05 / Workplace
Your First 90 Days in a New Role: A Practical Plan
How to handle onboarding, learn the unwritten rules, build relationships, and check in with your supervisor during your first three months.
8 min read
Free career education · Independent
Plan the climb
to your next role.
Plain-language guides, checklists, and free tools for every stage of working life: choosing a direction, building skills, writing a résumé, handling interviews, and settling into a new role.
- 18 free guides
- 6 resource hubs
- 3 free tools
ALT 01 / Starting point
Where are you starting?
Just starting out
New to work, or new to looking?
Students, recent grads, and first-time job seekers: start by learning what different roles involve and what you bring to them. A clear direction makes every later step easier.
- Know Your Strengths: A Practical Career Self-Assessment
- Career Paths That Don't Start With a Four-Year Degree
- Résumé Basics: A Plain-Language Guide to a Clear, Honest Résumé
Building skills
Adding skills that open more doors.
Certifications, apprenticeships, and short courses can change what you qualify for. Learn how to compare programs and check them before you commit time or tuition.
- Industry Certifications Explained: What They Are and How to Choose
- Apprenticeships Explained: Paid Training on the Job
- Soft Skills That Matter at Work, and How to Show Them
Ready to move up
Going after a bigger role.
When you are ready for more responsibility, your materials and interviews have to show it. Sharpen your stories, your résumé, and the way you follow up.
- Interview Preparation: A Step-by-Step Checklist
- References and Work Samples: Gathering Proof Before You Need It
- Following Up After an Interview: Thank-You Notes and Check-Ins
Changing course
Switching fields or coming back.
A new direction or a return after time away is common. Map what transfers, explain gaps with confidence, and learn the habits that make remote and hybrid work go smoothly.
- Planning a Career Change: Mapping Skills and Testing a New Direction
- Returning to Work After a Gap: Explaining Time Away With Confidence
- Remote and Hybrid Work Basics: Setup, Habits, and Spotting Scams
ALT 02 / Resource hubs
Six hubs. One topic each.
All resource hubs →Career Exploration
Figure out what fits: strengths, interests, work styles, and the many paths into a field.
3 guides + checklist →
Résumés & Applications
Write a clear résumé, a cover letter that sounds like you, and gather references before you need them.
3 guides + checklist →
Interview Skills
Prepare stories, practice answers, handle video and phone formats, and follow up well.
3 guides + checklist →
Skills & Training
Certifications, apprenticeships, short courses, and the people skills every workplace values.
3 guides + checklist →
Workplace Basics
Your first weeks in a new role, reading a pay stub, and the basic rights every worker should know.
3 guides + checklist →
Career Changes & Re-entry
Switching fields, returning after time away, and working well in remote or hybrid roles.
3 guides + checklist →
ALT 03 / Free tools
Work it out in your browser.
Three quick tools. Nothing you type is sent anywhere, and no sign-up is needed.
See all tools- 01
Résumé Readiness Checklist
Tick through 16 checks and see what to fix before you send your résumé anywhere.
- 02
Hourly ↔ Annual Pay Converter
Compare an hourly rate with a yearly salary using your own hours and weeks.
- 03
STAR Story Builder
Turn a work moment into a clear interview answer: Situation, Task, Action, Result.
ALT 04 / Latest guides
Fresh from the guide library.
All 18 guides →05 / Workplace
How to Read a Pay Stub, Line by Line
What gross pay, net pay, withholding, FICA, and pre-tax deductions mean, and how to spot and fix a mistake on your paycheck.
7 min read
01 / Explore
Informational Interviews: How to Learn From People Already Doing the Work
What an informational interview is, how to ask for one without feeling awkward, the questions worth asking, and how to follow up.
7 min read
02 / Résumés
Cover Letters That Sound Like You: Structure, Examples, and Tips
When a cover letter matters, a simple four-part structure, a sample you can adapt, and the phrases to avoid.
7 min read
05 / Workplace
Workplace Rights Basics: Where to Find Official Answers
An overview of common federal protections on wages, safety, discrimination, and leave, plus the agencies to contact if something goes wrong.
8 min read
03 / Interviews
Video and Phone Interviews: Setup, Etiquette, and Backup Plans
How to set up your space, camera, and sound, what changes on video and phone, and what to do when technology fails.
7 min read
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