Career Planning Process

Adapted by G. Willerton from the CCE Global Career Development Facilitator Curriculum, 2014. Updated 02/13/2026.

1. Become aware of the need to make career decisions.

  • Something inside you says you have to make a change.
  • Usually an event or feeling: graduation, job fatigue, retirement, etc.

TIP: Don’t panic! We all go through this many times in our lives. It can be very uncomfortable. Use this feeling as motivation to act.

2. Learn about and/or reevaluate yourself.

  • Identify your interests, skills, personality, work values, goals, etc.
  • You have to know yourself before you know what to look for.

TIP: What do you like and don’t like right now? What might be holding you back? Take an interest survey. Talk to a career advisor. Take an assessment or two!

3. Identify occupational options that match you.

  • Don’t limit yourself yet—just explore the possibilities. See what suits you.
  • Careers have “personalities,” too (e.g., hands-on; detail-oriented; creative). What matches yours?

TIP: Resources like the Strong Interest Incentory, ONet.org and MyNextMove.org can help you identify careers you might not have considered. 

4. Dig for information about your options.

  • From your list of options, pick a few to investigate more deeply.
  • Find out what these careers really look like day-to-day.

TIP: Research the job market. Talk to several people in the field. Shadow someone. Get an internship!

5. Make an occupation choice from among your options.

  • Choose one occupation or narrower field to pursue.
  • Remember, you don’t have to do this the rest of your life!

TIP: Make a list of positives and negatives. How will this fit your lifestyle? How do you feel about identifying yourself with it? What do your friends and family think?

6. Develop education and experience in the field.

  • Find out what you’ll need to be competitive in your chosen field.
  • Pursue degrees, certifications, job/volunteer experience, leadership opportunities, etc.

TIP: Look at job postings of the occupation you want. What do they require in a qualified applicant? What do they prefer? Start developing your skills to meet all of their expectations.

7. Get and keep a job.

  • Develop a 1- or 2-sentence elevator speech to describe your experience and value.
  • Customize your resume & cover letter specifically for every job application.
  • Write down specific stories of when and how you have demonstrated your skills.
  • Build your “soft skills”: problem-solving, confidence, teamwork, communication, work ethic, etc.

TIP: Include your best, concrete examples of success in your resume/cover letter. Network with friends, classmates, family, and social media to help you connect with people working in the field.

Career Resources at UNM-LA

Career Services (through Student Services, Building 1):

  • Advising for choosing a major
    • Interest survey, card sorts, etc.
  • FREE, formal assessments:
    • Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality
    • Strong Interest Inventory (SII) career interests
  • Resume & cover letter reviews
  • Mock interviews
  • Job fairs
  • References for internships
  • Mock interviews
  • Professional Clothing Closet
  • Workshops on career readiness skills:
    • Resumes
    • Cover letters
    • Elevator speeches
    • Networking
    • Interview skills

Career Center (in the Library, Building 7):

  • Interactive dashboard to give directions to various resources
    • Grab-n-go info packets
    • Career exploration
    • Resumes
    • Cover letters
  • Interviews, and more
  • Dedicated laptops with bookmarked links to trusted websites:
    • Interest surveys
    • Tools & Resources
    • Job-search engines, and more
  • Drop-in hours with career advisors—see our schedule online!

 

Career Resources Online