Addressing the College-to-Work Transition Implications for University Career Counselors

This article reviews recent literature highlighting the challenges associated with the college-to-work transition and proposes a model for understanding the experience of workplace entry for new graduates. This model outlines three stages of development in the transition process, namely (a) anticipation, (b) adjustment, and (c) achievement, and identifies a number of challenges that can be addressed prior to college graduation. In response, this article suggests that university career counselors can play an increasingly supportive role in easing the complexities of the transition. Evidence indicates that students may benefit from a more thorough understanding of workplace realities and resources for coping with the significant change inherent in this transition experience. Implications for university career counselors are provided.