Career Plans Survey

The purpose of this biennial survey is to provide the Department of Defense (DoD) with reliable information about young adults’ education and career plans.

To ensure results are representative, we are contacting a mix of young adults ages 16 to 25; some of these young adults may have previously completed the Futures Survey.

Summary findings from the Career Plans Survey are provided to public officials. By understanding young adults’ plans and aspirations, public officials can do a better job providing services and allocating resources.

Career Plans Survey FAQs

How was I selected to receive the Career Plans Survey?

There are two ways you may have been selected for the Career Plans Survey. You may have previously completed the Futures Survey and provided your email address to be contacted for additional surveys. Alternatively, your name and address may have been drawn randomly from a list of 16 to 25 year olds in the United States.

I was not sent a survey, but I would be happy to complete one, and I think you should be interested in my opinion.

Thank you for your interest in completing the survey. We randomly sampled young adults from across the Nation to ensure we hear perspectives from a wide variety of individuals. If we send copies of the survey to people who request a copy, we would skew the selection and make the results less representative.

I am the person listed on the survey materials, but can I give the survey to someone else I know who might be more interested?

We would prefer that you complete the survey and not someone else. We sampled young adults from across the Nation to ensure we hear perspectives from a variety of individuals ages 16 to 25. By filling out the survey yourself, you can help us achieve our goal of capturing representative findings.

I doubt that you are interested in my opinion, since I am really not certain about my career plans. Should I complete the survey?

Yes, we definitely want to hear from you, even if you aren’t sure what your future career will be. It is only by hearing the different opinions and plans of everyone in our sample that we can be sure that our findings reflect the preferences and priorities that people your age really have when planning for their future.

I received $2 with my survey. Do I have to return it if I decide not to complete the survey?

No, the $2 is merely a small token to thank you for considering our request. Although we really would prefer to hear your opinion, if you feel you don’t want to participate, please let us know by selecting “I do not wish to continue” as your response to the first survey question.

I lost my invitation letter with the link to access the survey. Can another one be sent to me?

Yes, you can get assistance accessing the survey by emailing info@CareerPlansSurvey.com.

In the survey, why are responses for "Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin" separate from "Race"?

The United States Census Bureau designates Hispanic as an ethnicity, not a race. It is important that we understand how the people who respond to our survey compare with that of the U.S., as tracked by Census. In order to be able to do this, we have to ask our race and ethnicity questions the same way as the Census Bureau.

Will my privacy be protected?

Yes, your privacy will be safeguarded in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-579). Only group statistics will be reported. Individual data will not be reported.

I received a survey but I am not between the ages of 16-25. What should I do?

It’s helpful for us to know this information so we can understand why you weren’t eligible. Please let us know by selecting “I wish to continue” for the first survey question and providing your age on the second survey question. After submitting your response to the second question, the survey will not continue if you are outside the ages of 16-25.

I received a survey but I have a few questions before I decide to fill it out. Who can I contact?

If you have any questions about the survey items or the process itself, please feel free to contact us at info@CareerPlansSurvey.com.