Forbes Has Smart Advice For College Grads

The Forbes family knows a thing or two about making and maintaining wealth and living the good life…something millions of new college grads would love to tap into.  So with a gracious nod to the fine folks at Forbes, here is a list of advice for the college class of 2012 about money, work and staying connected . 1. Remember your sporting endeavors in college, be it intramural or Division one? Keep playing. Join the company softball team. Play soccer in the park. Sometimes, there's no better way to network and make new friends.

2. Schedule at least one get-together a year with your best college buddies. Every year, I get together with 12 of my former classmates for an event we rather grandly call "the Olympics." We pick teams, wear uniforms and play seven different events (mini golf, tennis, punt-pass-kick, bowling, soccer, bocce, touch football). We have a trophy that is half the size of the Stanley Cup, with each year's winners engraved on the side. It is one of the most anticipated weekends of each year, a sort of mini-college reunion.

3. Look for your first job in Asia. Economies are booming and companies are often desperate for educated and skilled job seekers. English-speaking cities such as Hong Kong and Singapore, especially, have almost no unemployment and quickly absorb anyone qualified who lands on their shores. Often you can get hired by a Western company, quickly get promoted because of the fast growth, and then after a few years move back to the States with that company.

4. Never, ever burn bridges. You may despise certain folks at college or on an internship, but thanks to karma and coincidence those connections will come in handy further along your career.

5. Don't worry about not knowing what you want to do. This is very normal and means you are human. You may not know for sure till you are 30 or even 40, but ensure that indecisiveness doesn't stop you from trying different jobs. Your career is a journey, so enjoy the experience of learning new things and meeting new people.

6. Go out for drinks with friends, even when you don't want to. Your dream job isn't going to fly through your bedroom window. Chances are it's coming from one of your friends.

7. Once you have earnings, start saving for retirement through an employer-based 401(k) account and/or an individual retirement account (a Roth IRA or a traditional IRA). For 2012, you can sock away up to $17,000 into a 401(k) and up to $5,000 into an IRA.

8. Don't go to law school unless you really think you will love being a lawyer. If you're not sure, work as a paralegal for a couple of years to get a better idea of what lawyers really do.

 9. Congratulations on surviving four years of college without getting involved in some kind of Karen Owen-style privacy scandal! Now is a good time to check the privacy settings on your various social networking accounts to make sure your party pictures are available to 'Friends' eyes only. Prospective employers will be Googling you and checking you out on Facebook so make sure you know what they'll find.

10. Do take control of your digital footprint. Blog. Set up a LinkedIn page. Lock down the Twitter account for your name. Make sure the majority of the content that pops up when someone Googles you is content you create and control.

11. Learn how to program. Even if you skipped any class that involved numbers in college, you should still be able to pick up the basics of a scripting language like Python. Programming ability will make your work easier, and it'll also help you understand the way the world around you works. Code Academy is a place to start.

12. Read. Read as much as you can. It will make you a better writer, a better speaker, and more interesting.

13. Start paying back student loans as soon as you get a job!

14. Don't settle. It's just as important that the company is a match for you, as it is that you are a match for the company.

15. Always live below your means. Start saving for emergencies & retirement now. Sign up for a Budget Plan. (Mint.com is a nice place to start.)