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For educational purposes only. All tools listed are free, publicly accessible, and from verified government or nonprofit sources.  ·  Last reviewed: April 2026
Career Match

CAREER READY. ATHLETE DRIVEN.

Most athletes become people who step away from sport after their NCAA participation ends. Not everyone coaches, and this is not about graduate school. Whether you are still competing, just finished, or years removed and ready for a career change: these tools are for you at any stage.

THE GAP NOBODY PREPARES YOU FOR

Some athletes are pulling real money right now through NIL and revenue share. When participation ends, that income stops. Most entry-level offers land between $45K and $75K. That adjustment is real and it happens fast. This page exists because no one built the bridge between those two numbers.

Original reporting on this topic appeared in Sports Business Journal, March 30, 2026 (subscription required at sportsbusinessjournal.com). The content above is original ATHLINKT commentary on a documented industry trend.

Current athlete  ·  Former athlete  ·  Returning for a career change at any point. You are welcome here

All Divisions Current Athletes Former Athletes Free Tools Only Verified Sources U.S. Government Resources

You have spent years developing skills that most people never build. The problem is not that you lack skills. It is that no one has taught you to name them, own them, and translate them to a workplace.

Transferable skills you already have Discipline, time management under extreme pressure, team dynamics, performance under stress, coaching and receiving coaching, goal-setting, film study (pattern recognition), physical and mental recovery, competition strategy. These are not soft skills. They are leadership and professional skills.
The identity challenge is real Research from Grand Valley State University (2025) confirms that student-athletes struggle with career readiness partly because athletic identity makes it hard to envision a future without sport. Acknowledging this is the first step. Not a weakness.
Start early. Not your senior year The athletes who transition best are the ones who started exploring during their sophomore or junior year. If you are reading this as a freshman, you are ahead. If you are a former athlete reading this years later. You are not late, you are ready.
Use the tools below to name what you already know The O*NET Interest Profiler and CareerOneStop Skills Matcher are built specifically to help people identify what they are good at and match it to careers. They are free, from the U.S. Department of Labor, and take less than 30 minutes.

Research reference: Gibbs, Elizabeth M. “From Student-Athlete to Working Professional: Career Readiness for College Athletes.” Culminating Experience Projects, no. 543. Grand Valley State University ScholarWorks, 2025. scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gradprojects/543. All content above is paraphrased and attributed in accordance with academic fair use. Not reproduced verbatim.

All tools listed here are free, public, and from verified U.S. government or nonprofit sources.

No LinkedIn. No Facebook. No algorithm deciding what you see. These are structured tools designed to help you think clearly about what you want to do next.

A 60-question interest assessment from the U.S. Department of Labor that identifies what types of work you would enjoy and connects you to matching careers. Takes about 20 minutes. No account, no email, completely free.

This is one of the most widely used career assessment tools in the country — used by workforce development programs, veterans services, and universities nationwide.

U.S. Dept of Labor — Free O*NET Interest Profiler 60 questions. No account. Free. Identifies your interests and matches them to 900+ careers. ↗ mynextmove.org

Source: U.S. Department of Labor — O*NET Career Exploration Tools. Free public resource.

A streamlined career search and discovery tool from the U.S. Department of Labor. Search by keyword, browse by industry, or take the built-in interest assessment. Each career profile includes what the job involves, what skills it requires, salary data, and training pathways. All on one clear page.

U.S. Dept of Labor — Free My Next Move Search 900+ careers by interest, keyword, or industry. Clear, one-page career profiles. ↗ mynextmove.org

Source: U.S. Department of Labor — My Next Move. Powered by O*NET. Free public resource.

Select the skills you already have. Including transferable skills from athletics. And the Skills Matcher returns careers that align with your profile. Helpful for athletes who know what they are good at but do not know what job titles match.

U.S. Dept of Labor — Free CareerOneStop Skills Matcher Select your skills and match them to career options. Includes salary data and job openings. ↗ careeronestop.org U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Free Occupational Outlook Handbook Salary ranges, job growth projections, what the work actually requires. For every major career. ↗ bls.gov/ooh

Sources: CareerOneStop.org · Bureau of Labor Statistics. Both free U.S. government resources.

GamePlanU is the free-access side of Game Plan, a platform built specifically for college athletes navigating life after sport. Sign up with a personal email to access job listings from employers who specifically recruit athletes, plus live Office Hours sessions with career coaches.

Some mentorship features require your athletic department to activate access. Check with your career or compliance staff. Game Plan is now part of Bridge Learning and Insights.

Game Plan — Free Athlete Access GamePlanU Free for current and former college athletes. Job listings, employer network, and live career coaching. Sign up with a personal email. ↗ gameplanuniversity.com

Source: Game Plan (now part of Bridge Learning and Insights). "GamePlanU." wearegameplan.com. Free public access for athletes. Accessed April 2026. Note: some platform features require your athletic department administrator to activate access.

This section is not about graduate school. It is about what comes after your athletic participation ends. Whether that was last season or fifteen years ago, whether you need a first career or a second one: career change is not failure. Coming back to this at any point is strength.

You are not starting over Every year of athletic experience counts. The discipline, the team experience, the adversity, the commitment — those are credentials. The work is learning to articulate them in terms that employers recognize.
The transition is hard. And that is normal Research is clear: athletes often struggle with identity after sport ends. The structure disappears. The team disappears. The goal disappears. If this describes you right now, you are not broken. You are between chapters. Use the mental health resources on the Resources page alongside these career tools.
Former athletes returning for a career change If you are years removed from sport and need a new direction, the same tools apply. The O*NET Profiler and My Next Move have no eligibility requirements. They work at any stage of life.
NCAA.org — Free Preparing for Your Career Official NCAA career preparation resources for student-athletes — current and former. ↗ ncaa.org NCAA — Free NCAA Grad School Resources Graduate school options, preparation, and scholarships for student-athletes considering advanced degrees. ↗ grad.ncaa.org

Sources: National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). “Preparing for Your Career.” NCAA.org · National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). “Graduate School Resources.” grad.ncaa.org. Free resources for current and former student-athletes. Accessed April 2026.

Internship experience has a strong correlation to finding employment in a desired career. Athletes face schedule challenges that make traditional internship timelines hard. These resources help navigate that.

Talk to your athletic department first Many schools have career services specifically for athletes, sometimes called an Athletics Career Center or Athletic Academic Center. They can connect you with employers who already value the athlete skill set and understand your schedule.
Federal internship and job search tools — free CareerOneStop (U.S. Dept of Labor) includes job search tools, apprenticeship finders, and local workforce resources. All free, no account required.
Off-season is your window If internship timing conflicts with your season, use the off-season strategically. A part-time or virtual internship during a semester may be possible. Ask your academic advisor and compliance office about any restrictions.
U.S. Dept of Labor — Free CareerOneStop Job Finder Search job and internship openings by location and keyword. Free government tool — no account needed. ↗ careeronestop.org U.S. Dept of Labor — Free Apprenticeship.gov Official U.S. apprenticeship finder — paid, structured training pathways across industries. ↗ apprenticeship.gov

COMING: CONNECT WITH PEOPLE WILLING TO GIVE THEIR TIMEThis space is reserved for a future Community feature. Athletes connecting with professionals and former athletes willing to offer informal mentorship, informational interviews, and time. Not LinkedIn. Not Facebook. Something built specifically for this community. Watch this space.

Sources: CareerOneStop.org · Apprenticeship.gov. Both U.S. Department of Labor. Free public resources. Last reviewed April 2026.

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