The War on Textbook Prices

If there's one thing this blog stands firmly against, it's buying overpriced textbooks. The rising cost of textbooks is a problem every student has to deal with however some deal with it by simply putting up with this rip-off, and others are clever enough to deal with it by working around it. Before you give away your life savings at the cash register of your campus bookstore this semester, try the following:

• Read this article on JoblessNCollege.com to get a solid understanding of how and why you're being ripped off and learn why it's better to buy online.

• Buy Online. It's most convenient to have your own copy of the textbook so you can study as much and as often as you need to without having to depend on others. You might also wish to hold on to the book for future reference. If this is the case, shop online for cheaper used textbooks at sites like Amazon, Half.com, Textbookx.com, or BetterWorld. You'll save time by knowing the ISBN numbers of your books before you begin searching.
  

• Borrow or Buy from an Upperclassmen. Use your network. Ask you friends to ask their friends to see if anyone has taken this class and would be willing to lend or sell you their book. If this is a book for a major class, rent it from someone now, and buy your own copy a year later after another newer version has come out and the price for the version you used is reduced to a fraction of what it originally sold for.

• Scan copies. For the truly thrifty college student, you could always buy or borrow the book just long enough to scan copies of the chapters you need and return it afterwards.

• Share with a classmate. This strategy certainly has its limitations, especially when it comes time for an exam. If you have a good friend who will be taking the class along with you you why not go half on the expense and share the book. It's a good idea to decide beforehand who will keep it afterwards.

Hopefully one or perhaps a combination of these strategies will help you fight rising textbook prices. When you're done with your books remember the poor kids coming behind you. Sell your books via Facebook, posting flyers on campus, or listing them on sites like Amazon and Textbookx.com.

Money Saving Student Discounts

It's a known fact that college students typically struggle with finances. Fortunately there are many companies that recognize our struggle and offer us a helping hand every now and then. With this post I hope to shed light on a few really great money saving opportunities.

StudentAdvantage - For $22.50 you can get one of their cards that gets you student discounts on just about anything. Shop places like Target, Barnes & Noble, FootLocker, and Office Depot, and save on things like food, movies, shoes, school supplies, and cell phones. Right now their prices range from $22.50 for a one year registration to $52.50 for 4 years. The price is fair considering the savings potential. The biggest problem is probably remembering to use the thing. I've had one for four years and I can only remember using it about 4 times. Mostly for Amtrak tickets. Otherwise, when used regularly, it can be a great investment. The card can easily pay for itself during your back-to-school shopping alone. See all of the discounts they offer here. If you do decide to get the card I suggest printing the list for reference.

StudentUniverse - This travel site offers discounted airfare to college students traveling in or outside of the US and allows you to compare prices between airlines. They negotiate prices sort of like Priceline or Travelocity. You can book flights, hotels, and rental cars all from the same site and at a student discount rate. They also have guides to overseas destinations like Paris, Rome, London, and Mumbai. You can also check with individual airlines themselves as many of them offer some type of student discount.

Resume Action Words to Avoid

Digging through more resume writing advice, facts, and myths, we find out that while the use of fancy action words is typically encouraged by most career advisers, too much of a good thing can be counter-productive. This article from TechRepublic.com reveals that hiring managers prefer applicants use action words that effectively describe their experiences rather than fancy words that simply make you sound good. While this article was directed to those seeking jobs in Information Technology, it provides that sort of candid, insider advice that's really applicable to anyone and can give you an edge as a college student or college grad applying for internships or entry-level positions. You can read their article for the full list but, here are a few of the examples they pointed out...

Assist, assisted

• Reasons to avoid: Hiring managers want to know what you did, not how you helped. If you're familiar enough with a task to put it on your resume, you can choose a better word than assist.
• Example: Assisted marketing director by researching PDAs.
• Possible rephrasing: Researched PDAs for marketing department.

Cutting-edge, detail-oriented; coordinate, facilitate, transform; proven ability, synergy, and liaison

• Reasons to avoid: Hiring managers say such words take up space without communicating much. They've seen them so often that the words have lost their original energy.
• Example: Detail-oriented manager with proven ability to oversee day-to-day network operations and to implement major technology initiatives.
• Possible rephrasing: Supervised an eight-member IS staff; completed two full-scale platform migrations; consolidated equipment and resources following facilities move.

