A Generation of Convenience-How Does this Affect College Students?

Kids are growing up today with a world of modern conveniences at their fingertips. Instant gratification is of the norm. Everything is automated, from retrieving money from the bank, to having your bills automatically withdrawn on time. When you need gas, you just wave a tiny keychain device in front of the pump. We can remotely crank our cars, control the doors or open the trunk. No more going to the library for information, just type in a question online and a world of knowledge just pops up in front of you. Enormous record collections are all stored in a tiny device that you can drop in your purse. Our lives are jam packed with conveniences and luxuries that our parents never dreamed of. Food delivery, microwaves, convection ovens, we can have great meals in a snap, without gardening for the entire summer, canning vegetables and hunting for all of our meat.

Some would say that this generation is spoiled rotten. They have never had to work for anything. They have never had to develop patience. Anything they want, they can pretty much instantly get. Cell phones and remotes ensure that we are not inconvenienced in anyway when we need to make a call or change the channel. We can even fast forward through every commercial. The big question is, how has this automated world affected the psyche of college students? Will they be able to handle the pressures of the real world? Will they learn to be patient and responsible with their money? Will it be harder for them than it was for us?

College students have had their entire lives automated and geared for convenience. They now have easy access to student credit cards and online payday loans to help keep the convenience and instant gratification coming. As a parent of a college student, it is up to you to teach your child to be responsible with money and credit. This is not something that they learn in class, it is usually a trial by fire. More and more college students are learning the hard way how to manage their money.

Qualifying for loans and credit cards is incredibly easy now days. In fact, when they show up for college orientation, they will most likely encounter many kiosks offering t-shirts, book bags and other appealing free gifts to students who fill out a credit card application. Credit card companies have figured out that they can nab people early in life, take advantage of inexperienced money handlers like college students, and get a customer for life simply by offering a free magnet or insulated cup. Make sure that your student is prepared to reject these offers and find more responsible ways of building their credit.

If they need enough extra money to warrant carrying a credit card, then you might have them consider a student loan. Interest rates are low and the loan terms are geared to fit a student’s lifestyle. Many offer payback options that do not start until after graduation. Student loans are helpful when it comes to building credit. Payments begin after your student has learned a few life lessons and is not as likely to blow off payments for a new pair of shoes. Talk with your child and utilize the benefits of student loans.

About the Author: Evelyn Saunders, a retired teacher, is the editor for student-loans.net, a provider of student loans and information on how to get private student loans as well as consolidation. For more information, please visit http://www.student-loans.net.

Why Students Should Look At Internships

If you're a college student who is career minded, you have no doubt heard an earful about internships. And while internships might just sound like a bunch of extra work for very little reward, there are some pretty good reasons to consider going after the experience. Internships offer a gateway to real-world work experience, full-time jobs and networking opportunities that would be tough to get anywhere else.

Most employers (87.2 percent) interviewed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) said their new hires do have internship or co-op experiences. Nearly 40 percent of interns are offered full-time jobs upon graduation.

Differing from summer jobs, internships tend to be in a student’s area of major study, include college credit, and require special evaluation from both employer and UI faculty. Pay varies from none to minimum wage and can be as much as $15 per hour.

Employers find students without internships may be more likely to “have unrealistic views of work, lack maturing and work ethic, lack commitment to the organization, and possess less awareness of business etiquette,” claims a recent NACE survey.

The work experience you'll get from a good internship trumps anything you'll get making coffee at Starbucks or flipping Big Macs - and probably pays better too! On top of that, working in the industry will give you perspective on what you really want to do with your life before you're stuck in a job you may not enjoy.

Leveraging a simple internship into a full-time job is another reason to go after and internship. Many firms approach intern candidates as they would applicants for a "real" job - they're looking for people who can fill a more permanent role after they graduate. As a result, many large firms make full-time offers to a large portion of their interns after they complete their programs and degree work.

Networking is another big reason to pursue an internship. Interns often do the same work as a first-year professional, and get the same chances to interact with senior employees. Having a good relationship with higher-ups could mean a quicker path to promotion in the future. And even if you decide not to take an offer with the company you interned with, saving a manager or recruiter's business card is a good move if you decide to hit the job circuit later on.

As with your college hunt, prestige should be a factor when you're trying to pick a company to intern for. If you're interested in banking, working as an intern at a big-name like Bank of New York and J.P. Morgan Chase is probably going to carry more weight than if you work for your local Savings & Loan over the summer. For most, going with a top-tier firm for an internship will make you a more desirable job candidate.

Unlike full-time jobs, which could be available all year long, many internships have strict deadlines that you'll want to stay ahead of. Lots of internships take place during the summer, so deadlines tend to fall in the later winter and early spring. If you're considering working for a particular company, find out whether it has any deadlines looming.

One of the best ways to get your foot in the internship door is by developing a relationship with your recruiter. Lots of companies now have online internship applications that prefer the "don't call us, we'll call you" approach to job applications. Don't hesitate to look up a recruiter's name (this can often be found on the contact page of a firm's website), and send an email. If you're lucky enough to get multiple offers, but are still waiting for that one firm, make sure to let recruiters from your top choices know so that you can speed the process along.

When all your research and applications have gone out and you're starting to hear back from a few employers, now is the time to really figure out what you can and want to do.

Evelyn Saunders, a retired teacher, is the editor for student-loans.net, a provider of private student loans and information on student loans and consolidation. For more information, please visit http://www.student-loans.net