Five for Your First Five: Own Your Career and Life After College

UPDATED IN 2020!

"Dr. Allison McWilliams has hit the nail right on the head and provides focused, effective and actionable ideas for recent college grads who are getting too much inspiration and too little useable help addressing the substantial challenge of building their lives after college. Much of the literature for this audience patronizingly over-compliments them ("You are amazing and can do anything!') or over-criticizes them ("Today's young adults are so entitled - they're impossible!"). Neither of these categorizations is accurate or helpful - quite the opposite. Dr. McWilliams distills her substantial experience in working in some of the most advanced career-preparatory institutions in the country well by picking five key areas for grads to focus their efforts in building a life they own and can love. Her assessments of what's needed directly complements our decade-plus of work in the Stanford Life Design Lab. Her counsel spans the wide swath of necessary critical skills ranging from forming deep habits of personal reflection to navigating the tactical constraints of that tough first job out of college many grads will get. She tells it like it is without making assumptions or judgments about her reader and balances artfully conversing with her reader and challenging them via exercises to do the work. Like Dr. McWilliams, our team believes that successfully journeying those first five years after graduation (and defining what success is wisely!) is terrifically important. If you love anyone who is currently or about to be in those five years, do them the kindness of giving them this book."
~Dave Evans, Co-Author, New York Times #1 Bestseller Designing Your Life, and Co-Founder, Stanford Life Design Lab

FIVE FOR YOUR FIRST FIVE is based on twenty years of experience working with college students and young adults as they make this sometimes challenging and overwhelming transition from college to life-after-college. It combines real-life stories and experiences, from young adults who have already navigated through these waters, with tools, strategies, discussion, and reflection questions. The reader is encouraged to do real, intentional work while exploring the five key areas: Do the Work, Build a Life, Create Community, Practice Reflection, and Own What’s Next. Part workbook, part wise counselor and mentor, FIVE FOR YOUR FIRST FIVE provides meaningful insight into what can happen when you truly take ownership for your career and life.

Allison E. McWilliams is Assistant Vice President and Executive Director of Mentoring and Alumni Personal & Career Development within the Office of Personal and Career Development at Wake Forest University. In these roles, she leads and provides training, support, guidance, and resources for formal and informal mentoring relationships for college students, faculty and staff, and alumni, as well as leading personal and career development programs for young professionals. She has written for and spoken to national and international audiences about effective mentoring strategies, leadership, and professional development. Prior to joining Wake Forest in 2010, Allison was a public service faculty member at the University of Georgia, where she created, administered, and served as a facilitator for leadership development and organizational development programs for higher education and public sector audiences. Allison earned her bachelor's degree from Wake Forest, and holds a master's in public relations and a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Georgia.