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Just Graduated: Now What? That seems to be the million dollar question and although I cant answer it for everyone; I thought I would offer some guiding advice in your search to find the answer. Concepts to keep in mind- 1, A college degree does not entitle anyone to a sweet job. We all grew up being told that a college degree would entitle us to immediate success. If you have not realized how untrue that is yet, you will soon. Those who are successful at the next level are the ones that prepared in ways other than just in the classroom. College was not always easy and you learned a lot of skills that will allow you be successful but so did many others. With that said, you have to find a way to stand out among all the other recent graduates out there. I know I am not the first person to tell you that internships and networking are crucial to taking control of your future, but that’s just the way it is. 2, Corporate America is not for everyone By that, I don’t mean that it is too difficult, but in fact, I mean the complete opposite. For the most part, corporate America is very structured, standardized and conservative. This is especially true for exceptionally large companies that must micro manage severely. For those of you who are creative and take a lot of pride in your abilities to think, analyze and react, you will find these companies extremely frustrating. You will feel under utilized, under appreciated and will not take pride in what you are doing. For you, I recommend at the very least, working for a small to midsize company. These companies have a much more intimate structure and you are less likely to be just another number. Although you most likely will not truly feel the impact of your talent and hard work until you work for yourself. 3, Don’t Be Brainwashed Through out our lives, people and organizations are constantly trying to brain wash us to think more like them. Most likely, your parents tried to instill their religious beliefs upon you, and then you went to school and were forced to say the pledge of allegiance every morning. I am not saying these are bad things but they all are a form of brainwashing and the corporate world is no different. Corporations will want you to feel strongly about their brand in hopes that you will pledge your alliance to them. For example, most companies have annual events where employees across the nation are invited to come and celebrate. At Wal-Marts, all the employees get pumped, sing their pledge and express their devotion to the company. Let’s get real; the company does not really care about you, just as long as you are making them money. You being brainwashed and blindly devoted to that company is part of their plan. I am not going to say loyalty is a bad thing, but what happens when you go through a tough time in your life and stop making them money? Loyalty is a two way street. 4, The Grass Is Always Greener I thought I would finish up with a lesson that I am trying hard to follow myself. We are constantly striving to better ourselves and consistently looking to the future. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, hope is one of the aspects of life that it makes it truly great. However, once we reach the next step, we tend to take it for granted. Looking toward to the future is important and I am not saying to be complacent, but if we are infinitely looking forward to the future, it is impossible to ever be truly happy in the present. Next Article: The 2009 Job Search
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Career Advice 
