how to write an essay on career planning

Explore Jobs

• Jobs Near Me
• Remote Jobs
• Full Time Jobs
• Part Time Jobs
• Entry Level Jobs
• Work From Home Jobs

Find Specific Jobs

• $15 Per Hour Jobs
• $20 Per Hour Jobs
• Hiring Immediately Jobs
• High School Jobs
• H1b Visa Jobs

Explore Careers

• Business And Financial
• Architecture And Engineering
• Computer And Mathematical

Explore Professions

• What They Do
• Certifications
• Demographics

Best Companies

• Health Care
• Fortune 500

Explore Companies

• CEO And Executies
• Resume Builder
• Career Advice
• Explore Majors
• Questions And Answers
• Interview Questions

Career Goals Essay For Scholarships (With Examples)

• Apply For A Job
• Applying To Multiple Jobs At The Same Company
• Applying for a Job In-Person
• Personal Mission Statement
• Corporate Titles
• Career Goals Essay
• Internal Applicants Only
• Vision Statement

Find a Job You Really Want In

Scholarship programs often want you to write a career goals essay to see that you have a clear plan for how you’ll apply your education to a specific career path. This helps show a scholarship committee why you’re seeking funds for the next step on the path toward your success. Answering “what are your career goals” effectively can help increase your odds of impressing landing a scholarship opportunity. If you’re a prospective student applying for scholarships, this article will provide tips on how to write a career goals essay, along with essays on career goals examples to help you get an idea of what scholarship committees are looking for. Key Takeaways: When you’re writing a career goals essay, make sure to write about the goals that are relevant to the scholarship. Be honest and use your own voice to stand out in your scholarship essay. Go into detail about how the scholarship will help you achieve your goals. In This Article    Skip to section What is a career goals essay? Why scholarship essays ask about career goals Example career goals essay prompts Career goals essay examples Tips for writing a scholarship essay about career goals What to write in a career goals essay if your goals have changed Career goals essay for a scholarship FAQ References Sign Up For More Advice and Jobs Show More What is a career goals essay?

A career goals essay is a personal written explanation that discusses your background, why you’re interested in participating in the program, and what career you’d like this degree to lead into. A scholarship essay functions to explain why you want to achieve your professional goals and how you intend to get there.

In almost every application process, a portion asks the candidate to answer an essay question. When applying to an educational program, like an MBA, the essay prompt usually relates to your career goals .

Why scholarship essays ask about career goals

Scholarship essays ask about career goals to assess your enthusiasm for the program, learn more about how the scholarship will help you, and ensure that you’ve considered how the program will help you achieve your goals for the future:

Assess your enthusiasm. Passion is important for scholarship administrators, and if you’re able to articulate your enthusiasm for a specific career path , it will show that you’re determined to meet the requirements to reach that goal. The most specific and well-thought-out your essay is, the easier it will be for a reader to understand your devotion and commitment to the program and the field it will allow you to enter.

Learn how the scholarship will help you. Having a firm grasp of your career goals is great, but it’s equally important that you express exactly how the specific program relates to those goals. This shows that you’ve researched the merits of the program and understand exactly how it fits into your professional goals.

Show you’ve considered your future. This goes along with the first two points — show that you know how to set goals and consider the path toward achieving those goals, and you’ll have an easier time convincing the reader that you’ll know how to set goals while participating in the program. They’ll see that you know how to prioritize education because you have a clear vision for navigating your career path.

Example career goals essay prompts

While some scholarships might come right out and simply ask, “What are your career goals?” most will rework the question into something different that still accomplishes the same goal.

Below are some examples of career goals essay prompts that a scholarship program could pose to its applicants:

Discuss your career goals. Many scholarships prefer the most direct approach when giving an essay prompt to their applicants. This type of question gives the candidate a lot of wiggle room to discuss their passions, motivations, and career goals.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years ? This question is often used as a prompt for a career goals essay because it gives the applicant a timeline to describe their aspirations. It forces them to be realistic about where their career will be and how they will accomplish this within the next ten years.

How will this scholarship contribute to your professional success? A scholarship committee wants to be sure that the money they’re giving will contribute to a student’s overall professional success. This question asks about the applicant’s game plan in the long-term and evaluates how this program is going to assist in their future.

What is your dream job ? Since a dream job is often categorized as a person’s career goals, this is a common question phrasing in scholarship essays. Asking about a candidate’s dream job answers whether this program aligns with the student’s long-term career goals.

