Career Planning in the AI Age: 10 Actions for 2026

Career planning is the process of identifying your long-term professional goals and creating a structured strategy to achieve them. A modern career plan helps you:

 

• Identify career paths aligned with your strengths, values, and interests
• Analyze your transferable skills
• Evaluate your capabilities through skill-gap analysis
• Obtain new skills and credentials, particularly in AI and automation
• Adapt your strategy as needed

5 core components of a career plan

An effective career plan includes five foundational elements:

 

1. Career direction: Identify industries and roles aligned with your interests
2. Skills development strategy: Use skills-based planning to recognize and develop critical capabilities
3. Professional qualifications: Determine which degrees, certifications, or licenses are required
4. Personal values alignment: Ensure your career supports your principles and lifestyle
5. Career goals and milestones: Create an agile career roadmap with measurable benchmarks

Despite pressure to develop a five or ten-year plan for your life, it’s helpful to remember that career planning is a marathon, not a sprint. Give yourself time to work through these 10 actions to develop a strategy that works for you.

Before you create a career plan, you’ll want to choose a career or field to pursue. Seek out self-assessments to know your interests. Then, select a career or field that matches your interests and strengths.

 

Understanding industry trends supports career future-proofing in a rapidly changing job market by identifying opportunities for advancement — both in job sectors and geographic regions. Career path research should include:

 

• Industry growth projections
• Emerging roles due to AI and technology
• Skills required for advancement
• Long-term demand for specific occupations

 

Your findings, in turn, can help you tailor your strategy for the evolving market. For example, in 2019, new grads were still flocking to the tech industry in hubs like San Francisco and San Jose. In 2025, healthcare overtook tech as the highest-demand sector for new grads, while Sunbelt cities like Dallas and Atlanta were gaining traction for their lower cost of living. Digging into industry trends can help you locate growth areas.

Research checklist

Use this checklist when evaluating career options:

 

1. Complete a self-assessment to identify your interests and strengths
2. Search for industries with strong growth potential
3. Evaluate roles aligned with your transferable skill mapping
4. Determine required education or certifications
5. Assess long-term demand and salary potential

 

After you complete your checklist, consider scheduling time with your manager about building a career plan within your current company.  A Glassdoor Community member shared that their manager helped them develop a specific plan to reach their goals after joining the company.

 

“When I joined my current company, I worked with my manager to establish a structured career plan. By following this plan with discipline and commitment, I earned multiple awards and achieved three promotions within two years. I wish I had done this in college to finish early. Do you still create plans & goals post grad?” – Supervisor

A skill-gap analysis compares the skills required for your tarrget role with skills you currently have. Start by understanding the difference between soft skills versus hard skills. Then, organize your skills into three categories: Hard skills, human-centric soft skills, and digital skills.

Hard skills

Hard skills are technical abilities gained through training or education, such as: 

 

• Programming
• Accounting
• Data analysis
• Project management

Human-centric soft skills

Employers are increasingly seeking employees with human-centric soft skills, as these skills support leadership and collaboration. Examples of these soft skills include:

 

• Communication
• Emotional intelligence
• Problem-solving
• Adaptability

Digital skills and AI literacy

Almost every job requires some level of digital or AI literacy. That can include:

 

• AI-assisted workflows 
• Automation tools
• Data interpretation
• Digital collaboration platforms

 

Think of an annual skill-gap analysis in the same way that you would an annual check-up with your doctor. Examining your strengths and weaknesses enhances career resilience and prepares you to adapt as industries evolve.

The next step in planning your career is to know the academic and professional qualifications you need to work in your selected field. Take all these things into consideration when creating a career plan. Many professions require specific credentials to practice legally or competitively, such as: 

 

• Undergraduate or graduate degrees
• Professional certifications
• Industry licenses
• Specialized training

 

Understanding credential requirements helps you build a realistic timeline for your career planning strategy and should be a part of your ongoing professional development. 

 

Continuing education is also essential for career growth, whether that means earning additional professional certifications, attending workshops or conferences, participating in mentorship programs, or taking online courses. Learning strengthens your skills-based planning strategy and improves career mobility.

