Student Professional Launch Program™
(See below for a full description of program tools)
The Inspire Careers Student Professional Launch Program™ is designed to empower students and new graduates to develop the confidence, skills, and tools for a successful launch into the professional world. With a tight job market, fierce competition for coveted positions, and oppressive student loan debt, today’s students and new graduates can easily become overwhelmed with the challenges and choices ahead of them. This program helps to take the confusion out the career launch process and sets students and new graduates up for a lifetime of career success.
An investment in a student or new graduate’s future is the gift that will lay the foundation for ongoing career accomplishment and satisfaction. According to a recent article from Forbes by Preston Cooper, 43% of recent college graduates are underemployed right out of college, and the majority remain so for many years after graduation. Poor career planning results in a lifetime of lower earning potential, greater job disengagement, and diminished job satisfaction. Set your student up for success with the Inspire Careers’ Student Professional Launch Program™.
Prior to acceptance into this exclusive program the candidate will be interviewed and assessed for motivation, work ethic, and a level of maturity congruent with proactive strategy execution and acceptance of personal accountability for their own success. Candidates not meeting the criteria for participation in this program will still have the opportunity to secure a professional résumé, cover letter, and Linkedin profile content at a package rate.
While most students and new graduates come to Inspire Careers via recommendations from their parents, we feel strongly that the ongoing work is exclusively between the young adult and the coach with ongoing committed support from their parents at home. Working one-on-one with a professional career coach instills responsibility and accountability and sets expectations for meaningful professional relationships in the workplace. Parental support of the student/new graduate and coach’s work together is a key driver of the participant’s program success.
In addition to the service offerings below, all program levels include lifetime digital document storage in our secure database. We will retain documents created with us at no additional cost for future retrieval as the new graduate confidently works their way into the ranks of the rising professional.
| CHOOSE THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT TO MEET THEIR NEEDS | INSPIRE! | ILLUMINATE! | IGNITE! |
|---|---|---|---|
| INVESTMENT | $3500 | $4500 | $5500 |
| Who is this program the right solution for? | Needs foundational support | Excels with enhanced support | Serious about landing the RIGHT job! |
| Professional Launch Program Welcome Kit |  | | |
| O*NET Interest Profiler | | | |
| DISCstyles™ Communication and Behavioral Strengths Assessment | | | |
| Branded Résumé Consultation & Development | | | |
| Cover Letter / E-Note Development | | | |
| Matching Letterhead Stationery | | | |
| Professional Reference List Template | | | |
| Post-Interview Thank You Note Template | | | |
| Weekly Monday Motivation Email | | | |
| LinkedIn Profile Update & Optimization | | |
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| Video Interview Coaching / Preparation | | |
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| Multiple Original and Curated Job Search Resources | | |
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| Weekly Coaching Sessions | |
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| Participate in a Networking Event | |
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| Create a 30-60-90 Day New Job Success Plan | |
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| Job Search Strategy Coaching Session | |
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| LinkedIn Tutorial Session | |
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| Interview for Job Seeker Spotlight Video Podcast | |
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| Résumé Distribution Email Campaign to Executive Recruiters | |
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| Ongoing Email Support Throughout Job Search | |
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| Professional Launch Program Graduation Gift | |
New Graduate Résumé Samples
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
What Our New Grads Are Saying:
With Cathy’s help I was able to land a job with a growing and innovative medical sales company. She helped me curate a fabulous cover letter, resume and more. She coached me through the job search, application, and interview process and also educated me on how to professionally and most effectively use LinkedIn. I would recommend Cathy to anybody!
If anyone is looking for a new career or to see if there is something more out there for them, I HIGHLY recommend Cathy Lanzalaco at Inspire Careers. She is so supportive during the entire process and is so responsive to any needs or questions. It was with her help that I was able to shift professionally from over a decade of customer service jobs into nursing. Even if you are in a career you love, but want to achieve more, she is your woman! I had no idea how I was going to sell myself as a graduate nurse after changing to a new career, especially since I have over 15 years of customer service. Cathy made the entire process incredibly easy and stress free for me (especially important since I was studying for my boards at the time!). She has a true gift when it comes to this, and it shows in all of her work. She created the most beautiful, concise and eye-catching resume I have ever seen. Cathy is an absolute pleasure to work with, and her dedication and passion to helping others achieve happiness in their careers is abundantly clear when working with her.
Inspiring New Grad Networking Success
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.
Inspire Careers provides a multimedia approach to connect our new grads to potential job leads.
I really benefited from doing the interview prep. Being able to practice the questions over a video call made me feel more comfortable in my ability to accurately respond to interviewers.
I wanted to reach out to you to express my gratitude in helping me out with my interview preparation. I appreciate you taking the time to chat with me and give me some very helpful feedback. Last Friday was my interview and I believe it went perfectly! I kept in mind everything that you said and I was confident with my answers. I’ve received the good news that I have gotten the position and will begin training in this upcoming week. Thank you again for all of your helpful advice with writing the action plan and interviewing. I truly appreciate your help.
THE INSPIRE PROGRAM: $3500
Inspire new hope and confidence in your unique abilities!
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.
O*NET Interest Profiler – Identifies your interests to help you decide what kinds of careers you might want to explore.
DISCstyles™ Communication and Behavioral Strengths Assessment – Comprehensive report designed to help identify, understand, and optimize your strengths, personality, and communication style.
Branded Résumé Consultation and Development – Individual résumé consultation includes definition of job search targets and value proposition, branded summary heading, keyword optimization, and conversion to .pdf and .txt formats.
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 tip sheet 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.
THE ILLUMINATE PROGRAM: $4500
Illuminate the path toward fulfillment of your goals!
All of the above, plus:
LinkedIn Profile – 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.
Video Interview Coaching / Preparation – 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.
THE IGNITE PROGRAM: $5500
Ignite personal commitment, determination, and persistence in all that you do!
All of the above, plus:
Weekly Coaching Sessions – Meet with your coach weekly 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.
Participate in a Networking Event – Join your coach for personal and/or group networking at an in-person or virtual event.
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.
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.
Interview for Job Seeker Spotlight Video Podcast – Participate in a 6-8-minute video interview as part of the Inspire Careers Job Seeker Spotlight. This interview will provide recruiters and hiring managers brief 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.
Résumé Distribution Email Campaign to Executive Recruiters – Tap into the hidden job market and begin circulating your new professional résumé and cover letter to the leading recruiters in your target geographical area. Learn strategies to engage the recruiters in follow up communication to enhance the effectiveness of your job search.
Ongoing Email Support Throughout Job Search – Continue communicating with your coach via email to receive guidance and support as needed for an extra boost of confidence or encouragement until you launch the big job.
Professional Launch Program Graduation Gift – Upon completion of the Ignite! Student Professional Launch Program™ receive an exclusive “graduation” gift designed to recognize your achievement and inspire your continued success.