祝贺你们，即将毕业的学子!你们即将踏入社会，开始多姿多彩的生活。但是且慢，在开始新生活之前，请仔细考虑我给你们的建议，这些将帮助你们生活的更好。

　　Congratulations, college class of 2008! You've earned your diplomas. Now it's time to get smart about the real world.

　　Current projections say the job outlook for the class of 2008 isn't bad but it's not great either -- there is an increase in hiring compared to last year, but it's half of what was projected in the fall, and salary growth is mixed as well.

　　The bad news: Research into a recession has the potential to negatively affect your earnings in the long term.

　　The good news: Surviving and thriving in an economic downturn boils down to managing your expectations and your finances wisely, which is a lesson with a lifetime's worth of value. Here are some areas to concentrate on.

　　Find Housing You Can Really Afford

　　租能负担得起的房子

　　The "New York Times" did a piece recently on finding your first New York City apartment.

　　One of the men they profiled is a consultant who chooses to pay more than half of his after-tax income for an apartment in Manhattan. Despite the fact that his income (combined with a roommate's) satisfies the landlord, he is not showing good financial sense. You shouldn't spend more than 30 percent of your income on rent. If you need to split the rent eight ways, then do it. When you're young, living with lots of roommates can be a rite of passage, not to mention a fun way to get to know people and have a home base in a big city.

　　年轻时和许多室友一起住是一个成长经历，而且这也是结识新伙伴、在大城市里有一个居住地的好办法。

　　Or try starting out in a not-so-big city. The most affordable rents, not surprisingly, are in states such as Kansas, Oklahoma, and Kentucky.

　　不管在哪里，房租都是最好不要超过月收入的三分之一，否则的你的生活质量会大打折扣、甚至可能出现财务危机。

　　Take Care of Your Health

　　照顾好自己

　　Young people are the largest and fastest-growing group in the country without health insurance. That must be why I've been invited to several benefit parties for twenty- and thirty somethings who have unexpected medical expenses that they can't afford to pay for.

　　Doctor's bills are bad for your wealth as well as your health -- they're a leading cause credit card debt.

　　So if you don't have health insurance through your job -- or if you're still looking for a job -- here are a few options:

　　如果你的工作不提供医保，或者你还在找工作，以下是一些选择：

　　- In 30 states, you may be eligible for coverage under your parents' plan as part of a family rate, up to your mid 20s (in New Jersey, the limit is age 30). Find out more here.

　　- You may also be eligible for low-cost coverage under a state or local plan for low-income adults, such as Healthy New York or Healthy San Francisco. Check your state's insurance department for details.

　　- Consider a so-called catastrophic or major medical plan; these have the lowest monthly premiums and high deductibles, but they will pay off if the worst occurs.

　　上述的三种情况在中国都不现实。如果你的工作没有医疗保险的话，你可以尝试买一些费用低的商业保险，也会起到一定的作用。

　　刚毕业的学生脑子里一定要有一个清楚的理财计划，不然很可能会因为起薪太低、导致你入不敷出、债台高筑。

　　Start a Debt Freedom Campaign

　　负债行动

　　Got student loans and credit card debt to pay off? One tactic that's worked for a lot of readers is to start a debt freedom blog. Use an online calculator to figure out a date by which you want to be debt free, and a realistic monthly sum to save -- say, $50 -- that will get you there. Then, post about your progress as a way of keeping yourself to that promise.

　　See this personal finance blog aggregator for lots of great suggestions and models for your blog.

　　Get Rewards for Saving and Budgeting Online

　　从在线理财中获得的好处

　　Personal finance sites marketed to GenDebt are growing every day, and anything that starts the saving habit is a good idea.

　　At Billeo.com, you can build your credit score by simply paying bills. SmartyPig.com, a startup, offers retail rewards and a relatively high interest rate for saving online, with a fun, social format; Wachovia's Way2Save and the site whatareyousavingfor.com, sponsored by a credit union in North Carolina, offer similar savings rewards.

　　不知道该找什么样的工作?想考虑想吧!也许会有更好的选择。

　　Consider a Hot or Green Career

　　考虑更热门或绿色的职业

　　Education and health services top the list of employment sectors with the biggest and fastest growth, and with significant public spending in these areas, they'll still be hiring, even in a shrinking economy.

　　"Green jobs" are another broad area where I see big opportunities. The UN reported that the environmental industry created 5.3 million jobs in 2005.

　　Green jobs range widely -- from scientists developing renewable energy technologies, to engineers, lawyers, green architects and designers, and even organic farmers and gardeners.

　　Recycling, waste management, and remediation are special growth areas, along with renewable energy. Senator Barack Obama(D-IL), for one, has proposed $150 billion in federal investments to create even more green jobs.

　　You can find dedicated listings of green jobs at sites such as sustainablebusiness.com, greenjobs.com, and treehugger.com.

　　Be Flexible and Optimistic

　　乐观、灵活

　　An interesting nuance to the research on recession and income: One study found that "graduating in a recession leads workers to start at smaller and lower-paying firms, and they catch up by switching jobs more frequently than those who graduate in better times." 经济不景气时毕业的学生起薪通常较低，但之后他们会频繁跳槽、赶上那些在繁荣时期毕业学生的薪水。

　　At first, the study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found, recession grads can take a hit in earnings of up to 9 percent compared to boom-time graduates, but those losses are made up over time by trading up more often. So while you're working hard at making yourself indispensable at your first job, don't get too comfortable. Keep an eye out for new companies, positions, and industries that might lead you toward your passion.

　　One last point: In the past, recessions have led to bumps in grad school enrollment because staying in school looks preferable to jumping into a dicey job market. I would urge any new grads to get a couple of years of work experience under their belts and research their field thoroughly before rushing back to school and taking on more student loans. 在经济不景气的时期，研究生考试也会变得竞争激烈，这是因为看起来多读几年书要比投身一个不确定的就业市场要好。这里建议毕业生们最好能积累几年工作经 验、充分后再回学校读书，因为读书可能意味着承担更多的贷款。

　　But whatever you do, don't stop learning new skills, developing your particular talents, and keeping an open mind about opportunities. That's what will make you indispensable -- no matter how the economy is doing.