#1 - I am going to come out of school and be a project manager

If I had a dime for every person I’ve known that has come out of a school with a BS in business that thought they were going to be a project manager straight out of school, I would have the money truck parked out in front of my mansion in laguna beach.  The truth is that the vast majority of people will be in any given industry for quite a while before they will move into a project management role.  Just because you have learned some pm techniques in classes doesn’t mean you are ready to come into a business and coordinate projects. 

#2 - I am going to come out of school and be a CEO/Top management/etc

This is less common than #1 but even more ridiculous. 

#3 - I got my degree in <insert major> so I have to get a job doing <insert job related to major>

Many places are much more concerned with your experience and your interests than they are about what your degree is in.  In fact, in my office there was a guy that had his degree in philosophy but was doing computer science type work.  The vase majority of people being disqualified from jobs are disqualified by themselves and not the employer.

#4 - GPA matters a lot

The simple fact is that, straight out of college, GPA might considered, but any further than that no one cares.  If two candidates are applying for a job and one has a 3.2 GPA and the other has a 4.0 GPA, if they both get interviews, if the 3.2 interviews better than the 4.0, 99% of employers will hire the lower GPA graduate.  Experience weighs even MORE heavily into the equation.  Simply put, don’t get too hung up on your GPA.  I had a friend who was a smart guy, but just hated going to class.  He had a GPA of 2.8.  He applied for a job that “required” a 3.5 GPA at Hewlett Packard.  Guess what?  He never put it on his resume and they never asked….and he got the job.

#5 - I need to grow up and buy <insert expensive item>

Just because you have graduated doesn’t mean you need to grow up and buy any expensive items such as a car/house/etc.  There are situations where it makes sense and others where it doesn’t, but everyone seems to think it’s some sort of right of passage into adulthood.  On the contrary, it can just as easily put you on the wrong financial path.  One example of a situation that it was a good idea is that my girlfriend is selling her condo for a good profit, and under contract for a house.  In her case, it is the right fincancial move for her.  On the other hand, I have a friend who bought a house right after graduation that he is now trying to sell, and he is minus 15k in equity on it due to the housing market and a home equity loan he took out.

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