To Be A Winner

For those of you graduating soon, this is a little advice from experience

      With the economy being a Debbie Downer, it is important to keep your head held high and your goals set lower. Students graduating college seem to think that with a bachelor's degree comes a 5 or even 6 figure salary. Reality check says...ERH! No. There are way too few jobs out there for you to come out smelling like roses. If you don't want to put a little hard work in the mix, you probably won't get very far, unless you are just that smart. Even if you do make it by being smart, typically, lazy people don't last long. The way to get to the salary you want, with a degree, is to follow this simple process.
       First, you must stay positive about yourself. With an influx of negative emails regarding your recent applications, you may start to feel like you are not as good as what you originally thought. Of course, you'd be right if you thought you were just going to step off the train and land on the tracks. No, what do you do first when you get off a train? You step onto the loading platform, right? Same thing with finding a job. You are still just as smart and good at what you do, you're just applying to the wrong places or for the wrong type of job.
        Secondly, you have to lower your expectations. If you go in thinking you are a big shot, they are going to turn you down as soon as they see that you have no professional work experience. If somehow you do have professional work experience, then you are doing better than most; this paragraph does not necessarily apply to you. For the majority of us spoiled college kids, that never even got an internship because we just wanted to get through school, well, you can't expect to get the mid-level position...or hardly even the entry-level position.
         This brings me to the next thing, if you can find one that caters to graduates as well as undergrads, try for an internship, not necessarily within your field. Just apply for some that apply to you. That will give you some viable work experience as well as allowing you to form a connection. Job shadowing, volunteer work, fellowships, etc. are all good ways of gaining experience as well. However, I am going to tell you the best way to get in without all of that. Some of us just don't make it in time for these type things. While I do suggest going for the volunteer work no matter what you do (any long gaps in unemployment tend to look bad on yourself), I definitely think you should just work your way up. Aside from getting a higher degree (costing you way more money), this seems to be the best option. Don't go into an application thinking you will get the high paid job. Just go for the desk job that requires you to be around the people you want to work for. There will be plenty of opportunity for you to advance within the company. If there isn't, then you probably don't want to work for them, anyways.