Hit the Ground Running Upon Graduation

Certified coach shares secrets to transition from college campus to corporate climate

ATLANTA (JANUARY 25, 2007) – There’s more opportunity and more choices than ever for college graduates, but according to Career Coach Hallie Crawford, CPCC, MA, the key for students to land a great job upon graduation and be prepared for life after school is to think and plan ahead.

“Surveys show employers plan to hire almost 18 percent more new college graduates from the class of 2007 than they did from the class of 2006 – and the jobs will go to the ones who are most prepared for the transition,” says Crawford, who helps graduates - and their parents - create a career plan.

The growing demand for new graduates is a result of an increased demand for employers' products and services; in addition, employees—baby boomers—are retiring or nearing retirement age, and other employees are leaving organizations for new opportunities. Indications are that employers expect the good job market to continue—or perhaps get better.

“Most students don’t think about getting a job until close to graduation, which is a mistake,” says the career coach. “College students so frequently graduate unprepared for life after college, and with no sense of what they want to do. Many return to live with their parents although they’d actually prefer not to.” But just like finding the best college, developing a plan of action to find a career that suits one’s personality, interests and talents about a year prior to graduating.

Crawford shares the following tips to get the plan started:
- Discover what’s important to you in life and in a career-determine your values and priorities. “Know yourself and what you think you want to do,” she says. “Now is the time to explore what you want to be when you ‘grow up’”.
- Gain inspiration from others who are working in a field they love. “Find a mentor by identifying successful people in your life and talk to them about what they did to get there,” explains Crawford.
- Get the experience. “A college degree is important to many employers, but real world experience is even more valuable,” she says. An internship will build many of the skills employers find lacking. “And it’s not just an opportunity to gain experience, but it's also a setting for you to learn professional behavior, learn what it means to work in a team, and practice interpersonal communication,” Crawford explains.
- Think like an employer. “I know that a lot of money has been spent on your education, but the reality is employers want to see the skills, not your college life on a resume,” she says. She suggests highlighting what you can do on a resume, before ever discussing where you learned to do it.

“Young adults - and their parents - spend a lot of time and money at school,” says Crawford. “Don’t waste the investment by not thinking of future plans.”

For more information on finding an enjoyable career or for a free 30-minute phone consultation, contact Hallie Crawford at 404-228-6434 or email at hallie@halliecrawford.com.

About Hallie Crawford:
A Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC), Hallie Crawford (www.halliecrawford.com) is an experienced coach and trainer who helps people change the way they feel about work – from just a paycheck to a fulfilling endeavor that is an extension of their purpose and passion. Based in Atlanta, she offers, career coaching, teleseminars, audio recordings and a free ezine to help people across the country find a career they love. Crawford has earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in Communications from Vanderbilt University and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

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Hallie Crawford is a certified career coach who can aid college students on their path to choosing the right career before graduation in order to ensure a successful transition into the business world post graduation.

Hallie Crawford
hallie@halliecrawford.com
404-228-6434

This release was published on openPR.