College Students & New Grads

Winner of the 2022 Elite Résumé Circle Award-New Graduate Résumé

Inspire Careers Student Professional Launch Program™

Graduation is only the launchpad for a lifetime of career success and today's graduates need to be equipped to soar!

Are you a college senior or new graduate that does not have a job offer or has submitted dozens (or hundreds) of applications with no results? Finding the job that you’ve dreamed of can be very difficult, and with limited experience and lack of expert guidance on the topic, it becomes frustrating and demoralizing very quickly. Set yourself up for success, reduce your stress, fear, and anxiety, and begin your professional career journey here!

Are you a parent of a college senior or new grad concerned for your child’s success in landing a real job with real potential that allow them pay their bills?

This program is designed to bridge the gap between being a college student and becoming a rising professional by teaching the skills necessary for job search success, long-term career satisfaction, and increased earning potential. This program is a 8 to 12-week journey of intense reflection, coaching, instruction, and execution customized to support your goals and help you achieve greater success than going it alone. Let’s get started!

See below and read what success can look like for you.

We change lives at Inspire Careers.

Are you a recent college graduate with no job lined up and becoming overwhelmed with an unsuccessful job search?

Are you a parent searching for the right solution for your child that will allow them to shine, smile, and succeed?

If so, then read Michelle and Joe’s story and how this program changed their son Colin’s life, and in their words, “Gave us our son back.”

If you feel the job search grind is stealing your child’s joy and passion for life, this may be the solution you have been looking for.

An excerpt from the testimonial provided by Michelle and Joe Helfer, Colin’s parents:

“We are writing to express our profound gratitude and whole-hearted endorsement for the Inspire Careers Student Professional Launch Program that we enrolled our son in from December 2022-March 2023. We very highly recommend her Student Professional Launch Program without reservation. When we first hired her, we knew she was an intelligent, talented and motivated professional, but by the time we were done, we knew our son (and us) had a wonderful new friend.

The program exceeded our expectations in many ways. Like many parents, we assumed our bright, well-adjusted and ambitious young adult son had all the tools necessary to find a great position in his field of quantitative economics/finance after college (and also taking courses in grad school at Duke University) by using the services of the college’s career placement office.

It was to our alarm and surprise that we found him instead totally unsure what he wanted to do next, or how go about finding a job, which led him uncharacteristically into a morass of anxiety, lethargy and defensive answers to our questions about his job search, which left us in a state of bewilderment….”

Read How Inspire Careers Help Colin Land His Dream Job Here

Colin's Success Success Story

Working with Cathy was the single best move I made as a jobseeker. I was skeptical when I began the program because I had spent months scouring job postings and nothing ever piqued my interest or felt like the right fit. I didn't know how working with a career coach could change that hopeless and disinterested mindset, but after our first meeting I knew I made the right choice. Cathy's program was perfectly paced and started with helping me discover my true interests via assessments and informational interviews through her vast network. Her re-vamping of my LinkedIn and resume made me stand out much more and get noticed by recruiters. Besides all of the great work we did together, I cherished our weekly meetings the most as we got to catch up and chat on things not related to job searching. She's an understanding and caring person who sincerely has your best interest at heart. If you're in the market for a job, call Cathy.

Colin Helfer

Sandhill Investment Management Data Coordinator

CJ's Success Story

Keep scrolling to learn more about CJ’s journey

Eric's Success Story

Cathy provided an excellent service which spanned from the beginning of the job search process to the point where I accepted a job offer. On top of the service she provided with creating a professional resume and cover letter, she also advised me as I kept applying for jobs, doing interviews, etc. She assisted me in improving skills in networking and following-up. The feedback she provided about my interviewing ability led me to make some improvements to how I would answer questions. Overall, the service has been greatly beneficial and I learned much about the importance of networking and following-up which I will certainly make use of over the course of my career. I am satisfied with the systems engineering position I landed, and I believe that without the experience and education I had over the course of the program, it would have been much more difficult to land a job of this level of experience and prestige.

