By Nina Mandell
So you survived college and made it through senior week without any significant marks on your permanent record. Now, after four (or five, or six) years of working your butt off (or not), you're out in the world and totally unemployed. No fear. Here are paths that other lost college grads like yourself followed to post-graduation bliss.
1. Director of hockey operations
Real estate -- as in "I can't really talk right now, I'm looking at some real estate" -- is not a term that usually comes out of the mouth of any 24-year-old only two years after graduating from Syracuse. Then again, it's hard to imagine putting the title Director of Hockey Operations for the Minnesota Wild on your resume at that age, but Chris Snow was awarded that position on June 14.
His path? Four years at the college newspaper was enough to score the perfect entry level job: covering the Wild for the St. Paul Star-Tribune. Even better was his second gig: Red Sox beat writer for the Boston Globe -- a dream job for many seasoned Beantown scribes. While in Minnesota, Snow rubbed elbows with Wild G.M. Doug Risebrough, who earlier this year asked him about joining the club. "I believe you get talented people and put them in the right environment and don't constrict it," said Risebrough. "Where he came from is academic."
2. MTV reality show fixture
Real World Austin's Johanna Botta (UC Riverside) and Wes Bergmann (who put his degree from ASU on hold) are two recent examples of people who used their education to pursue the ultimate in fame: reality shows. They started out as "just friends" on the Real World: Austin but were more than that on Fresh Meat, another MTV reality show. These days, your best bet for such employment is Rolling Stone magazine's still unnamed internship-contest-turned-MTV reality show.
3. Manny (male nanny)
Gents, never rule out childcare as an option. After graduating from the Naval Academy in 2000, Britney Spears' newest arm candy -- (chill out, gossip lovers, he's got a girlfriend) -- Perry Taylor, a 28-year-old former laxer, opted for a career in private security. That led to Britney bodyguard duty. His job description includes changing Sean Preston's diapers, pushing his stroller, and preventing the lil' Spears from taking another unfortunate tumble out of his high chair.
4. Blogger
This one's a little risky, because to have a lasting, popular, successful blog, you have to be ridiculously witty, smart or well-connected, none of which you probably are. Another alternative is to flap your gums about your job, like Syracuse grad Jessica Cutler, who blogged about Capitol Hill's sexploits only to get fired...and land a huge book deal.
5. Dog-walker
You may think it degrading to clean up dog droppings after you've dropped $150,000 for a diploma, but get over yourself and grab some baggies. You can string along up to a dozen canines per walk and, at ten dollars per pup per walk...well, if you were a math major, you probably wouldn't be walking dogs.
Be careful, though, because dog walking is ultra-competitive. "I filled out a couple online applications and got a call from one company that said they would call me back later and schedule an interview," says recent Northwestern University grad Michael Thompson. "They never called me back. And it wasn't even for a real dog walker. It was for a substitute."
6. Ranch hand
Do youi cotton to country music, line dancing, flannel shirts, and cowboy boots? Dude ranches are always looking for help cleaning guest cabins, leading trail rides (you need horseback-riding experience for that one) and working in the kitchen. It pays pretty well, considering the negligible cost of living, and is great for anyone who can't stand the idea of a desk job. "I like to be outdoors and surrounded by a really pretty area," said Collins Lehman, who graduated from Sewanee College in 2003 and now works on Rainbow Trout Ranch in Antonito, CO.
7. Silicon Valley girl (or boy)
While the benefits aren't as good as they were in the mid-'90's when, if you could knew C++ and could create a web page, investors would just stuff your cargo pockets with I.P.O millions, it still pays better than online poker. Just ask facebook.com creator and Harvard dropout Mark Zuckerberg, or easybib.com creators Neal Taparia (Northwestern) and Darshan Somashekar (Brown).
8. Postmodern commentator
If you took abstract art as an easy distro-requirement, you know that wackier is better. Don't underestimate how brushing your teeth, putting on your makeup, and exercising in public will speak to people. University of Kentucky grad Lauren Argo, who, in Truman Show fashion, set up an 8x5 foot cubicle with one open side facing the street in downtown Louisville and went about her day as if nothing were amiss.
9 Talk show host
It can't be that hard if Tyra Banks can do it. Valpariso alum Michael Essany, in true Wayne's World style, started a talk show in his parents' basement and now hosts The Michael Essany Show on E!.
10. Stunt double
Sure, you may have the less acting talent than Renee Zellwegger's left pinkie, but if you're willing to get hit over the head with a frying pan or be dragged around on the bumper of the Dukles of Hazard car, you're hired. University of Louisville alum Tannaz Emamjomeh's cheerleading experience at football games helped her land a stuntwoman gig for the 2004 movie Bring It On Again.
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