
4. Visit an amusement park. Cotton candy + roller coasters. Is there a better combination out there? I don’t think so.
3. See a baseball game! (notice the exclamation point). It’s not America’s favorite pastime for nothin’.
2. Prepare a picnic. It sounds cliche, but we still like it.
1. Plan a full-day getaway. It’s not the destination. It’s the journey.
Have fun!
It’s not just busy work. It’s an internship.
Ask anyone. Summer internships are synonymous for three things: 1. little or no pay, 2. amazing amounts of busy work, 3. one of the best ways to get your foot in the industry door.
Whether you are currently in an internship position or looking to get one in the future, here are some tips to make your summer of stress and overwork worth while.
Tips to Make the Most of Summer Internships by Erin Chambers from the Career Journal of the Wall Street Journal online provides seven tips.
1. Be Early. for everything.
2. Get Real. Odds are your internship wont be the most amazing and perfect introduction to the work world. It’s an internship. Meet with your manager so you know the expectations and guidelines of the job.
3. Drink Coffee. Find out where the water cooler, break room or coffee spot is and go there. Building relationships is a huge part of your internship, so say hi and socialize a little.
4. Don’t Get Discouraged. Repeat: it’s an internship, so you’ll probably be doing stuff that real employees don’t want to do, like make photo copies. If you want, meet with your boss to ask for new projects. Whatever you do, don’t fret or complain.
5. Resist the Urge to Stand Out. Being reliable and consistent is enough to impress your boss. Make friends with the other interns. Don’t compete with them.
6. Take Notes. Keep a notebook of the things you’ve done. It’ll help you update your resume, and can also help your supervisor write your recommendation down the road.
7. Play Softball. Think carefully about turning down any offers to get involved. Whether it is the company softball team (even though you’re less coordinated than a drunk person), going along on a Starbucks run (grow up, no real adult hates coffee), or tagging along on a client meeting (to make copies and get your parking pass validated, duh) accept the offer. Your boss wants someone who rolls with the punches and keeps coming back for more.
picture from lib.utah.edu
My First Real Job? I Think I Need To Sit Down.
So, as you may have read, I landed the job of my dreams. Although I couldn’t be more excited to enter the work force once my two-month, post-college hiatus ends, I find that whenever I think about beginning my job, wait, no, GASP, starting my career, I get a more than a little short of breath.
Luckily for me and anyone else experiencing a similar panic-attack expresspersonnel.com’s blog offers 9 Tips to a Smooth Start at a New Job.
Here we go:
1. Ask Questions. You just started your job. You don’t have all the answers. So, don’t be afraid to ask someone.
2. Take Notes. You’re going to be a little stressed out. Jot down seemingly simple things like how to operate the phone system or which login passwords to use.
3. Avoid Surfing. Don’t check your personal email or surf the net on company time. Having company materials around to study when you have a spare second can help you from being temped to Facebook stalk the guy you crushed on in business class.
4. Turn Off Your Cell Phone. We’re all attached at the hand to our cell phones, but getting fired for chatting on your phone at work may just mean you’ll instead be attached at the hand to a burger flipper. Think about it.
5. Complete Your Tasks. Doing your best work and staying on top of your responsibilities is key to impressing your boss and doing well at your new job.
6. Listen and Observe. Listen more than you talk, and you may learn something.
7. Be Positive. Enthusiasm goes a long way. Being friendly and eager to help when it comes to your coworkers will get you far.
8. Earn Respect. Everyone knows that you only have one chance to make a first impression, so prove your work ethic and give 110% all the time. Be humble about needing help and make sure to say thank you – your mom would be proud. Need more info? Check out my R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Find out what it really means for more tips on earning respect from coworkers.
9. Be a Team Player. Take time to work with your coworkers, if they need help. Don’t feel as if you’re in competition with your peers – you’ll get more work done working with, not against, your coworkers.
If you have any tips on starting a new job or common mistakes to avoid, let me know. I can use all the help I can get.
photo from istockphoto.com
Money Advice for 20-Somethings Like Us
I’ve been home visiting my parents for about a week now, and it seems that anytime we’re all in a room together, I get a lecture some advice on my financial life as an adult. Although this time allows me a prime opportunity to zone-off and daydream about, well, whatever, since my parents did pay for my out-of-state college tuition, I feel that it’s important to at least look like I’m listening.
Perhaps it’s the Idaho fresh air or the vats of cold beer I’ve been drinking, but I think I’ve begun to pay attention to my parents when it comes to investing in my future. (I’d be worried that they would find out that I’m actually listening to them, all kids’ greatest fear, but I’m pretty sure they lie about reading my blog.)
In lieu of interviewing my mom and dad myself and subjecting you to a lecture I’m sure you’ve already heard from your parents, I’ve found a couple of articles from actual professionals that may help our twenty-something bank accounts.
Financial Advice for Twenty-Somethings from NPR’s Morning Addition explains the importance of paying off your college debt.
Should a 20-Something Invest for Retirement from gather.com offers three reasons why we should be thinking about investing in a 401K account now.
The Complete Guide to Choosing Between a Traditional 401K and a Roth 401K from the 20somethingfinance.com blog offers everything you need to know about choosing your retirement account.
Apparently it only takes a week of hanging out with my retired and financially stable parents to understand that it might be more important to save now and spend later than to buy a new flat screen TV so I can watch The Hills in HD. Damn.
photo courtsy of my parents who love me enough to take time from their busy, retired lives to lecture me.
Fattening Up Your Resume for Today’s Job Famine.
Unless you’ve been drunk for the past several months, you are probably aware that our economy isn’t doing so well. For recent college graduates, this probably means that getting a job will be harder than expected. But there is hope.
According to Livingston Communication’s blog The Buzz Bin, although the economy sucks, new media continues to thrive, and by highlighting your new media experience, you can rise above the rest.
Social Media Beefs Up Resumes provides five tips to bolster your resume.
1. Highlight past experiences, like your personal blog and social networking, as much as possible.
2. When you talk about social media, don’t just chat about blogs. Remember that blogging is another way of building relationships and engaging in two-way communication.
3. Check out your personal Google search results. Make sure you walk your talk.
4. Although social media experience is great, be careful not to specialize. A well-rounded resume is still important.
5. Be able to cite examples from other successful social media efforts besides your own.
image from georgetowncustomhomes.com
Graduation Inspiration from a Magnificent Muggle
In case the commencement speech at your graduation was less than impressive, here’s a taste of the speech that a six-figure education at an Ivy League school would have earned you.
J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, spoke at the 2008 Harvard graduation ceremony. If you have an extra 20 minutes for a little inspiration, watch on.
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