It is important to select a career that aligns with your personal values so you can have a fulfilling experience. Examples of values that influence career decisions include:

 

• Work-life balance
• Financial independence
• Social impact
• Job stability
• Flexible schedules

 

Use those values to compare and contrast job sectors that align with your career plan. If you have multiple options, narrow your list by evaluating:

 

• Industry growth outlook
• Salary potential
• Ease of entering the field
• Advancement opportunities

 

This prioritization helps refine your agile career roadmap — a flexible career plan that allows for pivots and growth in multiple directions. Your roadmap can be something that you keep to yourself, share with a mentor, or even use in discussions with your manager about your future with your company. 

 

“How do y’all handle future planning? My boss of 4 years wants to map out (my) next 3 years at the company. I’ve been paid hourly with zero benefits for the entire time, with salary and benefits dangled in front of me multiple times (over) the past 3 years without it happening. With that and other drama in the company, I can’t see myself being there for 3 years. I’d rather start something on my own or shift into a new field, but I don’t want to lose a steady paycheck until that can happen.”-  Video Editor

It is critical to consider the average salary for professionals in a field before you select it. Consider the lifestyle you want and make sure to choose a career with a salary that meets your needs.

 

Evaluating compensation helps determine whether a career path supports your financial goals. The US Bureau of Labor often releases statistics, including average salaries, for different fields. Glassdoor also offers tools to analyze salaries for thousands of industries and job titles.

 

When researching salaries, consider:

 

• Median salary for the role
• Benefits packages
• Bonuses or equity
• Long-term earning potential

 

This process is particularly important if you’re considering switching sectors or career tracks — an issue that frequently comes up within the Glassdoor Community.

 

“While considering a switch in employment, planning is essential. First, deciding which industry (same or something new), then searching for the perfect job, and then preparing for interview(s).

 

Having a strategy will be in your favor, but where do you start? Does this start because you’re frustrated with your current employer? Do you want to learn something new? Or do you want to earn more income?” – Senior Claims Specialist

Leadership experience strengthens your professional reputation and increases advancement opportunities. Even if you’re not a manager, you can find ways to lead and advance your career. Consider:

 

• Leading projects or initiatives
• Mentoring colleagues
• Presenting ideas to leadership
• Joining cross-department initiatives, including employee resource groups

Your resume plays a critical role in career mobility. If you want to improve your chances of being noticed by employers, make sure your resume is optimized for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

 

Note: While including an Objective Statement was a popular resume trend in the 2010s, it’s a common pitfall to avoid today. Modern resumes should highlight skills and measurable achievements, not generic objectives. Start with a skills summary highlighting your most relevant abilities. This format helps resumes pass the AI-driven ATS. 

 

Plus, if you’re just getting started in your career, a skills summary can help you land an entry-level position by showcasing your transferable skills—a key part of transferable skill mapping—from leadership opportunities, volunteering, and internships.

AI adoption and automation are transforming many industries, making career future-proofing an essential part of long-term planning. Glassdoor Research shows that companies are hiring more talent for AI-related jobs, and they are willing to pay up to a 25% premium for that talent.  Monitoring industry trends and improving your AI literacy can help you anticipate skill demands and adapt your career plan.  Ways to stay current include:

 

• Reading industry research and reports
• Attending conferences or webinars
• Following AI thought leaders
• Tracking emerging technologies

After conducting a skill-gap analysis, the SMART framework helps turn career ambitions into actionable goals.

 

• S — Specific: Define exactly what you want to accomplish
• M — Measurable: Track progress using clear metrics
• A — Attainable: Ensure goals are realistic
• R — Relevant: Align goals with your career strategy
• T — Time-based: Set deadlines

AI in career planning

AI may create obstacles for advancing your career, but it can also be a tool to support career development. AI can help with:

 

• Resume analysis
• Skill identification
• Career path exploration
• Labor market insights
• Setting SMART career goals

 

Use AI as a research tool, but defer to your gut instincts and feedback from colleagues and mentors when making career decisions.

A career plan should evolve alongside industry trends and personal goals. Your agile career roadmap should include:

 

• Long-term career goals
• Short-term milestones
• Skill development plans
• Annual reviews

 

Regularly updating your agile career roadmap helps ensure your career planning strategy stays aligned with changing opportunities.