Eric Fisher

Systems Engineer, Collins Aerospace

Cathy was a great resource for helping to get my son an engineering position post-graduation. She was the key to him being able to get into the job market and acquire his first professional position. My son got good grades throughout his bachelor's and master's programs in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering, but that didn't seem to be enough to get employers interested in him. He was not fortunate enough to have gotten an internship and didn't have many extracurricular activities in college. We searched around for people who could help with creating a resume and coaching him for the interview process. Fortunately, Cathy was highly recommended by one of the coaching people in our area who was too busy to help at the time. Cathy had regular sessions with my son over the course of several months. She started by creating a professional resume and getting his LinkedIn profile set up correctly. She sent him a notebook outlining the entire process he would be going through, so he knew what would be involved. It became clear over the course of time that Cathy was teaching him the essentials that someone straight out of college would need in the job search process. I am sure that there were some challenging times for her, because even though my son is intelligent, he doesn't communicate clearly. She was always punctual, friendly, clear-spoken, and clear-headed. I never had a doubt that she was doing what she set out to do. She always had the right answer both for me and my son. This was important because we had invested a significant amount of money and time in his education and needed results. In the end, after Cathy coached him for five months, he was finally offered the quality job he had been seeking. He might have eventually gotten the position without her help, but there is no doubt that she taught him valuable skills that he will have for the rest of his life. Thank you, Cathy. I am convinced that you made it possible for our son to get what he deserved.

Michael Fisher,

5G PCB Designer at Nokia and Eric’s father

Xavier's Success Story

I acquired Cathy's services as a recent graduate with little to no experience. Attaining an entry level job to begin my career genuinely seemed impossible. After a few desperate months, I hired Cathy to assist me in my search. She helped me navigate the landscape of professional corporations with expertise. The resume she made for me got amazing reviews from tenured HR professionals. Her interview tips quite literally got me a job at a respectable pharmaceutical market research company. Let me be clear: I could not have achieved the fortunate outcome I got without Cathy's help. Ultimately she got me to: 1. Understand my value and why corporations WILL want to hire me. 2. Have professional resources to give to professional employers (incredible resume, cover letter, etc). 3. Communicate my value effectively to potential employers in interviews and other correspondence. 4. See the light at the end of a miserably dark tunnel. Thanks for your help, Cathy. If you need someone to guide you through the often nebulous search for employment, I can't recommend Cathy Lanzalaco enough.

Xavier Mazuerk

Associate Product Manager, Spherix Global Insights

I strongly recommend Cathy as a career counselor for young people entering the job market. She helped my son when he graduated from college and I wish I had retained her while he was still in college. She has deep knowledge of all things related to the application and hiring processes and a no-nonsense approach to those processes. She has a tremendous ability to connect with young people about the decidedly grown-up task of, not only finding a job, but starting a career. She is well worth twice what she charges.

Edward Mazurek,

Chairman of the Mazurek Law Firm and Xavier’s father

Mary's Success Story

I used my brand new, custom-made resume to catch the attention of employers, and they helped me create a Tik Tok resume to help me stand out from other candidates! In just weeks, I landed my dream job a whole month before even graduating college!

Mary Eggert

Tourism Digital Marketing Professional

Haley's Success Story

It was an absolute joy working with Cathy! Before working with her, I was completely lost in my career path and had no idea what I wanted to do. She helped guide me in finding a career I would enjoy and feel passionate about. She is an excellent motivator and truly knows what she is doing! She also helped to create a beautiful resume and LinkedIn profile for me. I am looking forward to keeping in touch with her as she continues to provide assistance and advice as I move further in my education and career!

Haley Mitchell

Aspiring Nuclear Medicine Technologist

Praise for Inspire Careers from Haley's Father!

Cathy is amazing! She was able to help my daughter Haley, who recently had graduated college, take a moment and breathe. This may sound relatively unimportant but it was actually quite critical in her approach to helping Haley. Cathy structured a very robust plan that held Haley accountable while allowing her to see her movement and success in the program. We couldn't be happier with the outcome. Haley was able to identify a clinical area of interest that has tremendous growth potential while playing to her strengths and interests. She'll continue her post-graduate work pursuing a degree in Nuclear Medicine. There is a plan to follow allowing for pivoting where needed. Within 24 months Haley will be in the workforce. The future is quite bright and WE couldn't be more appreciative of Cathy and all of her efforts. I HIGHLY recommend Cathy for graduating seniors, recent graduates and professionals looking to make a change. THANK YOU Cathy!

