Hurrah, school's over! Now what?

REVIEWS BY ANGELA LEEPER

For most college grads, the jubilation of receiving a diploma soon gives way to what do I do now? Four new books offer words of wisdom, practical advice and even outlandish humor to help young adults find success in their newly independent personal and professional lives.

Who better to dish out advice on the social etiquette of young adults than Lizzie Post, the great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post? How Do You Work This Life Thing?: Advice for the Newly Independent on Roommates, Jobs, Sex, and Everything That Counts is more than a guide to wedding receptions, tipping, ordering wine, or the proper fork (although these topics are addressed). The fourth-generation Post espouses good manners when it comes to roommates, landlords, dating, entertaining, cell phones, health clubs, couch crashing and even one-night stands (yes, "be sure to leave a note"). Post's conversational, down-to-earth tone, helpful lists (e.g., "The Four Cardinal Rules of Borrowing" and "Ten Easy Hors d'Oeuvres"), questions and answers à la great-great-grandmother Emily, and myriad "Instant Tips" combine to make this the quintessential guide for 20-somethings who strive for—or simply need—social grace.

    How Do You Work This Life Thing?: Advice for the Newly Independent on Roommates, Jobs, Sex, and Everything That Counts
    By Lizzie Post
    Collins, $19.95
    304 pages
    ISBN 9780060823757

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Gotta have faith

While most advice books for graduates steer them toward what they should be doing to achieve a successful job, the inspirational Follow Your Dreams: Wisdom & Inspiration for Graduates encourages young adults to look inward to discover their dreams and realize the goals that will bring them closer to fulfilling them. Short stories similar to Chicken Soup for the Soul, verses from the Bible, poetry and quotes from Mother Teresa, Jesse Owens, Winston Churchill and other venerable individuals provide enlightenment and encouragement. Guided questions and descriptions of dreams, which "must be nourished," "require work" and "give us a sense that life is about more than ourselves," add further meaning. "Following our dreams isn't only about the destination; it's about the journey." That's sound advice for graduates—young and old!


The Holy Grail

Landing that first job can seem as intangible as a medieval knight's quest, especially when "85 percent of entry-level job candidates are poorly prepared for the job search process." In Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World, Lindsey Pollak gives obtainable "action-oriented tips" versus a step-by-step plan to hone the job-search process. While some tips stick to traditional advice (#80 Buy a Dark Suit), others ask career-seekers to consider what they want from a first job, examine current business trends and think outside of the box (#59 Perform Five Minutes of Stand-Up). With exercise boxes to customize these thought-provoking tips, real-life stories from young people who survived their job searches and an appended list of associations, websites and organizations for young professionals, Getting from College to Career gives college students and recent grads the edge on entering the work force.


When in doubt

For young people who find academia, the perfect job and social status elusive, there's Faking It: How to Seem Like a Better Person Without Actually Improving Yourself from CollegeHumor.com contributors Amir Blumenfeld, Ethan Trex and Neel Shah. Whether it's wearing a sweatshirt from an Ivy League school you never attended or carrying a dog-eared copy of a classic you never actually read, "The important thing isn't who you are; it's who people think you are." Irreverent humor that mocks both the slacker lifestyle and the über professional suggests how to skimp on group projects, talk like you have an MBA, fake an injury to get out of playing sports, and appear to be well-cultured. Faking It is a must for the college grad who needs a good laugh while transitioning into the "real" world.

    Faking It: How to Seem Like a Better Person Without Actually Improving Yourself
    By Amir Blumenfeld, Ethan Trex and Neel Shah
    Dutton, $19.95
    288 pages
    ISBN 9780525949916

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Angela Leeper is an educational consultant and writer in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

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