August is a month of momentum. Students are returning to class. Job seekers are reentering routines. Academic and career goals that were once theoretical suddenly feel real again. 

That makes this time of year a golden opportunity, not just to settle in, but to set the stage for meaningful career development. Whether your audience includes first-year college students, adult learners, or individuals in workforce training programs, one thing is clear: The habits they build now will shape the decisions they make later. 

That’s why August is the perfect time to help users establish a proactive approach to career planning grounded in intentional reflection, structured goal setting, and clear alignment between education and long-term goals. 

In this post, we’ll walk through how you can help users build a strong foundation for the year ahead. And we’ll offer practical ideas to guide your programming, workshops, and 1:1 support efforts this fall. 

 

Why Early Career Planning Matters 

Students and job seekers face a range of competing priorities this time of year, new schedules, coursework, personal commitments, and more. It’s easy for career planning to fall to the bottom of the list. 

Building career development into routines changes the game. Research shows that individuals who engage in career exploration and planning early are more likely to: 

• Choose majors or programs that align with long-term goals. 

• Persist through challenges because they see the bigger picture. 

• Build skills and networks related to their intended career. 

• Graduate or transition with more confidence and direction. 

When individuals can connect what they’re learning now to where they want to go later, their motivation skyrockets. 

As a partner, you can help make that connection clear and help your users build simple, repeatable planning habits that lead to long-term success. 

 

1. Start with a Fall Career Planning Check-In

Before meaningful planning takes place, encourage individuals to pause and reflect. August is a great time to help them evaluate: 

• What are their current goals? 

• Have their interests or priorities shifted over the summer? 

• What kind of support do they need this term? 

Whether it’s a self-paced worksheet, an intake survey, or a brief 1:1 conversation, a career planning check-in encourages individuals to slow down, clarify their thinking, and set an intention for the months ahead. 

Try This: 

Offer a “Start Strong” worksheet that prompts users to reflect on three areas: 

• Where I Am Now (skills, interests, values) 

• Where I Want to Be (career goal or general direction) 

• How I’ll Get There This Term (courses, internships, certifications) 

Encourage users to revisit these notes monthly. A regular check-in builds accountability and helps individuals adjust course when needed. 

 

2. Map Education to Career Goals

One of the most impactful things you can do for users, specially in August, is help them connect their education to their career path. This is especially powerful for first-year students, adult learners returning to school, or individuals unsure of their next steps. 

Often, learners don’t fully realize how their course choices, academic major, or credential program relates to real-world opportunities. And without that connection, it’s easy to disengage. 

How to Help: 

• Break down how a degree, credential, or course load aligns with specific career paths. 

• Discuss how electives or training experiences can support transferable skills. 

• Encourage users to visualize where their current program could take them—and what additional steps might be required to reach their goals. 

Partner Tip:
Utilize Kuder solutions to allow individuals see how their interests and skills confidence connect to majors and programs of study, along with the associated career paths. 

This exercise can dramatically reduce confusion and uncertainty, two major barriers to persistence and confidence. 

 

3. Introduce Short-Term Planning Tools

While long-term career goals are important, they can often feel too abstract. That’s why introducing short-term academic and career planning tools in August can be so powerful. 

The goal isn’t to get everything figured out, it’s to help individuals create a clear, actionable plan they can use to guide their decisions during the term. 

Examples of short-term planning tools: 

• A semester goals worksheet that links classes and extracurriculars to future aspirations. 

• A monthly milestone calendar that includes job fairs, application deadlines, or networking events. 

• A 4-year or 2-year academic planner that encourages users to map out how their current courses support long-term outcomes. 

Partner Tip:
Host a “Plan Your Semester” event during the first few weeks of the term. Offer templates, peer support, and optional 1:1 check-ins. These simple structures can make a big difference in how organized and confident individuals feel about their trajectory. 

 

4. Encourage Exploration of Postsecondary Options

For many users, August is the beginning of big decisions about what comes next, whether that’s continuing their education, entering the workforce, or retraining for a new field. 

Helping them explore postsecondary education and training options early in the year gives them more time to compare programs, prepare applications, and make informed choices. 

Key topics to cover: 

• Types of postsecondary pathways: technical certificates, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, apprenticeships, and micro-credentials 

• Factors to consider: tuition, financial aid, program length, job placement rates 

• Connection to career goals: which education level is typically required in their field of interest? 

Partner Tip:
Offer a “Postsecondary Pathways 101” workshop or info session, even if your audience is currently enrolled. For many students, understanding their next academic step (like transferring or stacking credentials) can spark long-term motivation. 

 

5. Normalize Career Conversations Early

Many students and job seekers believe that they should wait until they’re closer to graduation or job transition to start talking about careers. But those who engage in career conversations early, even informally, are more likely to feel empowered and better prepared. 

As a partner, you can normalize these conversations by: 

• Integrating career topics into advising sessions, classroom visits, or intake interviews. 

• Offering drop-in office hours focused on career questions. 

• Encouraging users to speak with mentors, instructors, or professionals in their area of interest. 

The more career conversations individuals have early in the year, the more confident they’ll feel navigating their path later. 

 

August Is the Time to Set the Tone 

As fall routines take shape, career development should be part of the picture. Helping individuals set career goals, align their education, and engage in short-term planning this month can prevent burnout, uncertainty, and last-minute decision-making later. 

As a partner, you can: 

• Integrate early planning activities into your outreach. 

• Host virtual or in-person events focused on reflection and goal-setting. 

• Provide access to worksheets and planning templates. 

• Encourage open, ongoing conversations about career development. 

 

Final Thoughts: Build Habits That Last All Year 

The academic year moves fast. But if you can help your users develop career planning habits in August, you’ll give them a lasting advantage. From knowing where they’re headed to understanding how their current education supports that path, clarity leads to confidence. 

Whether your students are incoming freshmen, mid-career adults, or exploring new opportunities altogether, they all benefit from the same thing: structured support and intentional space to plan. 

Let’s use August to lay that foundation together and help more learners take charge of their future. 

Connect our team today to learn more about how we can support your initiatives!
 

 

Sources 

American Student Assistance. 2021. “Efficacy and Innovation in Middle School Career Exploration.”  

Advance CTE. 2021. “Without Limits: A Shared Vision for the Future of Career Technical Education.”  

Gallup and Amazon Future Engineer. 2021. “Developing Careers of the Future: A Study of Student Access to, and Interest in, Computer Science” 

R.C. Reardon, J.G. Lenz, G.W. Peterson, J.A. Lumsden and B. Folsom. Florida State University’s Career Center, 2020. “College Career Courses and Learner Outputs and Outcomes, 1976-2019.”