Personal Finance Tips Post Graduation

Post graduation can be a whirlwind between planning your future, securing jobs, and preparing to pay back student loans. We know how valuable guidance can be during this transition and as such wanted to help share some advice. Embark on your next chapter of life with confidence by keeping the below personal finance tips in mind:

Budget.
It’s important to live within your means. Evaluate your current financial standing - do you have any debt, how much do you have set aside in savings, how much money are you currently bringing in. Also consider your loan statements and their deadlines. An online monthly budget planner can be a great starting point to help you stick with a lifestyle you can afford.

Plan for the future.
This may not be at the forefront of your mind, but you’ll thank yourself later if you begin planning for retirement now. Start by taking a small percentage of your paycheck and putting it towards your retirement savings. Check your 401(k) options that are offered at your job, try to contribute enough money to receive a company match. Additionally, incase of emergency, have an account set aside with enough money to cover three to six months of basic living expenses in case of illness or unemployment.

Have health insurance.
Are you one of the lucky ones who is fit as a fiddle and hasn’t been sick in years? Way to go! But this still doesn’t mean you should be without health insurance. A bad accident or an unforeseen illness could be ruinously expensive. Apply for health insurance through your work (or if possible, remain on your parent’s policy until you’re 26) or shop around for benefits and find a high deductible policy.

Stay on top of student loans and bills.
If loans are not tackled right away they can quickly get out of hand. Understand your repayment process, when deadlines are, if you should consolidate, etc. Speak to your loan provider or visit studentaid.ed.gov for more information.

Remember to make adjustments on your finances on a regular basis. Revisit the amounts you have set for repayment, savings, etc. every few months to ensure they are still relevant and working effectively. Have any post graduation finance tips to share? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page!

The graduate schools at St. John’s University in New York City offer more than 60 graduate degree and professional certificate programs in five acclaimed colleges, a School of Law, and institute dedicated solely to the growing field of biotechnology. Our highly competitive advanced degree programs will challenge you to become the very best you can possibly be!

Consider a Master of Arts in Criminology and Justice

If you are passionate about working in the field of criminology? Kick-start your career with a Master of Arts degree in Criminology and Justice from St. John's University!

In just as little as three semesters, you can complete this 33-credit program and gain the academic foundation and skills needed to thrive in the criminal justice industry. By combining theory and practical applications, our Masters program prepares students to continue their education or get a job upon graduation. Recent St. John's alumni are currently employed at a variety of state and government organizations, including:

• NYPD
• New York City Department of Investigations
• Department of Homeland Security
• Drug Enforcement Administration
• Social Security Administration
• And more!

What are you waiting for? Begin your pursuit of a Master's degree as early as Fall 2015! For more information about our Master of Arts degree in Criminology and Justice, click here or contact department chair Dawn Esposito at 718-990-6295.

The graduate schools at St. John’s University in New York City offer more than 60 graduate degree and professional certificate programs in five acclaimed colleges, a School of Law, and institute dedicated solely to the growing field of biotechnology. Our highly competitive advanced degree programs will challenge you to become the very best you can possibly be!

5 Job Search Tips

Whether you have just graduated college or you are looking to make a mid-career job switch, searching for a new employment opportunity can be frustrating. There are enough job-search websites to make your head spin and keeping hope can be difficult after weeks of applying without receiving a single call-back.

If you are ready to take your job-hunting to the next level and finally land that interview, try using these five tips.

 

Look online. While it shouldn't be your only resource, the internet is a good place to begin your job search. Websites such as Monster, CareerBuilder, and Indeed have tens of thousands of job openings, with hundreds more added each day. You can also look at niche job search sites tailored to your specific geographic location or industry.

Utilize your network. Besides the internet, your personal network is the best chance you have at finding a job. According to the Wall Street Journal, as much as 50% of all job openings are never actually advertised. Instead, these positions are filled based on the references of a company's current employees. If you are serious about finding a job, ask your friends and family members to inquire about open positions at their companies – you might just get a lead or two.

Perfect your resume and cover letter. When it comes to your job search, your resume and cover letter are your two most valuable tools. Check them for grammatical errors, double check them, then check them again. Tailor your resume and cover letter for the particular job you are applying for, don't just attach the same generic document to every application. For more tips on writing an effective resume, click here.

Clean up your social media profiles. Roughly 91% of all employers admit to checking an applicant's social media profiles during the hiring process. Questionable pictures, suspicious activity, and excessive profanity are all sure-fire ways to remove yourself from their list of qualified candidates.

Go the extra mile. When it comes to setting yourself apart from the rest, the little things make a big difference. Print out your resume on resume paper and use an original header that stands out. Do research to find the hiring manager's name instead of writing “to whom it may concern” on your cover letter. Always follow up an interview with a hand-written “thank you” note. Doing things like this can go a long way towards getting yourself hired.

Want more advice? Check out this series of articles from the Huffington Post if you are serious about landing a job!

The graduate schools at St. John’s University in New York City offer more than 60 graduate degree and professional certificate programs in five acclaimed colleges, a School of Law, and institute dedicated solely to the growing field of biotechnology. Our highly competitive advanced degree programs will challenge you to become the very best you can possibly be!

Consider a Master of Arts in Government and Politics - in Rome!

Reminder to interested applicants - there is still time to apply to the MA program in Rome! Applications are being accepted through July 1st.

Photo via St. John's

The Department of Government and Politics, Graduate Division of St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Science, offers students the opportunity to complete their M.A. Government and Politics degree with a focus on International Relations at the university’s Rome campus.

