My dad taught me lots of cool things, like how to ride my purple banana-seat bike and how to dream big.
He’d say, “You’ve got to dream to get there.” And he’d push me to “look for the ‘I can’ not the ‘I can’t.’”
His advice still guides me.
As a financial columnist and author, I now have my own advice to offer this year’s graduates as they enter the real world and the job market.
Cast a wide net. There’s more competition for fewer entry-level jobs, according to the online job platform Handshake. The number of applications per job has increased by 30%. And more than half of this year’s college graduates are pessimistic about starting their careers in the current economy.
Don’t get distracted by the noise. Focus on what you have to offer. Seek out jobs that will steadily build your skills and your professional network and feed your curiosity.
Be a dreamer. What companies or nonprofits are doing work that aligns with the things you value? What kind of work would engage you?
Consider what you like to do for fun, hobbies, or sports. These activities reveal what kind of undertakings excite you. In turn, they also expose a skill set that translates to the work you could do. What does your passion for chess or tennis tell you about yourself?
Say sailing is your passion. Sailing involves constant decision-making and problem-solving, an ability to make last-minute moves under pressure if the weather shifts. That’s a hint about what excites you and could help you draw connections to what you may want to look for in a job.
Consider what you like to do for fun, hobbies, or sports. These activities reveal what kind of undertakings excite you. (Getty Creative) ·Tim Platt via Getty Images
Build your network. Make a habit of staying in touch with classmates and former colleagues from summer jobs, internships, and each job along your way. All it takes is a quick note, a call, or a coffee date if you’re in the same city. You never know when you might be able to give them a boost with their job search or vice versa.
Invest in yourself. Set aside time and money for adding certifications and new skills. If you hear about a work project you’d like to be considered for, ask if you can play a role in it. If there’s a workplace training program, raise your hand. Attend industry conferences and connect with people in your field. Find a mentor or mentors to learn from who can shape your career path.
Create your mission statement. “It’s easier to love your job if you’re working for something that matters more than just a paycheck,” Beverly Jones, an executive career coach and author of “Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO,” told me. “Even a tedious job can feel rewarding if you have a good reason for doing the work.”
Your mission statement may change over time, but its purpose is to be a guardrail for making decisions about your working life. My mission statement: Inspire people to find joy in their work and create financial security.
Your statement should be 25 words or less. Make it active. Use words like pushing, inspiring, and leading.
Give back. Get outside of your head and into the world. Doing something for someone else always makes you feel better, particularly if the job hunt has you anxious. Volunteering can open up networking opportunities while buffing up your skills and adding new ones.
Take control of your financial life. The first step is building a budget that balances your salary after taxes and your spending on rent, utilities, food, transportation, and student loans. That’ll let you know how much is left over for discretionary spending.
Track your spending. (No eye rolls, please.) This allows you to see where your money is spent and places you can pull back. Try a budgeting tool to track spending and set up your budget.
My Money is a free personal finance tool from Yahoo Finance. It provides a snapshot of your entire financial life, from your credit score to your monthly cash flow.
Save for retirement. Although saving for retirement is probably low on your priority list right now, consider this a way to save for your life rather than your retirement.
Take advantage of your employer’s 401(k) or similar retirement plan. The earlier you start saving, the more that money will compound and grow for you. At the very least, set aside enough to qualify for your employer’s full matching funds if you can.
When you switch jobs, don’t cash it out. You can leave the money in your old employer’s plan, roll it over into your new employer’s 401(k) plan, or roll it over to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). Don’t lose track of it.
Read more: How much can you contribute to your 401(k) in 2025?
Save and invest outside of retirement plans. The best way to motivate yourself to save is to picture what you’re saving for — say, a house, a car, or a trip.
Cut images from magazines or print photos you’ve snapped yourself and tape them to a wall so you can see them regularly. Alternatively, create a vision board on your computer to help you stay focused on your goals. These visual reminders go a long way in keeping you focused on the “why” of saving. Delayed gratification is not something most of us are hard-wired for.
Build your emergency fund. Most financial advisers suggest you set aside six months of living expenses for an emergency. But if you can gradually ramp up to a year’s worth over time, do. A money market mutual fund or a high-yield savings account is a smart, safe place to stash this money.
Read more: The 4 best (and worst) places to keep your emergency fund
Have a question about retirement? Personal finances? Anything career-related? Click here to drop Kerry Hannon a note.
The Cliffs of Moher are sea cliffs located at the southwestern edge of the Burren region in County Clare, Ireland. (Getty Creative) ·Wirestock via Getty Images
Explore the world. I wasn’t kidding when I said to include travel expenses in your budget. The summer I graduated from college, I took a monthlong trip to Europe.
I used the money I had saved from summer jobs and a graduation check from my parents to buy my airline ticket and Eurail pass.
The itinerary was barebones. I slept on trains and bunked in youth hostels and in homes of family friends from Dublin to Paris to Venice, Cologne, and London. I ate a lot of cheese and bread.
I climbed to the top of the Eiffel Tower and sang along with other world travelers gathered at sunset on the steps of Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre. I stood silently in the rows and rows of white crosses stretching across the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial above Omaha Beach. I sat on the edge of the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland listening to the crashing waves of the Atlantic.
That journey changed my 21-year-old self profoundly. It gave me confidence and a sense of wonder about the world and the kindness of strangers. It instilled a love of exploring out of my comfort zone.
Read more: Best travel credit cards for 2025
Your journey doesn’t have to be a country-hopping trip. A weekend getaway to places you’ve never been, just a few hours from your home base, isn’t as tough to squeeze into your budget.
You’ll learn about new locales, but it will also reveal things about yourself that, I promise, will make you a more well-rounded, curious, and empathetic person — and potential new employee.
