Grads: TAKE CHARGE™!

#TripleTuesday Tweets: Stretch your abilities

Resting on your laurels is never a smart career strategy, whether you're a fresh grad or a tenured professional. Giving your best and going the extra mile will always serve you well, no matter what type of job you have or what industry you're in. If you don't know how to stretch yourself in your current job, talk to your boss about finding (or even creating) opportunities.

#TripleTuesday Tweets: Volunteer to speak

Speaking or presenting to groups is an excellent way to broaden your professional network, polish a vital career skill, teach others what you know or what you're passionate about, and add impressive bullets to your resume. Ask your boss about opportunities to make presentations, see how you can help your favorite cause, and/or join a local Toastmasters group.

Save a tree while saving your sanity (and your money!)

The most comprehensive and valuable resource for new young professionals ready to navigate the real world after college is now available in e-book format. The 300+ page award-winning book, GRADS: TAKE CHARGE of Your First Year After College!, covers over 140 situations and topics from the entire career life cycle to money management and taxes to all those ‘messy details’ of life on your own. And the best thing is that it’s super-fast to find what you need, then get out and go do it, because there’s no fluff in this book—its savvy advice is all presented in soundbite format, perfect for you busy grads.

Take a look before you buy with this sample.

Right now you can save 40% on the e-book while saving yourself from the struggles you peers are dealing with. Use discount code EARTH2010 through the end of April at e-junkie.

But if you prefer the feel of a real book in your hands, GRADS: TAKE CHARGE, is available through BooksAMillion, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

#TripleTuesday Tweets: Don't provide TMI

TMI (aka 'too  much information') is just as inappropriate when looking for a job as it is when describing your latest hangover, date, or surgery. When interviewing, you don't need to go into minute detail about why you were let go from a job or about your life. Don't hold back basic information, but they're not asking for your life's story here. Be discreet.

#TripleTuesday Tweets: Don't fear rejection

No one enjoys rejection--in dating or in the job search. But that shouldn't hold you back from pursuing what you really want. Be confident, take the risk, and if it happens, be prepared to just say to yourself 'OK, movin' on'...and do just that: move on to the next opportunity.

#TripleTuesday Tweets: Consider corporate culture

Once you've zeroed in on the kind of job you want, don't make the mistake of assuming that every company offering that type of job is worth applying to. You need to learn about the unique culture of each one and consider how it fits with your personality, values, and work style. No amount of money, benefits, or titles can make up for a miserable mismatch.

#TripleTuesday Tweets: Consider a returnship

Internships are invaluable for learning what you want (and don't want) to do for a career, making professional contacts, getting known for what you can do, and maybe landing a job. Just because you've graduated already doesn't mean that you can't still reap those benefits, though--consider approaching one of your target companies with a 'returnship' proposal.

#TripleTuesday Tweets: Protect your reputation

Your reputation, along with your credit score, is one of the most valuable things you'll ever have. If yours isn't too great, improve it starting right now. If it is good, take steps to protect it by registering your name as a domain (including all the ways you use it as well as common misspellings, such as JohnWSmith.com, JohnSmith.com, JSmith.com, JohnSmithITGuru.com) even if you don't plan to use them right away.

Domains are dwindling and some day, when you want to have a larger online presence, you may be locked out of the game. Also, think about potential employers who are searching for information about you before considering you for a job--someone with the same name as you could put up an unprofessional or, worse, an offensive or obscene website that will pop up on those searches. Even though it isn't really you, it can't help but leave a bad taste in their mouths...so take control of what they'll see.

GoDaddy is my favorite domain registration site (and they've got several inexpensive ways to create a site quickly so you can begin work on your online presence).

#TripleTuesday Tweets: Start a blog

To be successful, in your job search and later in your career, you need to be visible, both online and off. One of the best ways to increase your visibility online is to write a blog. Pick a topic you're passionate about and share what you've read, researched, or experienced. Blogs are a great way to strut your stuff and increase your credibility (or destroy it, so keep it professional).

Find more tips for gaining valuable exposure online here (Examiner.com).

One of my favorite blog sites is TypePad--it's easy to work with and you get your first blog free, so the price is right!

#TripleTuesday Tweets: Make things right

It's never fun to goof something up at work--a wrong calculation, a typo in a report you turned in to your boss, or stating an untruth because of a lack of complete information. But when it happens, it's not time to hide from it in the hopes that no one will notice. Be proactive and make it right as soon as the error is spotted then, if it happened because you were in a hurry or unfocused, resolve to slow down and pay closer attention next time.