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For grad gifts, go buy the book
Graduations are just around the corner, and many young people (and their parents) no doubt are sweating the big "J" question: What kind of job am I going to get?
For some, the question is merely practical, with an emphasis on earning money. Others ask it with an existential twist: What's the meaning of work, and what's my role in this world? But even for those dreamy types, the issue still comes back to paying the bills.
The following books may help new graduates in both camps.
"Smart Moves for Liberal Arts Grads: Finding a Path to Your Perfect Career" by Sheila J. Curran and Suzanne Greenwald (Ten Speed Press, 2006, $16.95).
Here's a comforting read for college seniors who are confused about the future. Curran and Greenwald, both career advisers on college campuses, have gathered the career stories of 23 people who graduated between 1984 and 2003. The older graduates have more complete stories to tell, while the new graduates can relate more closely to the target audience.
I find the most useful chapters to be those written from the authors' perspectives. The first 38 pages of the book are about as good as it gets when it comes to a practical but encouraging look at job searches and career planning for 20-somethings.
Another strength of the book: pithy bits of sage, simple advice sprinkled throughout. Examples: "Just because you're good at something in school doesn't mean it has to be the focus of your career" and "If you don't enjoy what you're doing, move on."
"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Dream Jobs" by Brian O'Connell (Alpha Books, 2005, $18.95) and "Your Dream Career for Dummies" by Carol L. McClelland (Wiley Publishing, 2005, $16.99).
You've just spent $60,000 for a college education. Do you really want to be called a dummy or an idiot by the person giving you career advice? I wonder sometimes about this marketing strategy.
In any case, here's the scoop. The "Idiot's Guide" is a look at 18 different types of careers (home-based jobs, science jobs, etc.), while the "Dummies" volume is a workbook designed to help you discover your dream and then apply it to real-life job scenarios. They're both competent selections in their categories. Both are good choices, depending on whether the reader wants to learn about different jobs or about himself or herself.
"Get a Freelance Life" by Margit Feury Ragland (Three River Press, 2006, $14).
I love this book, and it occurs to me that new graduates might like to try freelance writing while waiting for the career position to come through. Providing targeted self-employment advice also fits with my belief that we're all better off learning to make money without a job, because we'll all face jobless times in our lives.
This is one of the better books I've seen on this topic, because it is succinct and real-world-based, and it offers examples of essential tools, such as query letters and story pitches. The author, who worked as an editor at five magazines before launching her own freelance business, provides excellent advice from both sides of the editorial table.
The book also includes rate information, health insurance strategies and links to dozens of helpful Web sites for freelancers. It's not a bad choice for someone with an entrepreneurial bent and better-than-average writing skills.
"Making the Leap: Job Search for Students" by Amy Lindgren (Prototype Career Media, 2005, $5, including postage, 1-800-368-3197).
And here's one of my own. This pamphlet-style booklet contains short, advice-based pieces aimed at high school and college seniors as they plan their job searches. The 16 mini-articles include cover letter and resume samples, advice about part-time jobs and an ideal-life exercise. It won't substitute for a more comprehensive book, but it may be just enough to help a graduating senior plan the next step.
- Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul, Minn. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com or at 1071 W. Seventh St., St. Paul, MN 55102.
