As a recent graduate from a university rated “Most Selective” by US News & World Report, Tyler was understandably disappointed when he landed in a cubicle-drone job that barely pays minimum wage — that is, until he was laid off and ended up substitute teaching for even less.

With a double-major in Spanish and psychology and a strong GPA, he thought for sure he was on the fast track to a career in event planning, a field he’d secured a summer internship in, palling around with the stars of CNBC. But with corporations scaling back their parties and conventions (lest they be associated with seamy AIG-style taxpayer-funded beach junkets), Tyler found himself working in loss-prevention for Brookstone for $10.50 an hour. Then he was laid off. Now he’s substitute teaching for $10 an hour.

Tyler isn’t the only one struggling. Read all about why this might be the worst year to graduate college…ever!

For all you recent college graduates entering the workforce, I realize that “Start Thinking About Your Savings” might be the lamest piece of advice uttered to you since, “Wow! There Is No Way You’re OK To Drive Right Now”. But I promise you, in both instances you’ll be very happy in the pants that you heeded both warnings.

First off, let’s take a little look-see at the financial future of our country. The way things are going, the idea of ‘Social Security benefits’ will be non-existent in the year 2041. Whoopsies! Therefore, if you’re 21 years-old right now, you’ll be royally screwed with a good few years to go before retirement age.

With medical advancements going the way they are, Super-Future-Year-2041-Viagra will be alarmingly good. And hot cougar retirees will be friskier and hotter than ever. Better have a little something put aside, if you want a piece of that ‘retired and ready to bang’ tail.

But forget about that for a second (if the imagery isn’t permanently burned into your brain already). The real point here is how saving just a little now, as I’ll demonstrate, gets you a lot more in the long run.

Check out the full article at Wall $treet Fighter

So you just made Mom and Dad real proud–you’ve graduated from college and you’re still completely alive. Both nuts still attached? What a champ! Although the keg parties and late night puking into laundry baskets might not end for another few months, you should probably start thinking about your money situation.

Step One: Student Loans

If you took out student loans to pay for those joyous four years, you will soon be approaching a very important time period. You may have been made painfully aware of this by your parents or from countless postcards and solicited junk mail. Student loan interest rates recalculate each July 1st.

And thanks to a huge collapse in the financial market along with the continuing signs of a nationwide economic recession – interest rates are nice and low. Just follow this little formula I came up with:

Massive Financial Sector Layoffs = Massive Personal Financial Savings For Those In Student Debt= Massive Boner. (more…)

As of 3:00PM, 2/22/08:

Houston Grad
Azerbaijan State Oil Academy
Yale
Syracuse
Texas @ Austin
Texas @ Dallas Grad
Rollins Grad
Kent St. Grad #1
Rice Grad #1
Hofstra Grad
Oklahoma St. Grad #1
Lehigh
Texas @ Dallas Undergrad
Brown
Tulane
Alberta
Rice Grad #2
Rollins Undergrad
Penn St. Grad #2
Hofstra Undergrad
Oklahoma St. Grad #2
Monmouth
Columbia Grad #1
Columbia Grad #2
Penn St. Grad #1
Quinnipiac
Houston Undergrad
Kent St. Grad #2
George Washington

I didn’t go to an Ivy League school or graduate at the top of my class. I didn’t even come from a family rooted in my field (not all connections are from mommy and daddy). But somehow, right out of school I landed a job as a broker at one of the top investment banks on Wall Street.

So how did I do it, you ask? Bribery? Sneak attacks? No! I became a networking rock star.

Here’s how to do the same:

Begin with the network you already have.
Think about the people you already know: school alumni, your local bartender’s cousin, that pal from your summer waiter gig. Even if they are not working in your field of interest, don’t be afraid to politely ask them to put you in touch with people who are. (more…)