Alumni Career Design Program
When your career no longer fits, figuring out what’s next can feel overwhelming.
This 30-day online program helps you gain clarity, explore new career possibilities, and build a personalized plan to create a more fulfilling professional life — on your schedule, with real support.
Trusted by 12,000+ professionals navigating career change
Why more professionals are asking “What’s next?”
The world of work has changed. Careers are no longer linear, and priorities evolve over time.
Maybe your career doesn’t feel the way you expected it to. If you’ve been wondering what comes next, you’re not alone.
Many people reach this point after:
- A layoff or industry shift
- Burnout or feeling stuck
- Success on paper but disconnection from their work
If you’ve been thinking,
“I know I should do something about my career… I just don’t know where to start,"you’re in the right place.
What's next for your career?
Let's make a plan.
Wanting more balance, growth, or impact from your career
Feeling bored, burned out, under-appreciated, or not using your strengths at work
Wondering how your skills and experience translate to other career paths
Transitioning to a new phase of life and want to reinvent your career
Whether you’re figuring out what’s next, changing careers, or job searching, we’re here to help. Are you:
Why most career change advice doesn’t work
The step most people skip...
When people start thinking about career change, most jump straight into job searching.
They:
- Update their resume
- Start applying online
- Send out application after application
This "numbers game" is exhausting — and often leads right back into roles that don’t fix the problem.
Others assume they need one-on-one coaching, which can be expensive and hard to fit into real life.
And many people do nothing at all — not because they don’t care, but because the process feels overwhelming and unclear.
All three paths skip the most important step:
Clarity.
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Before you update your resume or start applying, you need to understand what you actually want next.
That’s exactly what the Career Design process is built to help you do.
A smarter way to navigate career change
This combined experience gives you both the clarity to define your next move — and the strategy to land it.
The journey begins with the Career Design Program — a 30-day, community-powered experience where you move step-by-step through reflection, defining possible paths, and testing real opportunities alongside a partner, small team, and Program Manager.
When you continue into Launch, you'll discover a self-paced phase focused on running a job search that is strategic, time-efficient, and aligned with the direction you’ve designed.
Together, these two phases move you from clarity → action in a way that’s structured, supportive, and repeatable for the future.
Understand what actually matters to you now (values, strengths, interests, lifestyle)
Identify multiple paths that could fit your life (not just the obvious ones)
Explore real possibilities before making a big leap (chats, research, small experiments)
Run a focused, strategic job search when you're ready with tools from the Launch phase
Proven Results. Real Career Moves.
12,000+ professionals have used Career Design
They joined when they were:• Navigating layoffs or industry shifts
• Exploring a pivot or return
• Seeking more purpose, growth, or balance
Participants consistently report:• Clear direction
• Stronger confidence
• Real momentum
97% say they’re glad they participated.
Jessi Jacobsen ’17
Lindsay Guthrie ’13
Tom Weishan ’09
See If It's a Fit
Explore More
Join the next
Carleton
Career Design Cohort
A guided, community-powered experience to help you figure out what’s next and start moving toward it.
Over 30 days, you’ll move step-by-step through the Career Design Process alongside peers from your alumni community, with expert support and a clear weekly structure to keep you moving forward.
After the program, you’ll move into the Launch Phase to help you turn clarity into real opportunities at your own pace.
Most participants spend 7–9 hours per week and leave with:
• clearer direction
• multiple paths to pursue
• real momentum toward their next move
Going through a hardship?
There’s really no risk in joining!
To ensure the program runs, cohorts may include alumni from multiple universities — creating a diverse, supportive learning experience.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Career Design Program right for me?
Who is leading the program? What kind of support can I expect?
What do you mean by "career design"?
How much time will this take?
What technology do I need to participate?
What if I have to miss one or more of the team video calls?
Refund Policy
Refund Policy
Ready to enroll?
Enroll today, or join the waitlist for your chosen program.
