FOREWORD

La’Tonya Rease Miles, PhD

Nationally Recognized First-Generation Student Expert

My son was one of the nearly two million graduates in the class of 2020 whose college career ended with a whimper due to COVID-19. He was a business major with internship experience, but his goal of working in sports management was put on pause by the pandemic.

Although my son had it tough, many students have it even tougher. I know this because I’ve worked directly with students at UCLA and Loyola Marymount University for the past sixteen years, especially with first-generation college students, low-income students, and other students who navigate college with big dreams but little social capital.

Sean O’Keefe understands the needs of today’s diverse student body—their feelings, doubts, and eagerness. Sean is like a personal coach and cheerleader, always assuring and affirming, never dismissive or trite. His advice is especially helpful for students who do not have family connections or a broad professional network upon which to draw. The Career Launch Method demonstrates that you can build your own network and, perhaps more significantly, why it matters to have connections to professionals in the first place.

The advice in Launch Your Career is accessible, easy to follow, and easy to digest. The book is filled with practical exercises and is easy to incorporate into college courses and cocurricular programs. In fact, one of the book’s core strengths is its adaptability.

Whether you are attending a four-year university as an undergrad or graduate student, or a community college, or are a returning adult student seeking a certificate and new skills, Launch Your Career will serve you well and should be revisited periodically. Even I, a higher education professional and the parent of a college graduate, learned a lot.

While many students these days are told often about the value of building relationships with professionals and about the need to cultivate their brand, Launch Your Career has a unique and timeless message to send: it is important to work smart and not just work hard. In other words, have a strategy and a plan. Some people may be shocked to learn that the “best” candidates do not always get the jobs. Launch Your Career delivers a kind of straight talk (full of pep and affirmation) that will minimize your fears, prepare you to step out of your comfort zone, and propel you to start taking action.

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