What matters most to you and why? Sometimes, a scholarship essay prompt won’t ask about your career or future at all. Instead, they’ll ask a question like this that assesses your motivations , values, and character.

Career goals essay examples

Use these examples of career goals essays for scholarships to help write your own. Pay special attention to how they’re organized, rather than the content, to inspire your own career goals essay:

Career goals essay example 1 – Discuss your career goals

When I was six years old, I was riding bikes with my older sister around our neighborhood. She had just taught me how to ride, and I was excited to have to freedom to explore with her. When she was rounding a particularly difficult bend to see around, a car happened to be coming along at the same time. It struck her. That bike ride changed our lives forever. Over the next year, I went with my sister every Tuesday and Thursday to her physical therapist ’s appointments to help her regain walking strength. Watching her physical therapist patiently assist my sister back to becoming herself awoken something in me. A passion for helping others in the same way eventually turned into a career goal of becoming a physical therapist myself. I decided to get my bachelor’s degree in exercise science. After graduating in 2019, I knew that the next step for me was to attend a graduate program in physical therapy. I was accepted to Lassell University Master of Science in Rehabilitation Services. This presented me with my latest goal along my career path, and I’m eagerly waiting to start. This scholarship would help me afford the wonderful opportunity to be a part of the Lassell University class of 2023, allowing me to continue working towards my ultimate career goal of becoming a physical therapist and helping others to become themselves again.

Career goals essay example 2 – Where do you see yourself in ten years?

In ten years, I will have been successfully running my own construction business for about five years. I’m currently a second-year student at the University of Texas, pursuing a master’s degree in business administration. I decided to get my MBA because I knew it would be a positive asset toward my long-term career goal of owning a construction business. In my high school years, I worked as a construction apprentice for a local business. I loved many aspects of the business, such as building something from nothing. I knew that I wanted to incorporate this work into my long-term career, but I didn’t want to work as an apprentice . This led me to pursue business. In ten years and with the help of this scholarship, I will have graduated with my MBA almost a decade prior . After graduation, I plan to take a business administration internship with a carpentry business to help myself get a footing in the field. After about two years of this, I will have started my own construction business.

Career goals essay example 3 – What matters most to you and why?

The people I surround myself with matter most to me. Whether it be my relatives, friends, or professional acquaintances, I always care the most about the happiness of the people around me. Making the people around me happy matters the most to me because I truly because we find our happiness through others. I believe that this drive to make a positive impression on the people around me is what drove me towards a career as a nurse . I always thought of hospitals as places where people need someone to support them and make their day a little happier. I wanted to be one of those who spend their careers positively impacting people in need. This scholarship will enable me to finally afford nursing school and go after my dream job full force.

Career goals essay example 4 – What are your short- and long-term career goals, and how will earning this degree contribute to achieving those goals? Please provide a minimum of 200 words.

My short-term career goals involve working directly with underprivileged young people to increase the literacy rate in my community. As a student of an underfunded and understaffed school, I’ve seen firsthand how much of an impact early literacy education makes on long-term achievement. It broke my heart to see my peers embarrassed at their struggle with reading at an advanced age, and this shame added another dimension to their lack of opportunity. Being a literacy educator for young people would allow me to serve this community directly to show them not only the necessity of strong written communication skills, but the joy of reading for pleasure. This program focuses specifically on early literacy, and would provide me a direct route to a career in serving the community I hope to serve. As for long-term career goals, I hope to one day create a program where socioeconomically parents can bring their children for literacy education, not only to increase their ability to navigate the world of language, but also to instill confidence and joy in the written word. What drew me to this program was that it also has administrative, legal, and business dimensions that would set me on the path toward achieving this goal.

Tips for writing a scholarship essay about career goals

Here are some tips to keep in mind for writing a career goals scholarship essay:

Write about goals relevant to the scholarship. Although you may have many different kinds of goals for your personal and professional future, a scholarship essay only discusses objectives that are relevant to the program you’re applying for.

Be honest. Applying for a scholarship is stressful because the applicant’s education is usually reliant on receiving these funds in one way or another. Even though it’s tempting to exaggerate your skills or pretend you’re more passionate about something than you are to make yourself a more competitive applicant, it’s a bad move.

Use your own, unique voice. The essay portion of a scholarship application is your chance to stand out by using your voice. Nobody else, regardless of their academic or professional achievements, is you. Make this clear in your career goals scholarship essay by keeping your unique written voice engrained in the words you produce.

