Career Planning

Before you head down a frustrating job search path, plan your steps toward career success.  

Assess Yourself

Self assessments are the foundation for any solid career plan and critical to your professional success. A variety of career assessment tools are available to help you identify the skills and traits you bring to the job. The more you know, the more prepared you are to search for jobs that are a good fit, write resumes, present yourself to potential employers in interviews, and find the career that best suits you. When you find a great job fit, you are more likely to realize career success. 

​Explore Options

Once you know more about yourself, it's time to connect assessment information to potential careers. It is important to research careers that match your interests, skills, values, and talents. There are websites and resources available to help you explore different occupations and jobs. As you explore, you will begin to identify which occupations are most appealing to you. You may discover jobs that you have not considered or even knew existed. Focus your efforts on gathering more detailed information about these specific jobs to narrow down your options for potential career paths.  

Identify Gaps

After you narrow down the occupation options that are most appealing to you, it is time to decide which occupation is the best fit for you based on what you now know about yourself and the occupations you've researched. Do you have the education, training, credentials, and experience that are required? If the answer is Yes, you are ready to start the job search! If the answer is No, what do you need to obtain? Determine what you are missing, then make a plan to address the need and fill in the gaps.  

Prepare Yourself

Now make sure you are prepared for the job search! Is your resume up-to-date? When was the last time you interviewed for a job? What are the most effective ways to search for a job? Missouri Job Centers are located statewide, offering experienced staff to help you identify a career path and provide tools, like workshops and assessments, to market your skills, experience, and education to potential employers all at no cost to you.