The easiest transitions or changes in life often involve honesty and preparation. As you make the transition from college to the world of work, you need to be honest with yourself about the validity of your expectations and you need to prepare yourself in order to have the edge over other graduates when you apply for that first job.

The Reality Check -

College admissions brochures and staff sometimes offer potential students and their parents a lot of promises when they are recruiting. A degree in hand certainly gives you an advantage and makes you more qualified than some when competing in the world of work, but it is no guarantee that you will start out working at the job of your dreams with a six-figure salary. Be open to entry-level opportunities that are similar or in the same field as that dream job. It might take you a few promotions or employer changes to get you there, but it will happen if you are persistent.

Create or Update your Resume -

Your resume is what gets your foot in the door for that first interview. It's your calling card. Don't assume that the addition of your newly acquired degree to the resume that you used to get your part-time summer job in high school is going to cut it. You need to have a resume that offers up all the experience and leadership opportunities you've had up until now. That includes any jobs or internships you've had, any sports or clubs you participated in or special projects you completed for classes. Remember, you are basically trying to sell yourself to an employer. A resume is like an advertisement of your skills and abilities. Take advantage of the Career Services department at your college and have them work with you to develop a resume that highlights your strengths. Most Career Services departments are open during the summer and their services are often available to alumni for life.

Develop a Professional Image before the Interview

You've created an exceptional resume for yourself and you are ready to submit it for a couple of great opportunities. What kind of first impression will you make? Your first impression comes long before the interview. If a recruiter wants to contact you to schedule an interview, they most likely won't be impressed by the email address "partygirl@yahoo.com". Nor will a voicemail message on you cell phone that plays your favorite song and gives various reasons as to why you can't come to the phone. Creative email addresses and voicemail messages

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