Be specific. A big reason that scholarship committees ask applicants to write a career goals essay is to determine how prepared they are in planning their long-term professional goals. They aren’t interested in providing a scholarship to students who aren’t going to follow through with their career plans.

Explain long and short-term goals . Even if the essay prompt asks you to describe where you see yourself in ten years, you still need to tell them the steps leading towards this picture of success.

Include the short-term goals that add up to your larger career objectives in your essay response. Explain how accomplishing the smaller goals gives you an advantage when tackling long-term ones.

Explain how the program and scholarship will help you. Before writing your career goals essay, consider how this program and scholarship will help you in your career. The answer to this question is essential.

Follow the essay formatting guidelines. This may sound obvious, but it’s surprisingly easy to forget this step when your essay is finally flowing and when you’re scrambling to get it submitted on time.

Check, double-check , and triple-check the essay guidelines for content, word count, and formatting requirements. If you miss any of these steps, your essay may be immediately disqualified no matter how good it or the rest of your application is.

What to write in a career goals essay if your goals have changed

Many times career goals essays are written by students who have already completed at least some college or are applying to a post-graduate program and need more money to continue.

There’s a good chance that your career goals have changed since you started or graduated college. For example, say you wanted to be an engineer , so you got your undergraduate degree in engineering but realized you didn’t like it after working in the industry for a few years.

You decided that nursing would be more up your alley, and now you’re applying for a scholarship for a nursing program. While this isn’t unusual, it can make it more difficult to write a career goals essay since your past work doesn’t necessarily match your future goals.

In this case, you’ll simply need to explain why you changed your career path and why this next one is the best choice for you. Share your decision-making process to show that you haven’t taken the switch lightly, and talk about what you’ve already done to try to pursue this path.

Career goals essay for a scholarship FAQ

How do you write a career goal for a scholarship essay?

You write a career goal for a scholarship essay by sharing your passion, explaining both your long- and short-term goals, and relating your goals to the scholarship.

Explain why you want to pursue the career you’re pursuing, where you hope to be in the future and how you plan to get there, and how the scholarship will help you do this.

How do you describe your career goals in an essay?

You describe your career goals in an essay by explaining what you want to do in your career, why you decided on this career path, and what you’ve done so far to make that a reality.

You can usually work these factors into any prompt you receive, so think through them before you start writing so that you can use them as an outline of sorts.

What are career goals examples?

Examples of career goals include:

Working as a grant writer for a nonprofit organization.

Becoming a department manager and eventually an executive in your field.

Owning your own plumbing company.

Caring for underserved communities as a nurse practitioner .

What are some goals for success?

Some goals for success include growing in your role, building your network, and finding joy in the job. Most careers don’t just happen overnight and require you to set the right milestones that work best for you. Not everyone will have the same goals for success.

How do you start a career goals essay for a scholarship?

You can start a career goals essay for a scholarship by directly answering the prompt. Most scholarship prompts include a word count of between 200 and 500 words, so it’s essential that you immediately respond to the prompt. Attention-grabbing sentences and narratives can be helpful for setting the scene, but an efficient and direct answer will show a clarity of mind that helps enhance the quality of your answer.

BLS – Career planning for high schoolers

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.

Related posts

The 10 Best Free Email Accounts (With Examples)

How To Write A Follow Up Email After A Career Fair

How To Write A Vision Statement (With Examples)

Walmart Online Application Information (With Assessment Test Tips)

• Career Advice >
• Apply For Jobs >
• Application >

• Search All Scholarships
• Exclusive Scholarships
• Easy Scholarships to Apply For
• No Essay Scholarships
• Scholarships for HS Juniors
• Scholarships for HS Seniors
• Scholarships for College Students
• Scholarships for Grad Students
• Scholarships for Women
• Scholarships for Black Students
• Scholarships
• Student Loans
• College Admissions
• Financial Aid
• Scholarship Winners
• Scholarship Providers

Student-centric advice and objective recommendations

Higher education has never been more confusing or expensive. Our goal is to help you navigate the very big decisions related to higher ed with objective information and expert advice. Each piece of content on the site is original, based on extensive research, and reviewed by multiple editors, including a subject matter expert. This ensures that all of our content is up-to-date, useful, accurate, and thorough.

Our reviews and recommendations are based on extensive research, testing, and feedback. We may receive commission from links on our website, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our marketing partners don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted. You can find a complete list of our partners here .

