Transitioning to career from college?

No matter what or where your job endeavour(s) take you, DON'T be the last to arrive at work and the first to leave. Show up clean and keen to work and learn. Be observant, pay attention to what others are doing (even work not directly related to your job). Do not do things if your not 100% sure of, ASK!, it could be co$tly or dangerous.
 
Be where you are supposed to be at the time you are supposed to be there. Show a willingnesss to work hard and to do more than the minimum you are required to do. Don't be an ass. You will be amazed how far these basic things will take you, regardless of how much specific training your have for your particular job.

Frank is wise. The other things I would add from my first couple of years working would be.
1) Treat everyone like you would want to be treated. Sure that operator may not have the same degree that you do, but you will get so much further with them helping you instead of trying their best to set you up to fail because they view you as condescending.
2) Willingly take work that is non-glamorous. You can learn a lot (particularly at first) and developing a subject you are knowledgeable about (even a small one) can open doors within a company.
3) Even if you don't like a job, there may be other jobs within the same company that they will let you do. This will also potentially open doors because of developing a well-rounded knowledge base.
 
Find yourself an internship and see if you like it. Sometimes you can work your way into a full time job from the internship (that's how ours work). Or the flip side you find out that's what you don't want to do and go in a different direction.

This is what I did. I worked as a summer intern for four summers to be sure I was going to like my field of study.
 
I was lucky. I was hired within days of graduation in the field I went to college for. In fact, my brother and sister did the same.

  • I always went with the "If you aren't 10 minutes early, you're late" line of thinking. NEVER make them wonder if you are going to show up. Especially if people can't leave until you show up. Remember you are supposed to be ready to work at a certain time, not walking in the door at that time.
  • Don't b*tch and whine. You're the bottom of the totem pole going in so do what you're asked to and ask for more to do.
  • Put whatever you can into a retirement plan if your company does that. If they match, put in at least as much as they match. You're making 100% on your money if you do that.
 
This. Whatever job you find, show up on time and have a good attitude. Don't worry about wether your career is on track the first 5-7 years. Almost every college grad I know started out at the bottom in a job that was unrelated to their eventual career choice.

Start saving early by maxing out your 401k at least up to the employer match amount. Retirement is the last thing on your mind but paying off student loans early and starting a 401k is a must. Now that I'm pushing 50 I'm seeing a lot of my friends realizing that they didn't save enough when they were younger. My wife and I both started saving 10-15% of our income in our early 20's and now will have the option of retiring before age 55.

A quick example of the power of compounding interest. If you save $500/month starting at age 22 for 10 years(stop saving at age 32), at 9% interest you will have a nest egg of $1,700,000 at age 65.

If a 22 year old can afford to sock away $500 a month, a better option might be a Variable Index Universal life insurance policy. You put $500 a month in for the next twenty years and then keep the policy and take out policy loans against the cash value when you retire. You don't have to pay the loan back, and the loan is non-taxable. Plus if you die in the meantime, you have a huge insurance policy for your family.

http://www.thinkadvisor.com/2014/03/04/xxx-how-to-get-tax-free-retirement-income-with-lif

I am still waiting to find a youngster who can afford to do this, as the commission would be incredible.
 
If a 22 year old can afford to sock away $500 a month, a better option might be a Variable Index Universal life insurance policy. You put $500 a month in for the next twenty years and then keep the policy and take out policy loans against the cash value when you retire. You don't have to pay the loan back, and the loan is non-taxable. Plus if you die in the meantime, you have a huge insurance policy for your family.

http://www.thinkadvisor.com/2014/03/04/xxx-how-to-get-tax-free-retirement-income-with-lif

I am still waiting to find a youngster who can afford to do this, as the commission would be incredible.

I was a finance major so maybe that's why I started saving 12% into a 401k right when I graduated from college. They don't call compound interest the 8th Wonder of The World for no reason!

The company I work for hires sales reps right out of college for about $65,000 starting salary so 10% into a 401k with the 6% company match works out to $867 each month.
My co-woker and good friend did exactly that 10 years ago when he started and although I don't know his exact 401k balance, he told me this summer that it's over $200,000 - not bad for age 32. If he keeps contributing 10% of his salary into his 401k for the next 10 years and then stops, at age 62 his balance will be over $11,000,000 (7% rate of return).

I don't think most people in their 20's or 30's grasp the importance of saving early and how a little fiscal discipline when you're young will easily secure an early retirement.
 
