Today’s economy isn’t exactly perfect for the masses of recent college graduates entering the real world for the first time looking for their first job in their respective fields. Don’t worry, it’s been worse than it is now, though, and the good news is that things are consistently on the ups in terms of jobs, especially for entry-level prospects.

But if I had to go back and do it again myself (the American economy was much worse off when I graduated college than it is now), I would have appreciated these 6 nuggets of advice to help me get started – advice that no one else had to give me. So here they are for all of you to revel in.

Be Realistic

OK, just to set all you youngsters straight – the likelihood of you graduating with a job lined up to start a week after your graduation date is slightly unrealistic at this point. Not to say that it isn’t impossible, though – it’s just not common.

Rather than panicking over the fact that you don’t have anything lined up, set realistic goals for yourself. Say you’ll look for jobs solidly for the next 6 months, and if you don’t find anything within that time frame, it’ll be time to refocus your search efforts and try a different approach.

Don’t expect that the world owes you anything because you are a college graduate. Lots of people are, and all of you are fighting for the same jobs at this point. I hate to be harsh, but it’s true. Be realistic about the fact that it may take you longer than you had always anticipated to find the perfect job in your field.

Clean Up Your Facebook

Now is as good a time as any to delete all of those pictures of you doing keg stands at the biggest frat party on your campus.

Employers will, I repeat, will, look at your Facebook profile either before they interview you or before they decide to hire you. Facebook is a great way to get to know the kind of person a business is about to hire – but for you, it could be a death trap, depending on what you have on there.

Delete posts with obscene profanity and rid your photos section of anything inappropriate. Most employers won’t mind the pictures of you and a group of friends out at a bar (assuming you are, of course, 21 or older), but try to delete the ones that are of all of your friends taking shots at the bar. There is a big difference between a smiling photo of a close group of friends and a picture of a bunch of drunk college kids drinking themselves into even further oblivion.

Know where the line is – and clean up your social media act before you contact any potential employers.

Use Your Alumni Network to Your Advantage

Most colleges these days have a career development center that features an extensive web of alumni who are willing to help recent graduates by giving advice or possibly even job tips. And guess what? Most recent grads aren’t taking advantage of that FREE offer.

I’m here to tell you that if you aren’t using your alumni database or your college’s career development center, you’re not going to be successful in finding an opportunity. Do not hesitate to reach out to alums who are in your field – the majority of them will be more than happy to at least give some advice to someone just starting out in the field. Others will even know of job openings and help you get an in.

It doesn’t matter if you know the person you are reaching out to – you have the college in common and that’s good enough. They’ll help you however they can if you contact them, even if it’s just to give you some free advice.

Join Networking Groups

To take the idea of reaching out to relevant alums in your industry one step further, join a local networking group, like a county Chamber of Commerce or a Young Professionals group.

Most groups meet once a month in a “mixer”-type setting, meaning they’re often held in a local bar or restaurant the group is supporting and there is food and drink specials and tons of people mingling. Network your way through the group like crazy.

While many of the contacts you make in your new group may be irrelevant to you at the time, you never know when you’re going to need help from someone or you’ll have an idea or a way to help someone else out. You also never know who you’re going to meet – you could end up bumping into a CEO of a company in your field.

Take your chances, let people know who you are and what you do, build your network and get yourself seen and known.

Don’t Be In Such A Rush to Get Out

Is living with your parents really that bad, for now, anyway? The answer is no. And if you can’t afford your own apartment out of college because you don’t have a job, you’re not alone.

Even when you find your first job, if it’s local, consider choosing to be one of the few who lives at home with mom and dad to save some money. That way, in the very near future, you’ll have saved enough to afford both a security deposit and a first month down payment on an apartment of your own or with a couple of roommates.

Save while you can, and suck it up and live at home for a little while in order to do so. Don’t rush yourself into a situation you can’t afford. It won’t be worth it in the end. That said, though, if you do decide to live at home for any period of time, always continue pushing forward with the job hunt. You still don’t want to be stuck there forever.

Broaden Your Horizons

Maybe you studied geology and you think that your only career path is to become a geologist or a science teacher. Or maybe you were in journalism, and you think that you have to write for a swanky newspaper or magazine to consider yourself successful.

Whatever you studied in college, broaden your thought horizons when it comes to finding your first job. Maybe you have that dream job in mind, but take into consideration the kinds of jobs that you can take that will help you get to your ultimate goal – like stepping stones along your career path.

Don’t hesitate to take a paid internship in your field, or even a job that isn’t quite related to your field but uses many of the same skills. Your first post-college job should be something that you use as a resume builder. As long as you’re expanding your knowledge and your skills in the job that you choose, your future will be golden.