Examples of Scholarship Essays for the “Career Goals” Question

Emily Wong is a writer at Scholarships360. She’s worked as a social media manager and a content writer at several different startups, where she covered various topics including business, tech, job recruitment, and education. Emily grew up and went to school in the Chicago suburbs, where she studied economics and journalism at Northwestern University.

Learn about our editorial policies

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Writing an essay is often the trickiest part of the scholarship application, not to mention the most time-consuming. However, the essay section also allows room for creativity and individuality. If you can communicate effectively, you can use the essay portion to stand out from the crowd. Let’s go over some tips for writing, as well as a couple of scholarship essay examples about career goals.

How to write a scholarship essay 

At this point, you’ve probably gained plenty of experience writing papers for school. However, it may still take a couple of tries to nail the scholarship essay. Since scholarship teams often have to get through a lot of applications, it’s important to stand out while staying concise. Here are some simple guidelines for writing scholarship essays.

See also: How to write a winning scholarship essay (with examples!)

Take five minutes to brainstorm

Before you even start your essay, take some time to gather your thoughts. Think about what you’ll want the paper to focus on. Why did you choose to pursue your career path in the first place? Where do you want to be in five years? How would this scholarship help you further your studies and work toward your goals?

Once you’ve jotted down a few ideas, choose one or two to center your essay on. Identifying the focus of your paper, it’ll make it easier to keep your thoughts organized. In turn, it’ll make it easier for the reader to follow.

Related : How to start a scholarship essay (with examples!)

Stay within the word limit

Unlike the four-page essays that you may have written in English class, scholarship essays are often only a paragraph or two. In order to respect the selection committee’s time, be wary of going too far about the specified word count. A general rule of thumb is to stay within 20 words above or below the limit. That may entail a few rounds of edits to get the wording just right.

Stay positive!

Feel free to use part of your essay to talk about your life’s challenges. After all, the selection committee often wants to give the award to a candidate who needs it. However, make sure your anecdote doesn’t devolve into a sob story. If you’re going to bring up hardships you’ve endured, try to balance it by talking about how you’ve overcome them. By demonstrating resilience, you can show readers how you would use the scholarship to succeed in your current situation.

Leave time to proofread

Especially for a short scholarship essay, proofreading can take as little as 5-10 minutes. Still, it can be tempting to just hit “submit” after your first draft. However, being too impulsive can leave your essay riddled with typos and grammatical errors.

Try to avoid unnecessary mistakes by finishing your draft at least 24 hours before the scholarship deadline. That way, you can proofread it with fresh eyes before you submit it.

If you’re struggling to close out your essay, read how to end a scholarship essay in five steps .

Apply to these exclusive scholarships

$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

“College Here I Come” Essay Scholarship for High School Seniors

“Broad Horizons” Scholarship for High School Juniors

“Making Waves” Scholarship for Women

“Tuition Solution” Scholarship for STEM Students

“A Helping Hand” Scholarship

How to write a 100-word “career goals” essay.

When writing a 100-word essay, you’ll have to choose your content carefully. Since space is limited, you’ll want to identify the most important details to include beforehand.

First and foremost, make sure to clearly communicate your current pursuits. Talk about your academic and extracurricular activities related to your career goals. Additionally, it’s important to be specific about what you plan to do in the future. Then, if you have extra room, you can talk about how the scholarship will help you reach your goals.

My name is Alison MacBride, and I’m a sophomore at the University of Illinois. I’m currently pursuing a major in Journalism with a minor in Natural Resource Conservation. After completing my program, I plan to combine my areas of interest to become an environmental journalist.

During high school, I volunteered at an eco-conscious farm, where I learned about how our actions affect the earth. Since then, I’ve been set on raising awareness for the environment. This scholarship would go a long way in helping me finish my degree with the skills I need to investigate and report about critical issues.

Word count: 100

How to write a 250-word “career goals” essay

For the 250-word essay, you can go into more detail. Give the readers some context by talking about how you first got interested in your chosen career. Storytelling can be especially effective in engaging your audience. Try to capture their attention by choosing one or two concrete examples and relaying them vividly.

Additionally, you can spend more time talking about the scholarship and how it’ll make a difference in your studies. Go into more detail about how and why you need the award, but remember to keep it positive! For more help, check out how to write a 250 word essay . 

I first decided that I wanted to pursue a career in environmentalism in early high school. The summer after my freshman year, I joined a volunteer program at an eco-conscious farm in my community. In addition to helping out with the operations, I learned about current environmental issues related to farming and other consumer industries.

