Career Planning
What do you want to do with your life? It’s a heavy-duty question, for sure. But it’s good to take some time now so you don’t waste any time once you’re in college. Here are some steps to guide you along the way:


Step 1 – Take the “Assess Yourself” Personality Test

You Can Do Anything You Want To!
This quiz is designed to help you think about the college majors that are available to you. It will also make you think about your own personality traits and how they may fit well within different areas of study.
Step 2 – Explore Different Occupations
Use the results of your self-assessment process to start exploring specific occupations, jobs, or job-clusters.
Check out our Career Videos. We have videos to help you learn about careers and jobs from MPB’s Job Hunter and Hinds Community College.
Here are resources and things to consider:
Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES) – MDES provides information and services to help job seekers and labor market information.
CareerOneStop – CareerOneStop offers extensive information about jobs in Mississippi, including:
- Fastest-growing occupations (overall in MS and for various levels of education)
- Occupations with the most openings (overall in MS and for various levels of education)
- Occupations with the largest employment (overall in MS and for various levels of education)
- Occupations with declining employment (overall in MS and for various levels of education)
- Highest-paying occupations (overall in MS and for various levels of education)
What Can I Do With this Major? – If you think you are interested in a particular degree, check out this website to learn about possible jobs/careers you could get with that degree.
Step 3 – Make A Decision And Plan
Action Plan
Once you’ve got an idea about what you want to do with your life, you need a plan to make it happen.
Start with these steps:
1) Choose a field of study. Think about what type of degree (two-year, four-year, graduate degree, etc.) you need for the career you want. Then decide on a specific major, if possible. Use the Degree Finder Tool to see what degrees are needed for certain careers.
2) Choose a school. Choose the school that will best help you meet your career goals. It should be a school that offers the type of degree and major you want to pursue. Keep in mind, this may not be the school your parents went to, or the school your friends are planning to attend. Use the Degree Finder Tool to see which colleges in Mississippi offer certain degree programs.
3) Get admitted. See the Apply for Admissions section.
4) Find financial aid to pay for college. See the Financial Aid section.
5) Go to college!
Decision Making
Finding jobs and careers that interest you may not be the problem. The problem might be making a decision.
It is estimated that today’s college graduates will have seven careers (not seven jobs) in their working lifetime. Clearly, we all have trouble making career decisions! Nevertheless, you will have to select a major, so it will help if you narrow down the field of possibilities.
Some experiences that will aid in the decision-making process include:
- Job-shadowing
- Volunteering
- Internships
- Part-time jobs
Step 5 – Apply to Your Chosen School
Public Universities
Alcorn State University
AdmissionApply onlineDelta State University
AdmissionApply onlineJackson State University
AdmissionApply Online Graduate Admission Graduate Online Application
Mississippi State University
AdmissionApply online Graduate AdmissionMississippi University for Women
AdmissionApply onlineMississippi Valley State University
AdmissionApply online
University of Mississippi
AdmissionApply onlineUniversity of Southern Mississippi
AdmissionApply online
Private Colleges
Belhaven University
AdmissionApply OnlineBlue Mountain College
AdmissionApply OnlineMillsaps College
AdmissionApply online
Mississippi College
AdmissionApply online Graduate Admission Graduate Online ApplicationMississippi College School of Law
AdmissionApply onlineReformed Theological Seminary
AdmissionApply online
Rust College
AdmissionApply onlineSoutheastern Baptist College
Download application Apply onlineTougaloo College
Admission Apply Online
Wesley Biblical Seminary
AdmissionApply onlineWilliam Carey College
AdmissionApply online
Community Colleges
Coahoma Community College
Admission Apply Online Download applicationCopiah-Lincoln Community College
Admission Download applicationEast Central Community College
AdmissionApply online
East Mississippi Community College
AdmissionApply onlineHinds Community College
Admission Apply OnlineHolmes Community College
AdmissionApply online
Itawamba Community College
AdmissionApply onlineJones County Junior College
AdmissionApply onlineMeridian Community College
AdmissionApply online
Mississippi Delta Community College
Admission Download applicationMississippi Gulf Coast CC
Admission Apply OnlineNortheast Mississippi Community College
Admission Apply Online Download application
Northwest Mississippi Community College
Admission Apply Online Download applicationPearl River Community College
AdmissionApply onlineSouthwest Mississippi Community College
AdmissionApply online Download Application