At our Rome campus, we offer the unique cultural resources of a great European capital combined with the world-class courses and faculty of St. John’s. Students will become experts in composing policy briefs and reports, drafting and evaluating project proposals, resolutions, and public statements, as well as completing in depth evaluations of global events and trends.

Graduates holding a master’s degree in government and politics are well-suited to a wide array of career opportunities: from a policy-making career in the Civil or Foreign Service, to a position at the United Nations, a policy think-tank, an international NGO, a major multi-national corporation, or a dynamic start-up in positions of political or administrative responsibility. Recent alumni have secured positions within federal agencies, the US Senate, the CIA, NGOs, major corporations, as well as media conglomerates.

Students are also able to complete a Certificate in International Law and Diplomacy, which can be obtained independently or as a complement to the Master’s degree.

For more information please contact Margherita Panzera, Assistant Dean Rome Campus: panzeram@stjohns.edu (from US: 212-815-9216).

The graduate schools at St. John’s University in New York City offer more than 60 graduate degree and professional certificate programs in five acclaimed colleges, a School of Law, and institute dedicated solely to the growing field of biotechnology. Our highly competitive advanced degree programs will challenge you to become the very best you can possibly be! 

Consider a Master of Science in Chemistry

Do you wish to work in a government laboratory, conduct private research, or teach your knowledge of chemistry to aspiring students? If so, you should get your M.S. in Chemistry through the Graduate Division of St. John's University!

Our widely-respected master's degree program provides a scholarly environment in which students work closely with distinguished faculty members. In addition to preparing graduates to pursue a doctoral degree in the field, our master's program in chemistry also comprises a broad range of specialized courses such as:

• Organic and inorganic chemistry
• Computer applications in chemistry
• Electronic spectra and group theory
• Methods of analysis
• Reaction kinetics
• Quantum chemistry

We also offer graduate assistance programs for select qualified students, who can receive a stipend and tuition remission by supervising undergraduate laboratory activities. We strongly encourage potential applicants to visit our office during open hours or schedule a personal informational interview with our Office of Graduate Admission.

For more information about our Master of Science degree program in Chemistry, please click here.

The graduate schools at St. John’s University in New York City offer more than 60 graduate degree and professional certificate programs in five acclaimed colleges, a School of Law, and institute dedicated solely to the growing field of biotechnology. Our highly competitive advanced degree programs will challenge you to become the very best you can possibly be!

4 Tips for Writing an Effective Resume

We all know the importance of a good resume. One which is strongly-crafted is sure to land you multiple interviews, but one which is poorly-written will leave you job searching for months. Use these four tips when constructing your resume to give yourself the best possible chance at getting a call-back from an employer.

Tailor your resume to the job you are applying for. One of the biggest mistakes that job applicants make while sending out their resumes is the “one size fits all” approach. Sure, sending out the same resume to every employer may save you some time, but it is less likely to land you an interview. Choose quality over quantity and customize your resume to fit the needs that the employer is seeking in their job description.

Keep it one-page long. The ideal length of a resume is a hotly-debated topic among experts, but one thing is clear: whether it is one or two pages, it should be one or two full pages. Not one and one-half. Not one and three-quarters. If you are just graduating from school and looking to start your career, you should be able to fit your experience on to one page. Even if you have to delete a couple of clubs or awards to make it fit, it will give you extra talking points during your interview.

Use bullet points. Hiring managers do not have the time nor patience to read through several paragraphs. When structuring your resume's main selling points, stick to bullet points and short sentences. Don't worry about the nitty-gritty details, you can get to that stuff during the interview.

Include specific numbers and data when available. Numbers, percentages, and dollar totals all stand out when an employer is scanning your resume, and these can help set you apart from other applicants. Here is an example showing two different ways to write the same job description:

• Bad: Managed client's assets.
• Good: Managed $25M worth of assets for 12 clients, averaging a 9% return-on-investment.

For more resume-writing tips, check out this article from DailyWritingTips.com

The graduate schools at St. John’s University in New York City offer more than 60 graduate degree and professional certificate programs in five acclaimed colleges, a School of Law, and institute dedicated solely to the growing field of biotechnology. Our highly competitive advanced degree programs will challenge you to become the very best you can possibly be!

Tips for Preparing for Graduate School

Congratulations - you’ve been accepted to a St. John’s University graduate program! While your enrollment may not start for a few months, there are some things you can do ahead of time to make sure you are well prepared.

See below for a few tips to help you set yourself up for success:

Have all your documents in order: To avoid any complications, make sure any student and financial aid forms have been completed and are on file prior to beginning your semester. Aside from enrollment specific documents, you may need to purchase a parking pass if you are attending campus and secure your StormCard.

Learn about your peers: In an increasingly connected world - this task hasn’t been easier. LinkedIn provides some great groups for St. John’s students to connect and network. Additionally, you may ask your adviser to put you in connect with students already in the program should you have any questions or concerns.

Research the curriculum: When you receive your syllabus, read through it entirely and secure the reading material ahead of time to familiarize yourself with your upcoming workload. Once you connect to some peers or students already in your program, ask them any questions you may have about electives or classes you need to take.

Explore ways to get involved: Consider how you can get involved with your program, students, and campus outside of the classroom. Whether it be student groups or looking into graduate assistantship programs, there are a lot of ways to develop personal friendships and advance your professional network.


The graduate schools at St. John’s University in New York City offer more than 60 graduate degree and professional certificate programs in five acclaimed colleges, a School of Law, and institute dedicated solely to the growing field of biotechnology. Our highly competitive advanced degree programs will challenge you to become the very best you can possibly be!