Rob Mitchell

Director of Strategic Partnerships and Sales Enablement, Rently

Adam's Success Story

"Cathy was extremely helpful in helping me land a new job. From coaching sessions, in which she taught me valuable skills for each step in the job search process, to the connections she helped me make, to the fantastic new ATS-compatible resume she developed, she was very supportive throughout and the program was tremendously beneficial. I highly recommend it for anyone struggling to find job who are in need of the right tools to find a good fit and confidence when it comes their search."

-Adam Duke

Digital News Producer, WIVB

Adam Duke is a digital producer at News 4.

Before joining the News 4 team in 2021, Adam worked in the sports department at the Buffalo News for two years. Prior to that, he interned at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where he primarily covered arts and entertainment as part of the features staff.

Adam is a 2019 Canisius College graduate with degrees in journalism and communication studies. At Canisius, Adam was editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, The Griffin.

He is passionate about television, film and music, three of his favorite things to write about. He is also an avid concert-goer and enjoys watching the Buffalo Bills.

Jessica's Success Story

Praise for Inspire Careers from Jessica's Mom!

During her senior year of college, Cathy worked with my daughter helping her with career advice as she graduated with a degree in International Affairs. Cathy is knowledgeable, strategic, professional, and highly effective. She guided my daughter in best practices of resume-writing, cover-letter writing, job searching, interviewing, and generally building a comprehensive personal brand – which is so critical these days. (And my daughter had a job offer for a position that she really wanted by graduation.) I highly recommend Cathy!

Carla Gates

Digital Marketer & Parent of Successful New Graduate

CJ's Success Story

"I'm not sure how people find job opportunities without Cathy's help. She has been an integral part in my job search as she has instructed me with tips about LinkedIn, resumes, and the many other ways of marketing yourself to ensure success. Cathy's efforts are not simply for landing you any position, they are for finding opportunities you once thought were unattainable. Consider Cathy's services as an investment...working with her will immediately increase your initial salary by far more than what you are investing in her services! I happened to get an instant return on my investment. Highly recommend!"

-CJ Luksch

Worldwide Express Account Executive

Chris' Success Story

Chris recently accepted a position in the Entertainment business as a digital strategist at NOX Media, a startup media firm that works with clients like Avril Lavigne, Mike Tyson, and many other major artists and music brands. The Entertainment industry is one of the most challenging to navigate and land a job in, but despite the demands of the industry, the limited number of available jobs, and the (at times) grueling interview process, Chris triumphed. Congrats Chris!

I think my favorite trait about Cathy is that she took a very empathetic approach when we did our work together. I had many moments of frustration and instead of getting down on me or fueling that fire, she was able to reframe my situation for me and reset my mindset.
She clearly cares about her clients because she even took several phone calls with me after our work was officially done to guide me through specific job applications and discuss what my prospects were like after did our work. Cathy is the type of person I know will forever be in my network (and I will always be in hers!) and I am extremely grateful for her guidance!
I chose to work with Cathy based on several positive recommendations from family friends and my dad. Out of all of the “personal branding experts” that approach me on a regular basis, Cathy clearly had the best track record and I never once had to question what she would do for me or how legitimate it was.
What was most helpful for me was that she was not afraid to be politely brutally honest with me. She told me what my strengths were and she told me exactly what needed to be revamped in order to stay competitive on the job market. I feel many people aren’t totally honest with their clients in general to spare their feelings, but Cathy always created a safe, comfortable, work environment, and it was extremely easy to stay open and honest with each other.
I think her services are spot on. I hired her to specifically develop and coach me through the job search process and create a fresh resume from scratch. She did a very thorough job getting to know me through the DISC assessment and applied all of that info to my Cover Letter and Resume. It worked well as I have been interviewing at some of the top firms in entertainment since we completed our work together!

Chris Varvaro, Entrepreneur and Music Producer

New Graduate and College Student Résumé Samples

Our resumes help our rising professionals land jobs and internships at some of the leading companies in the country, including: NASA, Raytheon Intelligence & Space, Lockheed Martin, The Disney Company, Leidos, and many others.

New College Graduate*

*Published in Emerald Career Publishing’s Modernize your Résumé: Get Noticed…Get Hired, 2nd Edition (2019)

College Junior, Systems Engineering Major

New College Graduate

Inspiring New Grad Networking Success

Inspire Careers New Grads Networking at Entercom Communications

Big thanks to Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Famer, Don Tomasulo and the good folks at Entercom Communications for hosting our new grads, giving them a tour of the station, and providing a valuable opportunity to hone their networking skills.

