By Elizabeth Simmons
As December graduates prepare to receive their diplomas and May grads get ready for their last semester, we have to wonder if they learned everything they need to know. I’m sure most of this year’s graduates are well educated in their fields, but an education in fields like engineering, history, or music will only get them so far.
The graduates of school year 2013-2014 are entering a job market that’s iffy at best. They also face the expectation that after four or more years of college they are able to be a successful adult. More often than not, however, college grads leave their hallowed educational halls lacking these important skills. They aren’t taught them in a lecture hall or classroom, but maybe they should be.

Ability to write a few lines of HTML code
This may seem like it’s coming from way out in left field, but a number of job postings today are asking for someone with a small amount of knowledge about coding. There are several schools like The Lang School where you can learn anything you want at any age. You don’t have to be a pro, but listing code writing as a skill (that you actually have) on your resume can make you stand out from the other applicants. Almost every industry works online on some level, so having the ability to write code and assist with even basic website management will help you enter any career field.
Manage a budget for a small household
Whether you’ve been living on your own for some time or finding your first place after graduation, you’re going to need to manage your own budget. I doubt there were courses on bill paying or managing checkbooks in college, but those are major parts of post-grad life. Take the time to sit down and see where your money is coming from and where it’s going. If you don’t already have one, open a savings account and put something in it every month. Learn even the basics about finance and investments so that your money can go a little further and you can actually understand that 401k benefit as well as manage your student loans. Read the rest of this entry »