The Post Graduate Job Hunt: Top Cities For Jobs

With the economy in distress, recent graduates are looking for work anywhere they can find it–and location of their job hunt will effect their ability of landing that killer payday.

Luckily for you, Forbes compiled a list of Best Cities For Jobs in 2008, which examines all the important factors in 100 metropolitan areas including, unemployment rate, job growth, income growth, median household income and cost of living.

“I don’t live anywhere near those cities,” you might say. But think about this: The world is currently going down the crapper; the stock market is plumetting, gas costs a left-nut, and we’re about to go to war with Iran. And as the saying goes, drastic times call for drastic measures. And while many can’t just up and move their entire life to a new city, you can! Without any long-term committments tying you down–house, kids, wife–you’re in a unique possition to move where you need to move to succeed.

So check out Best Cities For Jobs in 2008, stop being a wussy and do what you need to do to make it in this crazy new century.

How 4 Years of Saving Could Set You Up For Life

2588795309_3856c2eeb5.jpgFor 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

Post-Grad Finance Crash Course

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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. Read More »

NYMEX Commodities Challenge Results as of 3/7/08

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NYMEX Commodities Challenge Results as of 3/13/08

NYMEX Commodities Challenge Results as of 3/13/08

NYMEX Commodities Challenge Results as of 3/3/08

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NYMEX Commodities Challenge Results as of 2/22/08

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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

Making Connections

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. Read More »