<p><span style="color: #000000;">Recent college graduates seem to have been dealt the worst luck of any graduates in history. It&#8217;s true that finding a job out of college will be a big challenge for most and I don&#8217;t want to minimize the burden that recent graduates are facing. However, you are lucky in that you can learn something from what many older workers are experiencing. A few things I&#8217;ve learned from this recession:</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>Never rely on an employer to take care of you. </strong>Of course most graduates will need to work for someone else to gain experience and pay back loans. But after you&#8217;ve gained experience, you should be prepared to work for yourself if necessary. This may mean consulting, freelancing, or starting a small business. If you do ever lose your job, you will have some money.<br />
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<p><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>Be conservative with your money</strong>. Don&#8217;t buy more house than you can afford, save as much as you can, and live simply so that a layoff won&#8217;t be as devastating. When you&#8217;re working hard you feel entitled to splurge, but cutting back on some of the luxuries might not be as bad as you think.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>Don&#8217;t take your job for granted. </strong>In the past, workers could count on life-time employment at a company (barring any major mistakes). Now, employees must work every day to justify their relevance. Don&#8217;t every get complacent, no matter how long you&#8217;ve worked at a company. Keep up with industry trends, take continuing education classes, and diversify your skills.<br />
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<p><span style="color: #000000;">It&#8217;s easy to forget past recessions when the economy is good, but another one will occur eventually and you should be prepared. The news stories about laid-off workers are depressing, but they can serve as cautionary tales for young people that haven&#8217;t made the mistakes of older generations.<br />
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