Most of us have invested a great deal of time and resources into our continued education with the hope that when we graduate it will return great dividends. And since we all attend Marquette University, we have invested significantly more than others; again with the hope that, in the long run, it will pay off.

And now, for some of us, the hour is at hand. The real world beckons. Just one little problem…well, maybe not so little…the economy stinks. Investment banks are collapsing, mortgages are defaulting, companies are laying off employees left and right. Not the image of confidence you want in your head when you go in for an interview. To give you a bit of an idea about how rough the market is, here are some facts:?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the past three years 8.3 million people have lost their jobs. 43% of those lost a job they had held for at least three years, and compared to the previous three year period, a significantly smaller percentage of those workers found jobs again.

Wisconsin lost 23,000 private sector jobs in the past year, according to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
According to the Economic Policy Institute, 8.4% of Wisconsin is underemployed (which includes unemployed residents seeking but not finding work, discouraged workers, and part time workers trying to find full time jobs).

Ok that’s the bad news. And while you can’t single-handedly turn the economy around (contrary to the belief of everyone that runs for president), the good news is you can do something to prepare for it and make sure the time and money that you, or your parents, invested in yourself does not go to waste.

1. Plan, Plan, Plan. You need to be actively following market trends, figuring out what careers are hot (health care, computer programmer, teacher – surprised?) and which ones are not (anything at all related to investment banking…just kidding). Careers with a lot of potential and room for growth are the ones you want to be pursuing.

2. Double Major. This is so easy to do in the College of Business, and it can be extremely helpful down the road. At the very least, it makes you more marketable to employers.

3. Market Yourself Effectively. Revise your resume; talk about your skills. You need to be able to quantify to employers why you are an asset to the company. You need to show the company that you are more than simply a labor expense, especially in a tight economy. Point out your strengths, skills, and what you bring to the table.

With a little extra work, you will be able to conquer the job market and start getting that paycheck in no time.

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