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I constantly work. I got into my profession by accident, sorta, and have hammered out a fairly decent living.
In my opinion. College teaches you the nuts & bolts of a job but your attitude, work ethic & follow through teaches you how to have a career.


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Some say that earning a degree signifies a basic knowledge and an ability to learn. Work ethic is huge with any employer, a hunger to learn, and be part of the solution to achieving success.
 
I was a finance major so maybe that's why I started saving 12% into a 401k right when I graduated from college.

The company I work for hires sales reps right out of college for about $65,000 starting salary so 10% into a 401k with the 6% company match works out to $867 each month.
My co-woker and good friend did exactly that 10 years ago when he started and although I don't know his exact 401k balance, he told me this summer that it's over $200,000 - not bad for age 32. If he keeps contributing 10% of his salary into his 401k for the next 10 years and then stops, at age 62 his balance will be over $11,000,000 (7% rate of return).

I don't think most people in their 20's or 30's grasp the importance of saving early.

So. Damn. True. I can't quite dump 12% in at the moment, but ever since I was hired out of college 3 years ago I've been putting 6% in plus the employer match. Once my student loans are paid off next year, it's jumping up to at least 10%. Another good one is employee stock purchase plans, although you have to be a little more careful about that one. I have a decent little bucket in there too.

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So. Damn. True. I can't quite dump 12% in at the moment, but ever since I was hired out of college 3 years ago I've been putting 6% in plus the employer match. Once my student loans are paid off next year, it's jumping up to at least 10%. Another good one is employee stock purchase plans, although you have to be a little more careful about that one. I have a decent little bucket in there too.

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I graduated in 1988 with about $11,000 in student loan debt which I paid off in 3 years. I had to drive a $4,000 used car so I could blow money on golf, booze, and ski trips while I was single all through my 20's, but I always put away 12%+. If I didn't party and golf so much I'd probably be retired already!
 
Be where you are supposed to be at the time you are supposed to be there. Show a willingnesss to work hard and to do more than the minimum you are required to do. Don't be an ass. You will be amazed how far these basic things will take you, regardless of how much specific training your have for your particular job.

Lots of good advice in here! Some of mine will be similar. I learned these in the military and they work well in the private sector as well.

1. If you are not early, you are late.
2. Do every task assigned as quickly and correctly as possible. DO NOT sacrifice accuracy for speed.
3. Ask for more and view it as a learning experience.
4. If you do not know, ASK! Management and your boss would rather you ask (it shows you want to learn) than see you wing it. When you wing it, it suggests that you don't understand the importance of what people have entrusted you with.
5. Be willing to work for it. So many young people today want to start as chairman of the board. If everyone could start at the top, nobody would have goals.
6. Know your limitations. Understand that you are not infallible. You will make mistakes. Learn from them and teach others.
7. Say thank you! That is to EVERYONE above and below you in the chain of command. People will work for you when they know you appreciate it and people will teach and help you when they know you appreciate it also. It's so easy to say thank you.

Don't fret too much about the future. There will be plenty of time for that later. If you have drive, discipline and discernment, you are already ahead of many.

JM
 
I graduated in 1988 with about $11,000 in student loan debt which I paid off in 3 years. I had to drive a $4,000 used car so I could blow money on golf, booze, and ski trips while I was single all through my 20's, but I always put away 12%+. If I didn't party and golf so much I'd probably be retired already!

Haha well maybe I ought to up it a bit then!

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I'm business administration with a concentration in management, would it still help to have a minor?
That is a good focus. Are you looking to do more compliance work or trend towards sales/development?

Tap tap taparoo
 
That is a good focus. Are you looking to do more compliance work or trend towards sales/development?

Tap tap taparoo

I think I want to get more into compliance by that you mean management I'm guessing.
 
I really appreciate your responses and they definitely, have helped out my thought processes. I have been raised well I am the one that never wants to be standing around doing nothing even when a manager says it is okay and I am never late to anything. Except my dentist appointment this morning that in my defense I missed because I was up too late trying to figure out where to play afterwards.
 
I graduated in 1988 with about $11,000 in student loan debt which I paid off in 3 years. I had to drive a $4,000 used car so I could blow money on golf, booze, and ski trips while I was single all through my 20's, but I always put away 12%+. If I didn't party and golf so much I'd probably be retired already!

I just upped my 401k contributions in honor of this thread. Seemed like the right thing to do!
 
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