To grads: Just move forward

If you are a recent graduate, this column is for you -- but don't expect me to tell you things are bad out there. You've read all the scary stories already.
Even the political cartoonists are weighing in with their doom-and-gloom parodies of graduates in cap and gown choosing between McDonald's and Burger King.
If there's a wagon going by, I must be missing the ladder to hop on. I just don't see the current situation as a crisis for new graduates. Unless, that is, you took on tens of thousands of dollars in debt with the expectation of making a top-level salary right out of school. If so, you are probably experiencing some pain right now.
Let's break the problem down and work on solutions.
Now is the time to make a budget. Skip all the software programs -- this will work on a scrap of paper.
Tallying expenses
First, how much money do you owe on a monthly basis for housing, student loans, car loans, car insurance, health insurance and credit-card debt? These are your fixed costs, which you must meet each month. Add in other obligations you may have committed to, such as child care or a religious tithe.
Now, how much do you need for these variable categories: gasoline, groceries, clothing, entertainment, pet care, gym membership, phone services? These are the items that can be manipulated to cost less from one month to the next, or which can be cut out altogether.
Add up all your numbers and drop in $5 a week savings. I know that's a ridiculously small amount -- that's why I'm certain you can afford it.
The sum of these costs is the amount you need each month, after taxes.
Is there anything on the list you can pare down? For example, if your housing is a one-person apartment, get a roommate. Sure, that's cramped. But you're young -- you can stand some discomfort. Better yet, skip the apartment and join a household of several others. Then you might be able to share a car as well.
If your parents' home is beckoning, resist with all your might. Yes, it would be cheaper, but will you actually put money aside or pay down your debt faster?
We tend to rise to the challenge before us, and the parental couch just isn't very challenging. You're made of sterner stuff; prove it.
What about career?
Career? What career? If you've just graduated, you may have skills or knowledge, or even some contacts. But you probably don't have a career yet.
That's as it should be.
Careers go to people who have been developing an expertise over a period of time. They also come with a great deal of sacrifice, as they require you to focus more narrowly on one area than you might be ready for.
Give yourself a window of three or four years to focus on career exploration, without worrying about creating a career of your own. Find out what kind of company you enjoy working for, what others with your interests are doing for a living, and what parts of your education you want to apply to your work.
Don't worry about getting a "late start" compared to your peers. The folks off to a jack-rabbit start this year are just as likely to be laid off or change careers down the line.
The first years out of school are not reliable predictors of long-term success.
Evaluate your goals
While you're busy exploring careers, take time to set some goals for yourself.
Do you want to settle down with a partner? Do you dream of owning a home? When do you plan to see the world? What are your plans for artistic or physical or spiritual development? Patterns you set now will last a lifetime.
Don't be one of those people who puts off self-development year after year while trying to "get somewhere" in a career. Decide the kind of person you want to become and get started.
Surprise! I'm giving you the least advice on this point.
That's because things will turn out eventually. The trick is not to bog yourself down trying for the same job month after month.
XAmy Lindgren, the owner of a career-consulting firm in St. Paul, Minn., can be reached at alindgren@pioneerpress.com.