Top 8 Graduation Gifts for Grads Going into Business

This Blackberry Bold 9000 is an outstanding graduation gift; your business grad will love the combination of business and fun this smartphone offers. On the business side, the phone is loaded with communication features. Enterprise-grade WIFI, Bluetooth 2.0, and built-in GPS combined with 1 GB of onboard memory and 128 MB flash memory mean you can do just about anything anywhere any time - phone, email, browse the web, watch streaming video, play music. And just for fun, the BlackBerry Bold 9000 also has a built-in camera.

A notebook computer is a great graduation gift and with this notebook, your graduate will be ready for anything. I've chosen the Lenovo 3000 N500 Notebook because it's a good work machine at a good price. My choice has a 2.16GHz Intel Pentium Dual-Core, Mobile T3400, 2GB memory, a 250 GB hard drive, a DVD±RW drive and a 15.4" LCD screen. One thing I really like about this notebook is that although it come preloaded with Vista Business it also comes with a Windows XP Pro Downgrade.

Whether your graduate is starting her own business or headed for a corporate cubicle, she'll get a lot of use out of a new PC if you give one as a graduation gift. I've chosen the Acer Veriton M420 for two reasons; it comes equipped with the Windows XP Professional operating system, which I prefer to Vista, and it’s got a good selection of features for the price (about $400). It has, for instance, a AMD X2 Dual-core 2.3GHz processor and 1 GB of DDR2 memory, a 160 GB hard drive and a gigabit LAN for fast business network connections. Note that a monitor is not included in the package and will need to be purchased separately.

This is a great graduation gift for grads headed into business. Microsoft advertises this package of Excel 2007, Outlook with Business Contact Manager, PowerPoint 2007, Word 2007, Access 2007 and Publisher 2007 as a complete suite of productivity and database software - and it is. The wide range of business documents, the ease with which they can be created, and the contact mangement features make this a real productivity powerhouse for the business-bound.

Image isn't everything, but it helps. A sleek carrying case graduation gift will give your grad the polished, professional look that will wow future clients. The one I've chosen, by Kenneth Cole, is both classy and roomy, constructed of rich brown cowhide leather with antique metal hardware. The front compartment features a padded computer pocket to accommodate a laptop with up to a 15.4" screen and three padded open pockets for accessories, but there's also a front pocket organizer and a rear exterior open pocket for easy access to frequently needed items.

Time management is a critical skill for success. Make it easier for your graduate to keep track of time with an alarm chronograph watch. Pick a graduation gift like this one that has a snazzy two-tone stainless steel case and bracelet, three black subdials, a chronograph that can measure up to 60 minutes in 1/5 seconds and an alarm can be set on a 12 hour basis and show the time in a different time zone. Your business grad will be ready for any opportunity.

Get her ready to take charge with a fine timepiece as a graduation gift. As this Swiss Legend Women's Bellissimo 1.00ct Diamond Leather Strap Watch demonstrates, timepieces do a whole lot more than just tell time; they also make a statement. Your grad will appreciate the combination of practicality and elegance this watch offers with its rose gold plated stainless steel case, mother-of-pearl dial face, and 204 J-grade single cut off-white diamonds sparkling on the bezel.

A really cool pair of sunglasses could be a great graduation keepsake. In this collection of sunglasses from Fossil, you're sure to find a pair that expresses your graduate's individuality and makes a success statement, a graduation gift that's both fun and practical.