From Student Debt to Independence as a Graduate Student
By fencer07
@fencer07 (98)
September 12, 2012 6:33pm CST
I only graduated from college a few months ago, and I am already understanding the "difficult economy" that is so often talked about in reference to job seeking. Let's say that I am less-than-satisfied with my ability to get a secure, full-time job. Being a recent student, as soon as I graduated, I was confronted with debt from student loans. I currently have two part-time jobs and am trying to pay off bills while living at home. Since I am going to be 23 in a couple weeks, I feel like I should be more independent than I am now. I really want to live on my own, so that I can feel like I am actually starting my life. In addition, I would like to go back to school to recieve a master's degree, but I can not imagine working as much as I do and taking classes at the same time. I was wondering what advice you can give about balancing post-graduation finances, while still becoming independent in a timely manner.
1 response
@Akaimiko (15)
• United States
15 Sep 12
Are these two part-time jobs equivalent to a full time job in terms of hours (40 per week)? Are you still looking for a full time position as you are working these jobs ( because persistence is key when it comes to job searching)? You should definitely consider EVENTUALLY working full time with an employer that offers tuition assistance for graduate programs. While it's true that you SHOULD be independent by now, in this economy it helps to have a little bit of help when you're just getting on your feet after school. Don't rush yourself out of your parents' home. And you've only just graduated from school a few months ago, don't panic if you haven't found a full time position yet. As long as you continue to put in the time to apply for at least one full time position a day, possibly out of state if you have to, and keep your resume strong and updated, and access resources like alumni services at your school, you WILL land that full time job. Keep your spirits up. My sister was out of school for about 6 months before she landed an excellent position, and it was because she tried everyday and accessed any and all resources she could get her hands on to help her get a job: alumni services, job fairs, job search engines. Had she considered working out of state, and had she been more flexible about the position, she would have found something much sooner, but still she DID get a job. Don't lose hope. Keep trying at it every day.
