As a student, I’ve often felt confused about what career path to choose. There are so many options, and it’s hard to know what truly fits your interests and strengths. I wanted to build something that gives students quick, personalized guidance instead of generic advice. That’s how NextStep AI was born — an AI buddy that helps you figure out your next step.
What it does NextStep AI is a web app that helps students explore career paths based on their interests. Users simply describe what they like or what they’re confused about, and the AI responds with: A supportive message 3 personalized career options Why those careers fit Skills needed A simple 30-day action plan It acts like a smart career mentor available anytime.
How we built it
I built NextStep AI using: Next.js (React) for the frontend TypeScript & JavaScript Google Gemini API for AI responses Node.js for backend API routes
The frontend captures user input and sends it to a custom API route, which connects to Gemini and returns structured career guidance.
Challenges we ran into Setting up API routes correctly in Next.js Debugging 404 and connection issues Handling Gemini API errors (quota limits, invalid keys, model issues) Managing environment variables securely Designing a clean UI while building functionality quickly
Accomplishments that we're proud of Successfully integrated a real AI model (Gemini) Built a working end-to-end product in a short time Created a clean, modern UI that feels like a real product Designed meaningful AI prompts that give structured, helpful answers
What we learned How to integrate AI APIs into a full-stack app How Next.js routing and API systems work Debugging real-world errors (not just code, but API and platform issues) The importance of prompt engineering for better AI responses Building under time pressure and still delivering a working product
What's next for NextStep AI (my POV)
I want to take NextStep AI further by:
Adding a chat-based conversation experience Saving user history and progress Providing real job/internship recommendations Integrating skill-building resources (courses, roadmap) Making it more personalized over time
Built With
- api
- gemini
- next.js
- node.js
- npm
- typescript
- ui
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