I’ve been there. You’ve been in college for 4 (5,6,7…) years and things are finally coming to a close. You are ready to stop sitting through classes that are boring, or even worse: hard as can be. You wake up one morning and realize it’s May. As much as you’ve looked forward to this day, this is NOT GOOD! You’ve been staying up past midnight every day for weeks to finish a project that got waaaay out of hand from a mixture of one part bad luck, fixty-six parts procrastination! In the little “free time” you possess, you have applied for jobs, but NOTHING.

Graduation comes and all your family is asking where you will be working…because with your ample free time, obviously it should have been easy to find something (I say this with complete and utter sarcasm). Do not fear, you will find a job, but here are a few tips to help:

• Ask everyone you know if they would be willing to help

You never know who will be the person who has an “in” to the job of your dreams. This includes a certain amount of tact, eloquence, and for God’s sake: appreciation. Even if something doesn’t happen from a point of contact, they took the time to try to help.

• Be Patient

Yes, it is hard to sit and wait for a call, but try to be productive while you’re waiting: read a ton, work, do anything that could help you be more desirable.

• Don’t settle…

I know anything may sound good, but getting into a job that you hate, and pays very little is not worth it just to say you got a job.

• …Except when you should

Realize that jobs are often temporary. I’m not telling you to work somewhere for a few months and run. But almost every job has something to learn at it. And why not make some money and gain some skills while you’re waiting for your dream job. You might even be able to work up to an amazing job within a company from a position that you don’t like initially.

So stick in there young-bucks, your dream job is out there somewhere, go work to get there, and in the meantime better yourself so they’ll beg you to come work for them.