Graduating from college can leave you with one big question: What should I do next?
You may know the general direction you want to take, or you may still be figuring out which jobs, industries or graduate programs make sense for you. Either way, you do not need to map out your entire career before you get started.
A career plan after college is simply a framework for deciding what you want to explore, identifying the skills and experience you need and choosing a few practical next steps.
Use these seven steps to create a career plan you can adjust as your goals and opportunities change.
Step 1: Define Your Short-Term Career Goal
You do not need to know where you want to be 20 years from now.
Start by thinking about what you would like to accomplish over the next few years. Your first goal might be landing an entry-level position, gaining experience in a particular industry, developing a specialized skill or determining whether graduate school fits your plans.
A short-term goal gives your career plan direction without locking you into one path.
Questions That Can Help Clarify Your Direction
Ask yourself:
- What kind of work interests me?
- Which parts of my college experience did I enjoy most?
- What skills do I want to use regularly?
- Which industries or organizations interest me?
- Do I prefer collaborative, creative, technical or analytical work?
- What type of work environment appeals to me?
- What would I like to learn in my first few years after graduation?
- What does career progress look like to me right now?
You do not need perfect answers. Look for patterns that can help you identify a direction worth exploring.
Step 2: Identify Your Skills and Experience Gaps
Once you have a potential career direction, compare what employers are looking for with what you already bring to the table.
Your college experience may have helped you develop transferable skills through coursework, internships, student organizations, research, jobs, volunteer work and other experiences.
Then identify what you still need to build.
Create a Simple Career Gap Analysis
| Question | Example |
|---|---|
| Where am I now? | Recent marketing graduate |
| Where do I want to go next? | Entry-level marketing or communications role |
| What skills are commonly needed? | Writing, analytics, campaign planning, communication |
| What experience am I missing? | Professional campaign experience or advanced analytics |
| How could I build it? | Entry-level work, internships, freelance projects, certifications or additional education |
Notice that the next step does not need to be your ultimate career goal. It only needs to move you closer to the experience you want to build.
Step 3: Research Roles, Industries and Career Paths
Job titles do not always tell you what a career is actually like.
Research several roles that interest you and compare:
- Common responsibilities
- Skills employers request
- Typical entry-level positions
- Career progression
- Industries that hire for the role
- Education or credentials that may be required
Job postings can help you identify patterns, but you can learn even more by talking to people already doing the work.
Questions to Ask During an Informational Interview
An informational interview is a conversation with someone working in a field or role you want to understand better.
Consider asking:
- What does a typical day look like?
- What skills are most valuable in this field?
- How did you get started?
- What entry-level roles would you recommend exploring?
- What challenges should new professionals expect?
- What do you wish you knew when you graduated?
- Are there skills or credentials that have become more important in your field?
The goal is to gather information, learn from their experience and build a professional connection rather than making a direct job request.
Step 4: Build More Than One Possible Career Path
Your career does not have to follow one predetermined sequence.
Instead, create two or three possible paths that could move you toward your broader goals.
For example:
| Possible Path | First Step | Where It Could Lead |
|---|---|---|
| Career Path | Entry-level role | Greater responsibility or leadership |
| Graduate Education Path | Work while pursuing an advanced degree | Specialized knowledge or career advancement |
| Entrepreneurial Path | Freelance work or side project | Independent work or business ownership |
Having multiple paths can make career planning less stressful because one rejection, industry change or unexpected opportunity does not derail your entire plan.
Step 5: Make Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile Match Your Direction
Once you know which roles you want to explore, make sure your professional materials support that goal.
Your resume and LinkedIn profile should help someone quickly understand what you have done, what you can do and where you may be able to contribute.
Focus on:
- Tailoring your resume to the roles you are pursuing
- Highlighting internships, jobs, projects and relevant coursework
- Showing measurable accomplishments when possible
- Including skills that are relevant to your target roles
- Keeping your LinkedIn profile current
- Using language that reflects the type of work you want to pursue
Your resume can evolve throughout your career. Update it as your experience, skills and career goals change.
Step 6: Decide Whether Graduate School Fits Your Career Plan
Graduate school can be one path within a career plan, but it should support a specific goal rather than serve as the default next step after college.
Consider graduate education if:
- Your desired career requires an advanced degree
- You want deeper expertise in a particular field
- Additional education could help you qualify for certain roles
- You want to develop specialized, technical or leadership skills
- You can explain how the degree connects to your career goals
Also consider the timing.
