Whether you're a recent graduate or looking for a career change, it can be challenging to know where to start. Of course, you know you need a resume and a cover letter, but you may be wondering if there are approaches that can help you improve your chances of being noticed by a hiring manager.

The websites listed help you in your career planning journey in different ways. You can try one or all; the goal should be to help you gain clarity on the steps you can take to get the job offer you want. Each site can help you with specific parts of your job search. Most of the sites listed cover every aspect of the job search journey, with one with a particular niche.

1. The Balance Careers

The Balance Careers provides resources for both the job seeker and the employer. As someone looking for a job, you can take advantage of their cover letter and resume guides. They also have guides for internships, interviews, job searching, and job listings.

If you're employed and looking for how to increase your chances of success, you can check out the site's tips, broken down by category, including articles on:

• Working from home
• Work-family balance
• Workplace tips
• Management and leadership

2. CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop is a site that the U.S. Department of Labor sponsors. You can access various self-assessments to help you identify the kind of work you'd be good at and enjoy. For example, suppose you're looking for information on the outlook for the career you're interested in. In that case, you can find that information on this site and discover career clusters, so you can identify different occupations that require the same skillset and education.

The site outlines the steps to make SMART career goals and provides a directory of local help you can connect with, whether a job center or employment and training programs. CareerOneStop also offers toolkits to help you along with the various parts of your employment journey.

There are resources regardless of what stage you're at in your career development. Once you find a job, you may consider creating a well-being plan for work to help you maintain peace of mind.

3. The Big Interview

If interviews give you anxiety and you're looking for a way to improve your skills, The Big Interview may be what you're looking for. The Big Interview is an interview preparation site. You'll learn the kinds of questions you can expect during the interview, and you have the opportunity to practice your responses using the Answer Builder Tool, which is a mock interview practice application.

You can receive feedback on your answers with artificial intelligence feedback or 1-on-1 coaching. It doesn't matter where you are in your professional journey; The Big Interview can help. On the homepage, there are different paths, so you can select the one that relates to your current situation:

• I'm a Career Changer
• I've Been Laid Off
• I'm a New Graduate
• I'm a Manager
• English is my Second Language
• I'm transitioning from Military

The services on this site are available on a subscription, and a monthly subscription starts at $39 per month.

4. Career Builder

Career Builder is similar to most job sites in that you can upload your resume to make it easier to apply for jobs. Also, the site gives you access to jobs in the U.S. and international employment. Some jobs ask for your desired salary when applying for the job; others ask during the interview process.

If you're unsure what salary you should expect based on your education, qualifications, and experience, you can use the salary tool available on the site. The site has a mobile app, so you can receive job alerts on your phone and apply immediately.

Similar to other job sites, Career Builder provides a career guide. The site also offers tools for employers, including those to help with recruitment and services as a Human Capital Manager.

5. Career Project

Career Project is a site with various tools to help schools, career changers, and students navigate their future employment. You can go through the 7-Step Career Roadmap if you are unsure about the path to the career you want, or you can take one of the many self-assessments available. Try the personality and career matching tests to help you identify the skills to put on your resume.

You can learn about different careers by reviewing their career guides and job profiles. You can also take advantage of connecting with a mentor and asking them questions. People can support Career Project by sharing their stories, becoming a mentor, or donating funds.

6. Mapping Your Future

Mapping Your Future is a site for students getting prepared for post-secondary school. Students will find information on what they need to succeed in college, including resources to explore different careers, how to prepare for college, and guides to help them manage their money.

The site also has other success resources, including access to financial aid professionals, high school counselors, and resources for parents and families. Mapping Your Future is a resource designed to be distributed by schools, so you can't access many of the resources without login details.

Schools in states with a guaranty agency or an organization sponsoring Mapping Your Future on behalf of the school have free access to the site. So if you're looking to create a plan and are looking for a cost-free way to start, you can make your career roadmap.

7. O*Net Online

O*Net Online is a site that the U.S. Department of Labor sponsors. The site allows you to search for employment in a variety of categories, including:

• Job zone: Occupations put in one of five categories based on education, experience, and necessary training
• STEM
• Job family: Groups of occupations based on education, skills, work performed, training, and credentials
• Industry
• Hot technology
• Career Cluster: Careers with similar training and education requirements
• Bright outlook

You can use this site to predict the future demand for the career you're considering pursuing to ensure that there will be a demand for it by the time you graduate.

There Is Help to Create Your Career Plan

If you're feeling lost about the direction you should be heading in with your career, take a look at one of the sites to find the clarity you need. You can start with personality tests to determine your strengths, or maybe you'd like to have your resume and cover letter reviewed by an expert.

Some sites can help you with your next steps wherever you are in your professional journey.