Growing up is hard. As most of you have experienced, are experiencing, or are planning to experience soon, graduating high school, going through college, and finding a big kid job is not the walk in a park that it may present itself as. The business world is a tough one so tackling it with a mentality that everything will simply get handed to you will get you a chore list and a racecar room because you’ll still be living with your parents. As you are getting ready to jump into this crazy whirlpool we spend roughly twenty-two years preparing for, here are five things to have down before lifting your feet off the ground.

Resume

You’ve heard the word, you might know what it is, but have you invested time and effort into putting together a resume that highlights your skills and leaves employers wanting more? A resume could single-handedly be the golden nugget that buys your way into a company. Employers almost always look at hundreds of resumes attached to applications before calling anyone in for an interview. You want something that stands out and grabs the attention of someone who has been reading for hours. Another thing to remember when building your resume is to talk yourself up. Are they going to hire a “Previous McDonald’s Employee” or a “Previous Professional Sandwich-flipper with experience in Shift Leading and Cash Management.” Sounds stupid, but you would be surprised.

Savings

Setting aside money can be difficult, especially as a young adult that has never had to make any major purchases in their life or experience the repercussions of job loss or any other unforeseen hardships. Learning to save at a young age could be one of the best things you ever decide to do. Being prepared for the worst is something that all adults learn at some point in their life, whether they act upon what they’ve learned is what may or may not keep them out of that extra bed in Grandma’s basement.

Experience

C’s get degrees, but what do degrees get you? Sometimes, nothing. You may have paid a lot of money for that pretty, little “B.S” next to your name, but if you haven’t utilized your new set of skills in some type of internship or job that will give you real hands on experience, consider yourself lucky if you end up with a job in your preferred field. Companies will always take the candidate with more involvement, so whatever it is that you want to do: experience, experience, experience! Anything you can add to your resume, do it. Even if it isn’t exactly what you want to do for the rest of your life, it will expand your know-how and increase your worth to prestigious corporations.

Networking Skills

It’s all about who you know. Having a conversation with a random man in the elevator today could be worth it next week when he’s the guy interviewing you for your dream job. Talking to a woman at a convention you’re at could land you a sweet joint venture for your company. Everything in the business world goes in circles, the more people you make a good impression on, the luckier you’ll get.

Go-Get-'Em Personality

The more you want it, the higher the chance you’ll get it. Going the extra mile in everything you do may seem tiresome and unnoticed while you’re doing it, but you’d be surprised at how many people are watching. Not just writing about how much you want a certain job on an application but projecting that desire into your actions and personality can be the deciding factor on if an employer will choose you or someone else. Showing up early, being personable with everyone you come in contact with, confidence, and physically chasing after what you want are all signs of a promising employee.