Three Books Every Graduate Should Read
It's that time of year. A point in the lives of people of all ages who are getting ready to graduate. So you're thinking, "What should I give them? There's always cash. But, isn't there something else that would be of more value to them?"
The answer is, yes.
Here is a guide to a few gifts that provide powerful tools every graduate on your list can use. I've made it even easier by helping you decide which of these books would be the best gift for the graduate you're thinking about.
There are three kinds of graduates:
1. The Completely Confident.
They have a plan, they know what they want to do, and what they will do next. You know who I'm talking about, the students who were active in clubs and student leadership while in school. They're excited about moving on to the next step!
Now, as this graduate leaves the networks that have helped them gain success in their academic endeavors, they're going to re-structure their network to fit their future needs.
This graduates need to develop or expand their network so they can make connections with the people who will help them.
The Ties That Bind: Networking With Style, by networking expert, Danny Beyer is a great gift for the graduate on your list who fits this description. It is the consummate guide to networking. Whether your graduate is new at it, or a seasoned connector, they'll learn something new and significant!
Q: How can I know which graduate on my list needs this book?
A: Don't worry, their parents will be bragging about them. There's your sign.
2. The Confidently Confounded.
They have a plan and they think they know what they want to do, but they're not quite sure.
There is a little voice inside them that keeps asking whether they've chosen the career path that's right for them. That little voice is a signal. They will probably end up taking a job, "Just to get started out," and then a few years later may find themselves stuck. That voice is actually confirming what they already know, They sense their plan isn't refined enough to get them where they really want to go...unless they're lucky (and some people are), but they don't know exactly how to change that.
It's OK to take that first job to make ends meet, the key is to avoid getting stuck.
This graduate needs a refined plan. So, when they take that first job so they can systematically plan exactly what they need to do, over time, so they can work toward what they really want to do.
Cracking the Career Code provides the structure this graduate will need to assess, plan, and implement, so they find satisfaction in life. Tom Henricksen is the career planning expert who wrote this book to share his system.
Q: How can I know which graduate on my list needs this book?
A: When you ask them, "What's next?" Look in their eyes. Listen to their language. If they kind of have that, "I'm good, thanks," attitude but they also look like a deer blinded by headlights and they use words like, "hopefully" a lot, you'll know.
3. The Completely Confounded.
They're simply overwhelmed by the changes that are right in their face. They don't have a plan, they don't have a useful network, and they're scared to death, right now. Others, especially their parents, are really concerned about them and wonder if they're even capable of stepping out into the great unknown.
This graduates is capable, I can assure you of that. They need to find conviction. They don't know what they value and because of that, they don't know what career path will align best with the person they really want to be.
The truth is, right now, they think they need to figure everything out all at once. They can't wrap their minds around the fact that they don't need to.
Why not?
Because, right now, success is being measured, for them and their peers, by the strength of their plan. Everybody is shaking their hand, slapping them on the back and congratulating them on accomplishing this milestone. These well-wishers are also asking, "What's your plan?"
It feels like their entire future...their whole life...is staring them in the face. Scary stuff. Especially when their friends and peers have answers! I know this...I've been there.
Finding Success: Get What You Really Want can help people define their own destination: the person they really want to be. Without a destination, it doesn't matter how you get there, right? In other words, if you don't want to go through life with "no more control" over your "direction than a paper airplane has over its flight path," figure out who you want to be so you can do things that will make you that person.
Help the graduates you know make decisions and take actions that align with what they truly value at their core.
Q: How can I know which graduate on my list needs this book?
A: Again, their parents will let you know. They'll say things like, "I just know know what he's going to do," or, "We told him he's going to have to figure it out because he's not staying with us," or "It's like he doesn't know what's about to happen." The graduate, might even tell you. Too easy.
A Question for You
When you made a major life-transition like graduating from high school or college, what resources do you wish you had available to help you get where you really want to be without so much pain?
I'd love to hear your story. Please share it in the comments section, below!
Final Thought.
Is it possible all three categories of graduates could use all three books? The world changes. People change their minds. Unexpected things happen. The resources available to a person dealing with major life changes can make a world of difference.
If you were thinking about giving them a $50 bill, here's an opportunity to spend about the same amount and provide something much more valuable.
Here are your options:
- Cover a tiny fraction of your graduate's college tuition, or maybe their electric bill for about a month if they're entering the workforce.
- Add significant values to their life and their livelihood with a powerful toolbox consisting of these three books which are chock full of the kind of help they'll need.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tom Eakin is the author of Finding Success and the Success Engineer at BoomLife. LEARN MORE ABOUT TOM...
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