Jackie Ryan is a freelance writer who found what she thought was her dream job and ended up hating it. She encourages people to keep an open mind – whether you want to crunch numbers all day, design logo mats in a factory, be a TV personality or work from home, having an open mind can get you to places you never even imagined!

Many people decide on going to graduate school after they finish their four-year degree. Graduate school is a great way to continue your education and get your master’s degree or Ph.D. My sister is currently in graduate school and in order to get in, she had to send in letters of recommendation. This is a very crucial part of the application process. The school you are applying for will really look at the recommendation that the person gives you. They will take into account how the person recommends you and what they say about you. It is crucial to get someone’s opinion of your work ethic. In order to receive some good letters, follow these tips:

Content

You may think that the most important thing is to get a well-established and really smart person to write your letter. This is not always the best option. The best person to write your letter would be someone who knows you very well and has seen you work really hard in a class or work setting. This could be a teacher’s aid, rather than the professor. Asking someone who knows you best gives you a greater chance of proving your hard work to a graduate school. Choose someone who has seen you in group settings, or someone who has seen you solve problems in the work place. Graduate schools are going to be looking for students who are able to analyze situations and solve problems. When you are looking for your letter writer, don’t worry about all the credentials and degrees a person may have, look for someone who knows you personally and has seen you when you are working your hardest.

Asking

When you figure out who you are going to ask, set up a meeting with them. Be professional about it and do it in person, or at least over the phone. Make sure you ask them if they have time to do it. If they don’t have time, don’t take it personally. Writing a good letter of recommendation is a lot to ask from a person, and many people are too busy to do anything like that. If they do have time and they say yes, make sure to ask them what you can do to help them. If you meet with them in person, you can talk to them about your goals and your interests which will help them know exactly what kind of letter they should write.

Timing

Make sure you ask the person with plenty of time to spare. Do not throw it on them last minute because they will most likely not do it. Give them plenty of time to accept the assignment. You want to ask them way before you turn in your application because you want to make sure that it is in on time. Also, have a rough draft of your resume and personal statement done before you ask them so your letter writer can draw from those to make your application flow.

Start Now

If you are still getting your undergraduate degree, make sure you are finding connections with professors and other people at school or work. Work hard in group settings and show your professors that you are capable of doing well in any setting. Start preparing now in order to get the best letter you can possibly get. Do all your work and ask your teachers for help. They will get to know you if you are in their office during office hours getting help or if you participate a lot in class. Be a good student and you will get a good recommendation.

Meagan Hollman composes for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers gives people who want graduate, and undergraduate, credentials the way to discover which online masters degree programs fit their needs best, and help them reach their potential.

When considering going back to school, many would-be students often consider online degrees. It’s easy to see why, as many online degrees give students the opportunity to do their work whenever and wherever, allowing them to squeeze classes and homework in between working full-time and other daily duties. The one issue many potential students often worry about when choosing an online degree is whether or not it will be looked down upon by employers. Despite its inaccuracy, the assumption persists that online degrees are lesser than degrees that were received on campus. This is simply not true, and an online degree is just as valuable and respected by employers as a degree obtained from sitting in a classroom. However, there are several factors to consider when choosing to enroll in an online degree program.

Is It Accredited?

It’s important to know whether or not the online degree program is accredited. If the program is not accredited, issues could arise down the road, as there are many employers and certification programs that will not accept a degree as valid if it was not received from an accredited institution. Many accredited institutions with physical campuses have online degree programs available, even world-renowned universities such as Harvard. For students who are worried about the respectability of an online degree, choosing to receive an online degree through a school that is well regarded, accredited, and has a brick and mortar campus can be one way of putting those fears to rest. It can also give students access to some of the perks of a physical campus, like advisors and career counselors. However, an online degree program doesn’t need to have a brick and mortar campus to be an accredited and respectable institution, and students who don’t need a physical campus can be well served by colleges that are strictly online only.

What Style of Learning Does the Program Use?

When choosing an online degree program, it can be helpful to understand ahead of time what style of learning they use. Some online degree programs are strictly online, and all courses are taken on the computer wherever the student wants. Other online degree programs have a blended style of learning. Blended learning means that much of the degree is obtained online, but it is blended with face-to-face learning in a physical setting.

For example, some online degree programs may allow students to do all of their course work from the comfort of their own home, but may have one night a week, or perhaps one weekend a month, where students get together in a traditional learning environment. This can be a positive thing for those who would like to get to know their professors better, or would like to do some networking with classmates. For those who simply don’t have the time to go to a classroom, however, blended learning can be a negative, and those students should stick to traditional online degrees.

Terry Southerland is a career counselor and content contributor for thebestdegrees.org, a site featuring lists of accredited online degrees and specialty field endeavors such as early childhood education degree programs

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