Real Estate Investing

I recently found the blog Afford Anything written by Paula Pant. I have to say after reading 12+ articles I really like the advice she dishes out. I really enjoy how she focuses on freeing time over everything else (one of my goals too). I especially honed in on her real estate investing articles.

Passive Income...Not as Easy as it Looks

Building wealth is all about getting money to work for the Refined Grad. It is about taking control of personal finances and getting more zeros in the asset column and less in the liabilities.

New Book Recommendation

The Four Hour Workweek

This book has been out for some time now and I finally got around to reading it. It is a really easy light read with lots of tips on how to use time more efficiently. Tim Ferriss also goes into why more money does not make a person happier. I have said this for some time on this blog that in order to be happy try to buy experiences and time not material items. Enjoy!

Let me know what you think on Facebook and Twitter. 

Starting an Investment Portfolio

Investment Portfolios: Getting Started

The refined college graduate knows the hardest part about investing is getting started. In the first few months after graduation, the recent college graduate likely has little to no savings. Starting one step at a time is the best policy. This post will give some basic tips on the first (and hardest) steps.

This post will assume that the refined grad is already at least matching their company’s 401k plan, has paid off credit card debt and also is following the suggestions in the STUDENT LOANS post. If the refined grad does not have a company 401k (or any retirement plan) there is nothing to panic about just move to step one of this post.

Personal Finance Budget Template

Refined college grads have asked me for various different templates they can use to track expenses and estimate debt payment.

Here is a budget template I use to track expenses and savings. I find this useful to check once a month to make sure goals are being met. I also highly recommend using Mint.com to track all expenses and budget on a more daily basis.

Leave some comments so I know what all the refined college grads think.

Email me with questions at therefinedcollegegrad@gmail.com

Finding Employment after College

The refined college graduate knows the steps it takes to find employment after college. Here are a few tips for landing a sweet job after the nonstop parties stop.

• Start early! The refined graduate knows that the hiring process at most companies is slow. Starting the job search in the fall of senior year is the best bet. Below is a list to get the soon to be grad started right.
• Make a Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Office 2011) list. Include: company, POC, date last contacted, phone, email, location and job title applied for. 
• Spend an hour a day applying, following up with potential employers and researching. This will keep you in a good grove.
• USE FAMILY NETWORKS! Not enough college grads use their family's to help them find jobs.  This can be a great way to get into a great position.
• Use the internet and social media the right way. 
• the refined grad has a linkedin account. This is a must. Linkedin 
• Take down all the party posts, pictures and tweets (the grads that still have those up are either dumb or have low self esteem). 
• The refined grad has a signature for email. 
• Be Flexible and open. Many college grads think that their first job will be their last and hold out for that "perfect offer". The refined college grad knows that a job is what you make of it. The refined college graduate is also not afraid to look for jobs outside their major. 
• Have a great looking resume and kill the interview. Let's face it most college grads really have little to no work experience. Employers know this. The refined college grad knows what they lack in experience they can make up for in style and intelligence.
• Have a great looking resume. The college graduate has about 30 seconds at most to grab the recruiters attention. 
• The refined college grad has their name front and center with the biggest accomplishments near the top. 
• There is clear formatting and organization. 
• A resume template with more details will be provided in a later post. 
• Kill the interview.
• For Men :Have a tailored black, navy or grey suit with a pressed white shirt and a sensible tie ready to go (think Mad Men just without all the sex, booze and smoking).
• For Women: Have a business suit or formal business wear with simple jewelry. DO NOT WEAR anything revealing or short (this isn't a frat party).  
• Bring copies of your resume (printed on nice paper). 
• Bring a pen, a professional binder and gum. 
• Make sure to leave the phone in the car. 
• Visit the business the day before to see how long it takes to get there. 
• Plan to Arrive 30 min early (it is okay to sit in the car for a few). 
• Practice interviewing with friends and family. 
• There will be a post later with more tips and tricks. 
• Okay most college graduates wait until after they have graduated to start job hunting. There just is not time to look for employment when there are only a few college keg parties left. 
• DO NOT PANIC! Way too many grads get into a panic mode and then get depressed and frustrated when they don't find a job right away. 
• Make sure you have an up-to-date Linkedin and resume. 
• Apply to a local Job Agency. Here is a quick yellow pages search in the D.C. area. 
• They will take a hefty cut of pay but it is great experience and they find the job for the grad. 
• If all else fails try starting a business. There is no better time than when you are young and energetic. 
• More posts to follow on entrepreneurship.

This has been a quick overview for grads or soon to be grads on how to start the job search. There will be more posts after this.