Dear Commons Community,

The NY Times has an article on recent college graduates who have not been able to find jobs or are underemployed.  Dubbed “Generation Limbo”, they are highly educated 20-somethings, whose careers are stuck in neutral, coping with dead-end jobs and listless prospects.

As an example:

“We did everything we were supposed to,” said Stephanie Morales, 23, who graduated from Dartmouth College in 2009 with hopes of working in the arts. Instead she ended up waiting tables at a Chart House restaurant in Weehawken, N.J., earning $2.17 an hour plus tips…“What was the point of working so hard for 22 years if there was nothing out there?” said Ms. Morales, who is now a paralegal and plans on attending law school.”

About 14 percent of those who graduated from college between 2006 and 2010 are looking for full-time jobs, either because they are unemployed or have only part-time jobs, according to a survey of 571 recent college graduates released in May by the Heldrich Center at Rutgers University.

I would advise that nothing is automatic in life and one has to roll with the ups and downs.  Take advantage of good times and take stock in tough times.  Without a doubt we are in tough times right now.

Tony