Handy Career Exploration Resources

Below are some of the most accessible, free tools to support your journey, wherever you are, in the world of work. 

1. Career Planning Tools for Virginia 

1. Virginia Career View - LINK - The Virginia Career View site is provided by Virginia Tech that serves as a hub of resources for K-12 students, parents and educators   
2. Virginia Career Wizard - LINK - The state of Virginia’s comprehensive guide for students, veterans and those already in the workforce, this site connects users to career coaches, planners and various assessments. 
3. Virginia CTE Resource Center -  LINK - The Virginia CTE Resource Center maintains the Career Planning Guide (CPG) for the Virginia Department of Education.  All 16 recognized career clusters ( LINK) and 28 academic subjects (LINK) are represented. 

2. Job-Search Tools

1. Indeed - LINK - With a very user-friendly site, Indeed ranks among the most popular job search engines.  
2. Glassdoor - LINK - Glassdoor aggregates reviews that employees generate about their workplaces and allows job searches to search openings according to organization ranking.  
3. Ladders - LINK - The Ladders is the #1 career site for jobs paying $100K +
4. LinkedIn - LINK - The #1 networking site for professionals, LinkedIn also advertises jobs with streamlined applications. 
5. Monster - LINK - A popular job search engine that also features free resume assessments.   
6. Zip Recruiter - LINK - This search engine links users with recruiters who support job hunting.  
7. Craigslist - LINK - A range of employers advertise gig, part time and full time employment opportunities.   

3. Federal Government 

1. O-NET Database - LINK - The nation's primary source of occupational information, the O*NET Program offers guides on starting or changing careers, professional assessment instruments and a wealth of data.