How to Get a Good Job in the Real World

Soon to be college grads and the serially unemployed take note: working for free can land you that dream job. Yes, we are reared to think (especially the Generation Y brood) that we have some sort of entitlement - that a little hard work can go a much longer way than possible and land us a perfect position. But getting a great job is more than just earning a degree or a fancy certificate; sometimes you have to give away your services before you get paid the big bucks.

Here's how to snag that enviable employed spot:

1) Schmooze, Schmooze, Schmooze

Get yourself out there and network. Sign up for local events and organizations like the American Marketing Association or the National Association of Sales Professionals. And don't think that just being a member will get you on the top of the corporate ladder anytime soon. Sure, professional affiliations look great on paper, but when the job interviewer asks you what events you've attended and all you can come up with is a blank stare and a feeble shrug, you're apt to land right back on the street.

Events of this sort are a great forum for you to share your expertise and mingle with actual working folk. Take some resumes and business cards with you to "accidentally" drop in your future employers lap.

2) Work for Free

Yes it does sound counterintuitive - you want to make money, not give away your priceless services for naught a penny. But volunteering and applying for unpaid internships can get you in front of some very "important" people. Decision makers and hiring managers seek a can-do despite all adversity quality in prospective employees. What a better way to impress than to say you'll lend a hand with no strings attached?

Internships are vital for the burgeoning working class. College students can pave the way to their prosperous future by gaining a position in a firm that correlates with their majors and ambitions. Imagine going from making copies for the occasional cookie to getting an offer for your first dream gig! That's what an internship can do. And even if you don't get a position with the company you interned for, you now have some "real world' experience, and professional recommendations and resources at your disposal.

3) Make Yourself a Business

If you've got a skill you want to sell, stick it on a business card. Make a website in your name and upload samples of your work, a resume, or even a simple mission statement of your objectives and goals.

It may sound silly at first, but the next time someone asks for your contact information, you can impress them with your go-getter attitude by handing them your personal business card with your name, number, talents, and personal web page! Nothing says you are a superstar in training like taking the initiative on the business of You.