THE INSPIRE CAREERS TRANSFORMATION FRAMEWORK

Ignite personal commitment, determination, and persistence in all that you do!

A high-touch, comprehensive program and best investment value to help college seniors and new grads launch into their career.

Professional Launch Program Welcome Kit – Inspire Careers welcomes you to its Student Professional Launch Program™ with practical tools and information to set you up for success.

Assessment Testing (Communication/Behavioral/Strengths/Interests/Personality) – Comprehensive report designed to help identify, understand, and optimize your strengths, personality, and communication style and will be an important tool in the development of your personal brand.

Invitation To Join the Inspire Careers Rising Professionals LinkedIn Group – Receive an invitation to join this exclusive LinkedIn networking group designed to share information, resources, and support that matters specifically to you at this stage of your career. Other members of the group will include other rising professionals, relevant industry leaders, and executive recruiters.

Creation of a High-Performance Résumé – Individual résumé consultation includes definition of job search targets and value proposition, branded summary heading, keyword optimization, and conversion to .pdf format.

Cover Letter / E-Note Development – Development of a master cover letter, editable for use for numerous job posting responses. Cover letter will be similarly branded to match your new professional résumé and provide a compelling introduction to your brand. An E-Note is a more succinct and direct approach to a cover letter and suitable for electronic communications. Ask me if it is the right option for your needs.

Letterhead Stationery – Stationary branded to match your new professional résumé for use with cover letters, thank you notes, and letters of inquiry.

Professional Reference List Template – Template includes all necessary elements that employers will need to contact your professional references. Branded to accompany résumé and cover letter, it is ready for you to fill in the information once you have identified and confirmed your references. Includes curated resources to help guide you in the selection of impactful references to support your record of achievements and unique value offering.

Post-Interview Thank You Note Template – An effective thank you note following any and all interviews should be part of the comprehensive career campaign. You will receive a template to guide you in the creation of a powerful thank you note that will set you above the crowd and leave a positive impression on the interviewer.

Weekly Monday Motivation Email – Monday morning email contact and motivational quote to provide inspiration to kick off the week strong.

LinkedIn Profile Makeover/Keyword Optimization – Update your profile to complement your new professional résumé and include career-specific keyword optimization. Includes best practices regarding customizing your Headline and About sections to better communicate your brand and attract recruiter and hiring manager attention.

LinkedIn Tutorial – Step up the effectiveness of your new professional brand and LinkedIn profile with scheduling a LinkedIn tutorial. Following optimization of your LinkedIn profile, learn how to effectively leverage LinkedIn to maximize your professional visibility and networking capability. Review LinkedIn’s job search functionality, strategic connection identification, and creation of search alerts for jobs within your targeted industry or targeted companies. Includes discussion of whether or not posting your résumé and on LinkedIn should be part of your overall job search strategy. A critical element of this session is learning how to create an effective online presence to showcase your brand, demonstrate your value, and attract more meaningful attention with your job search efforts.

Video Interview Coaching Session – One-on-one, 1.0-hour Zoom interview coaching session reviewing the basics of a professional interview including best practice protocol and professional courtesy, dress for success recommendations, document preparation and the all-important “Elevator Pitch.” The most common interview questions will be reviewed and strategies provided to promote a successful interview and effective follow-up. Discussion of how to handle “the salary” question and how to create a “leave behind packet” will be included.

Multiple Original and Curated Job Search-Related Resources – Receive multiple resources to augment the material covered in our coaching sessions. i.e. auditing your digital footprint , conducting informational interviews, getting the most out of salary negotiations, job search affirmations, and more.

Weekly/Bi-Weekly Virtual Coaching Sessions – Meet with your coach bi-weekly via Zoom to receive guidance and feedback on your activities. Discuss strategy and obtain ongoing support to optimize confidence and success with each step of the program. These sessions focus heavily on building effective time management skills and personal accountability.

Participate in a Networking Event – Join your coach for personal and/or group networking at an in-person or virtual event. Connecting with recruiters, learning how to interact with recruiters, and developing a relationship with recruiters is key to uncovering opportunities in the hidden job market. I will provide linkage to targeted recruiters to help develop your skills and effectiveness in this area.

