This is a guest post by Eileen Wisnewski.

Graduation often signals the end of competition for most college athletes. This can be an emotional realization, as many graduating athletes would love to play just one more season.

While competing, the level of time and commitment college athletes give to their sport sometimes prevents them from properly planning for the next step in life after college. This can result in recent graduates feeling underprepared to start their professional lives.

The good news is that across career industries, many employers truly value and seek out the skills and abilities athletes possess. Whether they realize this or not, athletes develop some very important and marketable skills while playing their sport.

Victory comes to those athletes who are able to 1) identify these skills, and 2) communicate them in a resume, cover letter or during an interview. Here are three examples:

1. Teamwork
Athletes begin developing teamwork skills as early as elementary school. They realize the importance of working with others for the desired positive outcome. Each player must contribute for this to be achieved. Employers want to hire candidates who aren’t going to be showboats and who recognize that everyone contributes to the success of the team.

How to express this:
“While playing college soccer, I developed strong teamwork skills and understand the importance of working together to achieve success. An example of this was when…”

2. Value of Hard Work
Athletes are trained to bring their “A” game every time they step onto the playing field. I once watched a hiring manager reviewing college students’ resumes by quickly scanning and highlighting athletic experiences. When I asked him why he said, “I love hiring athletes. Oftentimes you need to do the mundane in order to attain a successful final outcome. Athletes are used to training and practicing long hours, which ideally results in winning. That is the type of person I want to hire.”

How to express this:
“As a multi-sport athlete, I was trained to always bring my best to the playing field, even during practice. I take my performance seriously and bring the same attitude to everything I do. An example of this was when…”

3. “Coachable”
Employers want to hire recent graduates who are willing to take direction and learn the ropes from their company. Athletes understand the value of listening and learning from their coaches (and in employment, their managers). They also are able to take constructive criticism and use it to strengthen their skills and abilities.

How to express this:
“Athletics has taught me to seek out feedback from others. I know that one of the best ways to improve my performance is by listening to the advice from those with more experience. An example of this was when…”

These are just a few of the many advantageous skills college athletes develop while playing their sport. In order for this to pay off, however, athletes must 1) process what skills they have developed while in competition, and then 2) be able to communicate this to a hiring manager. As an athlete is familiar with putting in the time to train and practice, the most successful candidates also will have devoted significant preparation and practice for the job for the search process.

Eileen Wisnewski is very passionate about assisting athletes with their career development, and has been a professional in the industry for over 12 years.

As you can probably tell from reading my blog, I love lists. Top 10 These. Absolute 5 Thats. Well, I recently came across a fantastic list of 10 Everyday Super Foods, described by WebMD as “multitaskers,” such as nuts, blueberries and salmon, that are packed with multiple nutrients to help you stay healthy, promote wellness and weight control and taste good, too.

This got me thinking: What are the “Everyday Super Foods” for career success? What people, practices, tools and habits give you the biggest bang for your buck? Here is my list, and I hope you’ll share more “Career Super Foods” in the Comments.

1. Daily Goals. We often talk about annual goals or life goals, but successful people set — and achieve — small goals all the time (we sometimes call them priorities or to-do lists). Especially when you have a big goal — such as getting a new job, writing a book or launching a business — set small, daily goals that will keep you moving forward. Big goals are important, but small goals get the job done.

2. News. One of the most popular tips in my book, Getting from College to Career, is to read a newspaper every single day. Whether you read the headlines on your laptop, your phone, in an e-newsletter or a printed copy of the paper, it’s crucial that you keep up with world news, national news and the news of the particular industry you want to join. We live in the Information Age, so the most informed people are the ones who are most likely to succeed.

Read the rest of this post on my “College to Career” blog at MyPath.com…

Revisit Your New Year’s Resolutions.
Remember that sense of optimism and new beginnings you felt as you turned your calendar to January? Pretend you’re a company with a July 1^st start to your fiscal year and reboot your resolutions right now. If you never set any goals for this year, lie on a beach towel staring at the sky and daydream about what you want to accomplish by the end of 2010. Then, commit to taking some small steps this summer (such as registering for an online course to improve your negotiation skills, going outlet shopping to perk up your professional wardrobe, revising your job description with your boss to prepare for a promotion) to move yourself forward.

Redefine “Beach Reading.”
Instead of reading the latest romance novel, gossip magazine or legal thriller by the pool, pack your tote bag with a book that will advance your career knowledge. Check out the biography of a successful business owner, a productivity guide or a job hunting manual. If you’d rather keep your eyes shut and avoid weird sunglasses tan lines, load some books onto your iPod and listen instead. Consider these 10 great career books for young professionals.

Read the rest of this post on my “College to Career” blog at MyPath.com…

One of my favorite questions to ask recruiters is, “What are your biggest pet peeves about entry-level job candidates?” Below are some of the answers I’ve received. Hopefully this list will save you from committing any major faux pas!

1. “Creative” resumes. I know you want to stand out from the crowd, but a perfumed, purple or paper airplane-shaped resume is not the way to do it.

2. Not doing your homework. We live in the Information Age, so there is no excuse for not learning as much information about a company as possible before meeting a representative of that company at a job fair, information session or other recruiting event.

You should already know the organization’s lines of business, competitors, current news and other facts you can easily discover from a website or a quick Google search. Asking a recruiter to tell you about his organization or asking what the company does is a quick way to strike out.