- Source: "Nineteen words that don't belong in your resume", TechRepublic.com

Delayed Independence

Graduation can be a time of great excitement and also a time of great uncertainty. We typically focus on issues facing those who haven't reached this point yet but like they say, "failing to plan is planning to fail". Life beyond this milestone can be full of bills, more bills, and responsibility. How will I pay my bills? What about student loans? [If you have them,] it'll be time to start paying them back soon. Time to step into the work world. Where will I work? Should I take the job that's open now or wait on the one that I really want? Will the job I really want even pay the bills? Where will I live?

With so many questions and few, if any, answers for them, a lot of graduates are tempted to move right back in with their parents. Some can't imagine having to do this and do everything in their power to avoid it but, delaying your independence for a few months might just have benefits that are worth the sacrifice.

• Obviously you'll save money since you won't (or might not, depending on your parents) have to pay rent. Even if you do it'll most likely be much less that any apartment.
  
• You'll have time to breathe, focus, and come up with real, thought-out answers to all those questions. Research every option carefully and narrow down what feels right to you.
  
• With one or two less expenses you can afford to take an internship at the place you really want to work for giving you more exposure, experience and making you even more marketable than before.
  
• This time can also help you build a financial foundation (savings and credit history) so that when you do move out, you can do so confidently and avoid some of the struggles you might have experienced otherwise.
  

When you really think about it, there are some hefty benefits that could do wonders for you in the long run if you can survive a few months of torture and frustration. If you do choose this route, sources say that it's important to talk with your parents, agree on a time frame, and have an "exit strategy", unlike....

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The Objective-less Resume??

I read an article the other day that really took me by surprise. It turns out that employers aren't so keen on objective statements. The author advises against beginning your resume with an objective as do 90% of the resumes I've ever seen (including my own). According to him, the traditional, cheesy objective is better replaced with a "profile" containing some things that relate to the job you're applying for but more so expressing your passions and what you can offer the company.

I over-analyze everything so I took this idea up with a corporate recruiter where I work and career advice authors Lindsey Pollak and Alexandra Levit. The unanimous consensus was that we should indeed "ditch" the old-fashioned objective statement in favor of a "profile" to headline your resume highlighting what you can bring to the company and giving your resume the personality it needs to stand out.

Heres an example:

Less of this:
"Seeking to develop skills while learning, gaining experience, and contributing to the increased efficiency and cost-effectiveness of manufacturing operations."

More of this:
"I have a passion for problem solving and I love a challenge. I'm interested in applying my passion to find ways to increase efficiency and cut costs in manufacturing operations."

Bookstore Spotlight - Getting from College to Career

Do you ever find yourself thinking ahead to your post-graduation future? What will it be like? How will you get there? Check out the book "Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World" by Lindsey Pollak.

Lindsey offers college students and recent grads the essential, action-oriented guidance you need to get a foot in the door of the real world.

Personally, I love it. My copy is full of post-its. It's an easy read yet it's filled with great advice and career preparation strategies. It's one of those books that you can just pick up once a day, read for 2 minutes, and get something meaningful and useful out of.

Check out the book and reviews from others who bought it here: http://www.joblessncollege.com/r/collegetocareer.php

Know Your Commuting Costs

How much is your commute really costing you? With gas prices steadily increasing, every mile you drive is the most expensive it's ever been. Everyday your drive to work is becoming more and more of a financial burden. When you do the math, you could easily be spending thousands of dollars a year just getting to and from work.

Along with our recently published article on the Cost of Commuting (http://www.joblessncollege.com/article.php?page=cost_of_commuting), JoblessNCollege.com has created a tool to help you compute the cost of your daily commute like the examples in our article. You can find the embedded version of our calculator on the right side of the article page or you can use the stand-alone version here.

All the talk about alternative fuels is great but having a plan for the short-term is just as, if not more important. Hopefully this article and calculator will help you better estimate your fuel expenses and budget accordingly.