In just a few months, college students nationwide will receive their diplomas and look toward entering the workforce. How can they increase their odds of success? Critical thinking skills, patience, respect, and a positive attitude are a must, according to Booz Allen CFO and Treasurer Lloyd Howell Jr. Read even more of his tips below, taken from a presentation at the Business Today 44^th International Conference.

Keep learning—about yourself and the world

No matter where you work, it’s likely that you have a boss that manages you. What you may not realize is that not only does your boss manage you, but you can manage him or her as well. Being able to positively manage up can make your life at work easier and happier, but it has other benefits as well. A good manager can advocate for you to get the opportunities you want, whether it’s being put on a new project or getting a promotion.

Here are three hacks that will help you manage your boss.

Make your boss successful.

This profile is a part of the Amgen Foundation’s “Meet the Scientists” series, where we invite students and teachers to learn more about a scientist at Amgen and the work they do to create lifesaving medicines. Join the conversation by sharing your own experiences with @AmgenFoundation and @Amgen.

Last week, Huffington Post blogger Suzanne McFarlin shared some tips for recent college graduates to find that first opportunity. As the mother of three twenty-somethings, two gainfully employed (one still in school), I see some great ideas that would have helped them keep things in perspective during those tense months following graduation.