From Ramen to Riches: Hints on How to Get There

For Aretakis, the point in bringing this up isn't to ridicule the evil, spoiled youngsters of today (who, incidentally, he thinks aren't that different from those of his generation). It's to show how such an attitude can hinder your chances of really getting ahead. "Most entry-level jobs are not glamorous," he writes. "You won't have a seat at the important meetings. When bonus day comes, your check won't have more than three zeros, maybe not even more than two. But a start is a start."

Aretakis also doesn't think too much of young people spending extended amounts of time after college trying to "find themselves" before pursuing serious work.

"I encourage people to take the summer off, but not too much time beyond that," he said in an interview. "Too many people take a year, then it turns into two or three years. And when they come back, they're right back where they started, except now they are two to three years behind their peers."

His issue is with "the person who goes from year-long diversion to year-long diversion, hoping that sometime they will figure it all out," he writes. "That's like saying, 'I'm going to figure out college by staying nice and comfortable here in high school.' "

That doesn't mean you have to give up on a dream of travel, though. Just figure out how to make it pay at the same time. "If you want to travel, get a job where you have to travel," he said. That was his approach after college, and he was able to explore Asia while also developing the tech and marketing skills that helped make him a millionaire by age 30.

Nor is he tolerant of complaints about how entry-level jobs pay less than waiting tables, as frustrated grads with loads of college debt often like to point out. You have to think about your long-term goals, he said. And that may involve sacrifices in the short run. "If, say, you envision a career in hotel and restaurant management or restaurant public relations, then hey, waiting tables for a while may not be such a bad move. It'll give you a practical base of experience to draw from. But if your plan has more to do with finance than fajitas, the restaurant job likely isn't your best option."

But beneath all that tough talk is an encouraging message: Take risks. Don't be afraid to dream big. There really is life after all that ramen.

Hanging It Up?

Are you a young serviceman or woman looking to make the transition to work outside the armed forces? Or perhaps you've recently made the transition. If so, and you're willing to share your story for a column on the subject, e-mail me at slayterme@washpost.com . Please include your full name and a daytime phone number. No attachments.

Join Mary Ellen Slayter for Career Track Live, an online discussion of issues affecting young workers, at 2 p.m. Sept. 11 athttp://www.washingtonpost.com.