Front Page

Endorsements

“Modern young adults need all the intelligent help they can get to safely surf today’s tsunami of change in technology and future work opportunities. Not sure about that? OK. Just talk with a few Gen Yers, asking about their hopes and dreams and how they expect to realize them. You’ll walk away scratching your head.

StartSavvy.com steps into the breach with a rich selection of important advice and direction to clear up fuzzy futures for American youth.

Kudos to educator Sharon Bowden for not only recognizing a critical guidance deficit for teens and twentysomethings, but for taking action by launching the smart StartSavvy.com.”

— Joyce Lain Kennedy 
Nationally syndicated careers columnist and author of seven best-selling career guides.

“I wish to highly recommend the StartSavvy website for its effectiveness in giving students a relevant, “real-world, real companies” experience with their Career Search preparation. StartSavvy incorporates an interactive and engaging platform to grab the attention of all students. Coupled with career exploration exercises and professional guidance in the job-seeking skills arena, StartSavvy is the ideal integrated tool.”

— Matthew Gambill
Executive Director – Georgia Association for Career & Technical Education

Testimonials

Who We Are & What We Do

StartSavvy is a career and college advisory dedicated to preparing students and parents for post-secondary education and careers in the 21st century. The StartSavvy Platform consists of three elements:

•  State-of-the-Art Website – (Designed by students for students)
•  Online Webinars
•  On-site Workshops

State-of-the-Art Website – www.StartSavvy.com

Unlike other educational websites, Bowden used a “tried and true” formula for developing StartSavvy. Marketing 101 (the basics) is all about asking the customer what they want in a product or service; in this case, the students and parents were the customers. What did they want in a website? Something quick, easy to navigate with lots of  “go-to” resources and information in one place… so….Bowden let them design the framework!

Streamlined, Focused, Dynamic and Engaging were the watchwords chosen by the “web-savvy” students (parents too, had a few things to say). As you will see, StartSavvy.com is resource rich and includes:

• Video Treasure Trove – A career  and employer showcase with hundreds of occupational videos
• News Corner with up-to-date news on college and career related subjects,
• Resources Galore – Featured sites and  downloadable performance aids recommended by experts
• Job winning samples/templates of resumes created by professional resume writers
• Interactive Interviewing Module – Practice your Interviewing skills online
• Ask the Expert Feature with “SavvyTalk” -ask questions and get answers from credentialed experts .

The StartSavvy team consists of experienced educators, career counselors, independent college admissions consultants, managers from some of the largest Fortune 500 companies, as well as Featured Contributors and credentialed experts in their respective fields.

StartSavvy for Companies 

According to the Wall Street Journal one of the newest, most valued and low cost benefits provided by employers to employees and their families is information, guidance and support in the college search, application and financial aid process. StartSavvy’s practical approach is an ideal integrated solution for your organization. You benefit with:

• A unique branding opportunity for your company
• Unlimited access by employees and family members to the entire StartSavvy website
• Tiered memberships based on size and needs of your organization
• Discounted Workshops and Webinars delivered by credentialed professionals

Signature Workshops and Webinars

Innovative and high-energy workshops provide parents and students with practical, real-world experience and insights.  Whether teaching effective career exploration and college search techniques, identifying sources of financial aid, focusing on the future through résumé writing, or assisting participants in identifying and articulating strengths and weaknesses, Bowden engages participants in a creative and results-driven learning experience. Worskhops and Webinars are listed below:

• Career Exploration – Provides a framework for evaluating career interests and the resources available for identifying career options, industry forecasts, salaries, and more.
• College Search and Selection – An interactive class designed to address the many questions that students and parents have regarding college selection. The information provided will assist in “jump-starting” the college search process while helping to eliminate the stress and anxiety experienced by today’s families.
• Financial Aid  – This class starts out by exploring the various types of financial aid available to include scholarships, grants, loans,  work-study, etc.  We walk you through the forms, the process of applying for financial aid, available tools and resources, ultimately bringing together the key elements which help facilitate and simplify the financial aid process
• Résumé Development  – Learn the fundamentals of developing a résumé the way the “Pro’s” do it. This workshop/webinar is designed for students to help them create a winning résumé for college admissions, summer jobs, co-operative learning environments, and the like.
• Interviewing Skills – “Experience is the Best Teacher.” This class provides insights and tips to help prepare students for college entrance and professional interviews. We have partnered with InterviewStream a leading online interviewing company. This workshop was created especially for students by a former Fortune 500 Human Resources Professional , Independent College Admissions Counselor and a Nationally Certified Employment Interview Professional.

Affiliations and Credentials