Was College a Waste of Time? - Six Mistakes You Made

Those college years may be far from memory, and you've carefully mounted that degree on your wall for safekeeping. Fuzzy memories of hard work, all-night study sessions, long hikes to early-morning class, and the rush from cramming for the exam-and aceing it--still linger in your thoughts time to time. As you look around your office cubicle and wonder where the time went, then it hits you; was all that hard work for the undergraduate degree a complete waste of time?

The student loan payments seem never ending, your promotion doesn't look like it's showing signs of arrival, and the excitement of having your own desk just doesn't have the same appeal. If you're experiencing any of these moments, here are eight mistakes you could have made:

1. You're not currently making your degree work for you. If you thought that you could land any job with your Bachelor of Arts degree, you might have overlooked some of your options. A B.A. degree is flexible, but without a high level of motivation to reach out and get what you want out of your career, you won't find much satisfaction.

2. You didn't take part in career counseling. This is usually offered free of charge by professionals in the field, and you can gain some insight on top employers in their area, and network with recruiters. If you didn't send a resume or references during your junior year, you may have missed out on some valuable opportunities.

3. You chose a major based on high-salary jobs. This isn't a smart long-term decision, since your career path is something you need to nurture and grow. Landing a job isn't only about how much you'll get paid; you need to truly enjoy what you do and think about on a daily basis to get the most satisfaction from it.

4. You didn't save enough. If you had the flexibility of working and making money during your studies, saving money could have given you some time off to find a job you really wanted. If you didn't take some time between graduation and moving into the workforce, you might have missed out on some valuable career planning basics.

5. You didn't socialize enough. Learning how to manage people, whether it's in personal and work relationships, or in the business world, involves people skills. If you spent most of your time and effort studying and avoiding social situations, you'll have difficulty relating to people in your new work environment.

6. You maxxed out your credit cards to try and get ahead. College can be expensive, and if you didn't create and stick with a budget, chances are you were living beyond your means. The burden and stress of debt can make it difficult for you to get settled into a new career-you may have to settle for something just to pay your bills, rather than pursuing something you really want. Credit card debt can hang around for years if you're not paying it down fast enough; an entry-level job isn't going to help you, and the best time to start making larger payments is as soon as possible!

These are just six mistakes that can prevent you getting the job or career satisfacaton you deserver right after college. Many students make the financial and career mistakes early in their educational path, and realize it's impact years later. Avoid these six mistakes if you can; your post-college happiness depends on it!