Helping the New College Grad in Your Life Take the Next Step

If your son or daughter is about to graduate from college in the next couple of weeks, there's probably one question that is on your whole family's mind: what happens next? Since the start of the recession, a growing number of recent grads have opted for staying in school – hoping that an advanced degree will make them more marketable later on, especially as economic conditions improve. Still, the majority of new graduates land on the job market . Even with Wall Street on the upswing, it's still a struggle to land that first gig.

As parents, we have to resist the urge to step in and "fix" things for our children at this point. The transition from school to work is a critical one and it's important that your now- grown children navigate this journey on their own. But there are ways you can help. Some suggestions:

Be supportive, but don't push. They may be over 21, but at times, your kids may act like kids again – especially if you ramp up the nagging. Look for opportunities to provide moral support and help them through the decision-making process but always honor their independence.

Praise positive steps and don't be overly critical when things don't work out. They're not going to get the first job they apply for or the fifth or maybe even the twenty-fifth. But with each rejection, they will learn something. Try to help them figure out those important lessons.

Accept that this is your child's life, not yours. If you're happy with all the choices you made from the day you left college, that's great. But that was your life and your children are now trying to figure things out for themselves. Their answers will be different from yours. Respect that.

Keep your perspective. Your son or daughter is just starting and they're only at the beginning of the career ladder. The job they get at this point is not the end of their story. Be happy they're getting a paycheck – and hopefully moving out of the house.