Read the rest of this post on my “College to Career” blog at MyPath.com…

In this free, 60-minute training webinar, I’ll be sharing the strategies and best practices to leverage LinkedIn at every stage of your job search. Discover how to:

• Build an online profile that attracts the attention of recruiters and hiring managers
• Expand your professional network to drive more opportunities your way
• Use LinkedIn to find job leads and get your resume to the top of the applicant list
• Access the benefits of Job Seeker Premium, a brand new LinkedIn feature
• Find expert answers to your questions about LinkedIn

Register now at http://learn.linkedin.com/jobseeker!

Recent surveys show that Millennials want to make a difference in the world. The National Association of Colleges and Employers found that 27 percent of graduating seniors in 2009 plan to work for nonprofit groups or government. Another survey by the Partnership for Public Service found that 90 percent would be interested in a federal government job. On top of that, the recent Heartland Monitor Poll found that 55 percent of Millennials are seeking long-term job security.

Many of the jobs that make a difference in the world, like those in environmental, social services, education, community development, religion, international development or the arts, are found only in the nonprofit sector or government. Some of the most interesting and fulfilling jobs—like wildlife biologists, foreign service officers, community development specialists, social workers, disaster management specialists, or community organizers and advocates, can only be found in government or nonprofit organizations.

Another reason to consider public service work is that many of these jobs are the most stable in a down economy. For instance, the layoff rate for government was only 0.6 percent in January 2009, compared with 2.1 percent in the private sector.

But the job search for nonprofit or government entities can be very different from the typical ones you might have been prepared for by your college career center. For instance, government agencies may ask you to write essays about your work experience and how it relates to a job, or you may have to take a civil service test. You have to follow all instructions carefully in order to be considered, and a normal resume may not work. For a nonprofit organization, you should highlight your volunteer experience and leadership, and make sure to network as much as possible into the often tight-knit nonprofit community.

Interested in learning more about public service careers? Heather’s new book, Jobs That Matter: Find a Stable, Fulfilling Career in Public Service (© 2010 JIST Works), shares the secrets you need to land a fulfilling job in public service. For more tips from Heather, visit www.heatherkrasna.com.

If you have trouble viewing the above, watch the video here.

It’s likely that you’ll be asked to have a meal during the job interview process, so be sure to brush up on your etiquette skills as these students did. Below are my top 10 etiquette rules for job interview-related meals. Some of these are common sense and some are a little more complicated, so review them carefully. When in doubt, take a peek around the table and watch what your hosts are doing for clues.

1. Always use basic good manners. Say please and thank you, don’t reach (ask for items to be passed to you), keep your elbows off the table and don’t speak with your mouth full. A good tip is to take small bites so you’ll never have a big chunk of food in your mouth when an interviewer or client asks you a question!

2. Do not start to eat until every at the table has been served.

3. Use silverware from the outside in. The spoon and fork at the top of your plate are for coffee and dessert.

4. Be sure to sip from the correct glass and eat the right roll. Your place setting is arranged with your bread plate to the left of your plate and your beverage to the right. I like to remember this by thinking “BMW,” like the car: Bread, Meal, Water.

5. Bread should be buttered by breaking off one piece at a time and buttering that piece. Do not cut your bread into lots of pieces or butter the whole slice or roll at once.

Read the rest of this post on my “College to Career” blog at MyPath.com…

Listen in on my conversation with Joy Schwartz, a former campus recruiter who is now a university career counselor. She’ll share the inside scoop from the other side of the job fair booth, answering such questions as:

• What are some of the biggest mistakes students make in the campus recruiting process?
• What can students do to stand out in the recruiting process?
• What is the most important question in a job interview?
• What is the best way for candidates to follow up with recruiters?

Click here to listen to this podcast on my “College to Career” blog at MyPath.com, and please share your thoughts in the Comments section below. You can also check out Joy’s blog at JoySchwartz.com.

“She has the ability to pass. It’s going to come down to whether she thinks she can pass.”

I failed.

My driving instructor was exactly right. I had practiced enough and had the skills and knowledge to get my license. What I was missing was the confidence to actually do it.

I see this same situation all the time with college students and recent grads in the job market. They have the talent, skills and ability to get a job, but they lack the self-confidence it takes to land a position, especially in the ultra-competitive market we’re experiencing right now.

If you’re struggling with self-confidence, here are some tips:

1. Ask for feedback. Recruit a trusted relative, career services staff member, professor or friend to assess you honestly. Often we don’t even realize our strongest assets because they come naturally to us. Ask the person to list your best qualities and most impressive accomplishments. On the flip side, ask for constructive feedback on your weaknesses. Find out if the things you’re most concerned about — lack of experience, a less-than-desirable GPA, shyness, etc. — are legitimate concerns or if you’re obsessing over nothing. If your fears are unfounded, let them go once and for all!

2. Take action on any gaps. If you do determine some important weaknesses, develop a game plan for improving the key skills, knowledge or qualities you’ll need to land the job you want. Take action! Sign up for a coaching session at your career services office, register for an e-course, read a few instructional books or hire a career coach or tutor. Besides gaining the skills you need, you’ll have a great answer to the interview question, “What is your biggest weakness?” You’ll be able to say, “I identified a key weakness and here are the steps I took to overcome it.”

Read the rest of this post on my “College to Career” blog at MyPath.com…