Participate in a Cohort Mastermind Group – Drawing from diverse backgrounds and experiences, members challenge and support each other, fostering accountability and encouraging growth. Through regular meetings and discussions, they exchange insights, offer guidance, and leverage collective intelligence to navigate challenges and seize opportunities. This collaborative dynamic amplifies individual potential, driving members towards greater success.

Create a 30-60-90-Day New Job Success Plan – A 30-60-90-day new job success plan is a blueprint of the goals and milestones you wish to achieve for each 30 days during this critical onboarding and acclimation period. Developing this written strategy as part of your interview preparation is a great way to stand out during an interview and give you a competitive advantage over other candidates that are either “winging it” or have not thought past the job offer to prepare to be successful in their new role.

Job Search Strategy Coaching Session – Develop a comprehensive job search plan, including a customized approach to jumpstart and manage a successful job search campaign utilizing the tools outlined above. Includes the Inspire Careers Networking Tracker and Contact Prioritization System to help manage your networking and follow-up during your search.

Interview for Job Seeker Spotlight Video Podcast – Participate in a 6-8-minute video interview as part of the Inspire Careers Job Seeker Spotlight Series. This interview will provide recruiters and hiring managers insight into your skills, qualifications, and career goals and begin to generate interest in your candidacy. Video will be shared on LinkedIn and the Inspire Careers Business Facebook page and you may share at your discretion as part of your overall career campaign strategy.

Develop a Post-Interview Packet (aka) Leave Behind Packet – Understand how a Post Interview Packet (leave behind materials) will differentiate you from your competition and help seal the deal on your candidacy. Interviewing virtually? No problem. I will teach you how to get your packet to the key decision makers as part of your overall interview strategy before final hiring decisions are made.

Activation of the Inspire Careers Professional Network – Networking is the #1 way to open doors and land a job, and having a warm introduction helps boost networking success. Linkage to contacts within the Inspire Careers professional network aligned with your goals will be shared with you for networking, informational interviews, and relationship development. The proper protocols to optimize those contacts will be reviewed.

Unlimited Access to All Digital Courses in the Inspire Careers Career Coaching School – Support and reinforce the hands-on learning within the program with self-paced, engaging digital courses.

Unlimited Access to the Inspire Careers Vault – Obtain unlimited access to all proprietary and curated content in the exclusive Inspire Careers Resource Vault.

Ongoing Support Throughout Job Search – Continue communicating with your coach to receive guidance and support for an extra boost of confidence or encouragement until you land the big job. Receive assistance assessing and negotiating your incredible job offer.

THE INSPIRE CAREERS TRANSFORMATION FRAMEWORK *
Professional Launch Program Welcome Kit
Assessment Testing (Communication/Behavioral/ Strengths/Interests/Personality)
Invitation To Join The Inspire Careers Rising Professionals LinkedIn Group
Creation of a High-Performance Résumé
Cover Letter / E-Note Development
Matching Letterhead Stationery
Professional Reference List Template
Post-Interview Thank You Note Template
Weekly Monday Motivation Email
LinkedIn Makeover & Keyword Optimization
LinkedIn Tutorial Session
Video Interview Coaching Session
Multiple Original and Curated Job Search Resources
Bi-Weekly Virtual Coaching Sessions
Participate in a Networking Event
Participate in a Cohort Mastermind Group
Create a 30-60-90 Day New Job Success Plan
Job Search Strategy Creation and Coaching Session
Interview for Job Seeker Spotlight Video Podcast
Develop a Post-Interview (Leave Behind) Packet
Activation of the Inspire Careers Professional Network
Unlimited Access to All Digital Courses in the Inspire Careers Career Coaching School
Unlimited Access to the Inspire Careers Vault
Ongoing Support Throughout Job Search
Participation in Program by Invitation Only	Contact Cathy Lanzalaco here to ask if you qualify.

*Inspire Careers LLC reserves the right to modify the specific elements of the program to meet the individual needs of each client.

*The 100% success guarantee is contingent upon full compliance by the participant as determined by Inspire Careers.

*No shows for coaching sessions will be charged and billed $300 before program will continue. This is to build responsibility and accountability in participants in the program.

Winner of the 2022 Elite Résumé Circle Award-New Graduate Résumé

Inspire Careers Student Professional Launch Program™

Graduation is only the launchpad for a lifetime of career success and today's graduates need to be equipped to soar!

Read How Inspire Careers Help Colin Land His Dream Job Here