When you’re looking for your first job, or what you’d like to be the first job on your own stairway to success, it helps to know not just where to start, but how to get from Point A to Point B. That means using career navigation to explore your options and make a plan.
While local career centers—and your local Goodwill — can help you navigate, there are plenty of resources online that you can use to explore careers, develop skills and even earn credentials. Here are just a few.
- GoodProspects
Goodwill’s own virtual career navigation platform is designed to help individuals build career and financial stability by progressing toward middle-skill jobs. The site includes information on careers in 11 different industries and guidance in 17 skills areas—from writing a resume to filing a tax return—plus a personalized Career Navigator, community forums, local event search and virtual mentors.
To follow up on your work with GoodProspects and to take the next step in your career journey, contact your local Goodwill. - Virtual Career Network
This website includes resources for career exploration, navigation and job searches for three industries (health care, green jobs and transit), plus assistance for workers older than 50. Because it was developed by the American Association of Community Colleges, it includes connections to industry-recognized credentials in each field plus assistance to advance on a career path. - O*NET
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, O*NET is career exploration and discovery at both its simplest and broadest—hundreds of job types in almost every industry are available to explore in depth. Learn about the requirements and necessary skills for a job or research careers that fit your specific skills. - My Next Move
Essentially an extension of O*NET, My Next Move helps users plan a career pathway in 20 different industries, providing a framework for getting to a career goal by covering necessary education and other requirements, plus national and local salary and employment forecasts. The website is also available in Spanish and includes specialized assistance for military veterans transitioning to civilian careers. - For both O*NET and My Next Move, you can begin to study for your chosen career pathway on the O*NET Academy, an all-digital platform that allows you to learn on your own time. It also includes resources for employers, educators and workforce professionals.
You may also be able to find career navigation resources and platforms by searching for resources for your state; these will likely be supported by the state university or community college system and will be more specific to the local labor market and employment needs of your community.
Using these resources, and the host of others out there, will help you pinpoint the next steps to take, whether you are simply exploring your options or you’re ready to begin applying for your first job.