For some graduates, it makes sense to go to graduate school right after college. Others may benefit from working first and gaining experience that helps them better understand what they want from graduate study.
If you decide to continue your education while working, flexible online programs can make it easier to pursue a graduate degree while continuing your career. Rowan Online offers master’s degrees and other graduate credentials across multiple fields.
Step 7: Create a 30-, 60- and 90-Day Career Plan
A career plan becomes much more useful when it includes specific actions.
Instead of focusing only on where you eventually want to end up, decide what you can do over the next three months.
| Timeframe | Example Actions |
|---|---|
| First 30 Days | Update your resume and LinkedIn profile, identify target roles and research industries |
| Days 31–60 | Apply for opportunities, conduct informational interviews and attend networking events |
| Days 61–90 | Review your progress, refine your goals and explore additional skills, certifications or graduate programs if relevant |
At the end of 90 days, ask:
- What did I learn about the work I want to do?
- Which applications or conversations led to the most progress?
- What skills do employers consistently request?
- Do I need to broaden or narrow my search?
- What should I focus on during the next 90 days?
Career planning should be iterative. Your plan can change as you gain information and experience.
What Should You Do if You Still Don’t Know What Career You Want?
You can still create a career plan even if you are unsure about your long-term direction.
Start with exploration rather than commitment.
Choose a few roles or industries that interest you, talk with professionals, review job postings and look for opportunities to gain experience. Your first job after college does not have to determine the rest of your career.
The goal is to learn enough from each step to make the next decision with more information.
Where Can You Find Career Support After Graduation?
You do not necessarily lose access to career support once you graduate.
Rowan alumni can access career services and resources for help exploring career options, developing job-search skills and reviewing resumes. You can also use Profs Jobs to search for employment opportunities and Profs Connect to build relationships with students, alumni, faculty, staff and other members of the Rowan community.
These resources can be useful whether you are searching for your first full-time role, building your professional network, considering a career change or planning your next educational step.
Your Career Plan Does Not Have to Be Perfect
A career plan is a guide, not a prediction.
You may change jobs, discover a new field, pursue graduate education later than expected or find an opportunity you had never considered while you were in college.
What matters is having enough direction to take your next step.
Start with a short-term goal. Learn what your target roles require. Build relevant experience. Talk to people in the field. Then revisit your plan as you learn more about your career and yourself.
Explore Your Next Step After College
Your next step may be an entry-level job, professional experience, a new credential or graduate education.
If additional education fits your career plan, Rowan University offers online, hybrid and in-person graduate programs designed to help students further their education and develop knowledge and skills in their chosen fields.
Frequently Asked Questions About Career Planning After College
How do I make a career plan after college?
Start by identifying a short-term career goal, researching roles that interest you, comparing your current skills with employer expectations and creating specific actions for the next 30, 60 and 90 days. Revisit your plan as you gain experience and learn more about your goals.
What should I do if I don’t know what career I want after college?
Choose a few roles or industries to explore rather than forcing yourself to make one permanent decision. Review job postings, conduct informational interviews, talk with mentors and look for experiences that can help you learn what type of work fits you.
What should a career plan include?
A useful career plan should include your short-term goals, potential career paths, current skills, skills or experience you still need, networking and job-search actions and a timeline for reviewing your progress.
How long should a career plan be?
You do not need to plan your entire career. A short-term plan for the next few years, supported by specific 30-, 60- and 90-day actions, can give you direction while leaving room for your goals to change.
Should I go to graduate school after college?
Graduate school may make sense if an advanced degree supports a specific career goal, is required for your field or helps you develop expertise you need. Compare the program’s cost, curriculum, format and career relevance before deciding.
What if my career plan changes?
That is normal. Career plans should evolve as you gain professional experience, discover new interests and learn more about different roles and industries.
About Rowan
A top 100 national public research institution, Rowan University offers bachelor’s through doctoral and professional programs in person and online to nearly 25,000 students. The fastest-growing public research institution in the Northeast and among the country’s top 10 fastest-growing, Rowan offers a thriving multidisciplinary environment with a strong emphasis on practical research in health care, engineering, science and business, while ensuring excellence in undergraduate education. Nationally recognized for innovation, high-quality, affordable education and public-private partnerships, Rowan is one of two universities in the U.S. to offer M.D., D.O. and D.V.M. degree programs.