One of the most important aspects of an education is preparation for a career. At times some discrepancies exist between the student's, educator's and employer's perception of work-readiness. A recent study conducted on behalf of the Association of American Colleges & Universities by Hart Research Associates describes some of these and indicates skills that employers consider important. This special edition begins with a reprint of this study. Six peer-reviewed manuscripts published in this special edition of the NACTA Journal provide some initial answers and should lead to more research in the area of career preparation.