There are so many businesses out there that have hiring at a standstill with hiring and pay raise freezes. However, some industries are coming out as the places to work, where you can find a job and actually do alright.

The industries where jobs can be found include: Accounting, Information Technology, and even food service. This is all according to government data.

There are several surveys out now that are indicating that many companies won’t be hiring anytime soon, but a lot of the companies in the industries listed above will be looking for new recruits and are already out there actively seeking employees.

After shrinking for an entire year, four quarters in a row, the economy is expected to pick up a bit for the July through September quarter; this could lead employers to take away hiring freezes and start hiring people again. However, even with the new unemployment numbers out and showing a decrease in the total number of those who are unemployed, unemployment is expected to increase to 10% by the end of the year. Total job openings stayed steady through June according to the Labor Department.

Of course there are plenty of accounting jobs out there. The college I graduated from often boasts their 100% placement rate for accounting graduates. That number just seems crazy to me. After all, they just took a lot of the same classes I took to get through business school, yet most of them end up working in their field within weeks of getting their diplomas.

You just spent the last four years preparing for the rest of your life. As the Rodney Atkins song says, you “majored in beer and girls”.  (If you did, you are part of 5.4 million college bingers. Be not ashamed.) You spent five long minutes every week writing answers on every part of your body that you can pull out of your clothes to look at during the exam. Okay, maybe some of that is exaggerated. I really do hope you did the best you could throughout those four years of college and did your best to prepare yourself for the next 45 years of your life (or more, these days).

One thing they probably did not teach you is money management. You will have a mortgage, car payment, marriage (likely complete with two or three curtain climbers), food, etc. The list goes on. Money does not buy happiness, but if you hang on to a little of it and manage it wisely, you will be a much happier and successful person. The first step is learning how to manage that dollar no matter how big a hole it is burning in your pocket.

The first thing you need to learn is that we do not have control. We can stock all the money away that we want, invest as much as we can, but the truth is that the government and the free market have total control. All we can do is try to steer clear of the obstacles the economy throws in our way. Try to plan ahead and give yourself a financial cushion.  Very much like the commercials played here in Maryland for Baltimore’s St. Joseph’s Hospital concerning their heart department‘s heart attack risk assessment program. It begins with a man they introduce by name. They mention all the things he does right– he jogs every day, eats right, smoke free and alcohol free, but in three days he will have a massive heart attack. You could do everything right but then have a financial attack. Just learn to do the absolute best you can with every dollar you earn.

Work hard at all the right things. Be proactive. Be ambitious. Raise your hand for new challenges. Experience new things. Beef up that résumé. Do something you like that is still financially rewarding. Network properly in your industry. Most importantly, look for good benefits. Example: many employers reward their employees with stock portfolios (401k) which will likely grow. Live your life toward one central financial and occupational goal and live up to it.

Decide what “rich” means to you. There is another country music song that says that you do not have to make a million dollars if you are putting food on the table and providing for your family. If you only make $60,000 per year but it pays for that townhouse you bought in Hanover, PA, pays the bills, buys the bread, and allows you a little money left over to stock away and you are okay with that, you have succeeded. Just remember to live under your means and put those extra few bucks away every month.

Understand the fiscally responsible way to live. Pay off credit cards on time, more than the monthly payment; total balance if you can. Banks should be paying you interest, not the other way around. If you are paying interest, you are wasting money. Treat your credit score like a baby. One mistake could kill that poor child. One mistake in your credit could be the difference in that loan you want. Learn how to manage your money properly. Get down to the dime if possible in your budget. As mentioned in a previous article, there are easy ways to budget. Some people swear by the envelope method. Understand the cost-benefit analysis of your investments. Take good care of your health. Remember that a million dollars is more than enough for retirement. The investment companies want you to invest a million with them but in reality, $350,000 is plenty if you are fiscally responsible. Last but not least, be giving and grateful. This all leads not only to happiness but financial security.

I will be graduating over the summer this year and every month a new and worse unemployment report comes out. All the news coming out is not only discouraging to me, but my peers also. I’ve talked to some of the other students in my marketing classes and they are not only discouraged, but willing to settle with almost anything once they graduate.

But, that’s what the news is telling us…that if we are offered a job to take it because the unemployment rate is ridiculous and that hundreds of thousands of jobs are lost every month. It is terrifying to me, and I can only hope that things get better by the time I (as well as everyone else I’m graduating with) begins looking for work.