After learning about the agricultural industry’s impact on the planet, I was inspired to make a difference. The next year, I started a monthly earth magazine at my high school in which we broke down environmental issues and offered tips on how to be more eco-friendly. When I started college, I founded an on-campus publication with the same mission.

In recent years, I’ve been troubled to see how some media outlets downplay the gravity of issues like climate change and deforestation. I’ve admired reporters who publish trustworthy and comprehensible information about environmental issues, and I aim to follow in their footsteps.

When I entered college, I was initially concerned that I wouldn’t have enough money to finish my degree. Fortunately, I’ve been able to cover most of my tuition using merit scholarships and paychecks from my part-time job on campus. Receiving this scholarship would allow me more time to focus on acing my classes and pursuing environmental advocacy work on campus.

Word count: 261

Final thoughts

Planning is essential in making your “career goals” essay clear and concise. Hopefully, these scholarship essay examples about career goals can be your guide to writing a scholarship-winning essay. Good luck!

Additional resources

Maybe you need to write a longer scholarship essay? We can help with our writing a 500 word essay guide ! Be prepared and learn how to write essays about yourself and how to craft an impressive personal statement . Learn the differences between a personal statement and a statement of purpose as the terms might come up on college websites. If you haven’t decided on a college already, check out our guide on how to choose a college . No matter where you are in your educational journey, make sure that you apply for all the scholarships you qualify for!

Start your scholarship search

• Vetted scholarships custom-matched to your profile
• Access exclusive scholarships only available to Scholarships360 members

Scholarships360 Recommended

Top 69 No Essay Scholarships in September 2024

Top 288 Scholarships for High School Juniors in September 2024

$20k+ in Exclusive Scholarships from Scholarships360

Trending now.

Top 53 Easy Scholarships✅ to Apply For in September 2024

Top 2,998 Scholarships for High School Seniors in September 2024

Top Scholarships for Current College Students in September 2024

3 reasons to join scholarships360.

• Automatic entry to our $10,000 No-Essay Scholarship
• Personalized matching to thousands of vetted scholarships
• Quick apply for scholarships exclusive to our platform

By the way...Scholarships360 is 100% free!

How to Write an Awesome Essay About Your Career Goals

• Before you begin, ask yourself a few key questions like:
• What are my short-term and long-term career goals?
• Where do I see myself in ten years?
• What events in my life have led me to have these goals?
• What major will help me reach my goals?
• What skills do I need to reach my goals?
• What impact do I want to have on society?

Career Goals Essay Template

Need more inspiration.

After you brainstorm the responses to these questions, look for common themes, or pick out the most interesting stories. You can build your main essay “thesis” or idea around this.

Once you’ve got the main idea, create an outline to put your ideas into essay format. This will give you a general idea of structure.

You can use the career essays template below to give you some ideas. But remember that some rules are meant to be broken, so don’t be afraid to be innovative and think outside the box!

Also, when you’re done, head over to Going Merry to apply for the Career Goals scholarship essay bundle (one essay, one application, multiple scholarships!). You might as well make that essay count. Sign up for Going Merry to apply for scholarships more efficiently.

Here’s a paragraph-by-paragraph breakdown:

Paragraph 1 : Establish the main theme of what you’re going to talk about. It should also grab the reader’s attention. For example, instead of starting your essay with something generic (e.g. Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a zoologist), get creative with it! Try something like My greatest memory as a young girl was going to the zoo for the first time or While most kids play house or school, I always wanted to play zookeeper.

Paragraph 2 : Elaborate on what inspired your career goals. Perhaps it was a relative, a TV show, or simply an experience that you had. Remember that old writing adage, “Show, don’t tell.” In other words, try to demonstrate your interest with story or description. 

Paragraph 3 : Discuss your short-term career goals and your intended major. How will your intended major help you reach these goals? What skills do you need to learn to reach them? At the end of the paragraph, try discussing how your short-term goals can help you achieve your long-term goals.

Paragraph 4 : Focus on your long-term goals and the impact that you hope to have on society. If you’re not sure what your long-term goals are, don’t sweat it; they’ll probably change anyways. You can instead focus on the difference you’d like to make overall. And don’t worry too much about the size of the impact…remember that just doing what you’re truly passionate about has a massive impact on those around you.

The last paragraph is your conclusion. You can use this paragraph to summarize what you discussed in the previous few paragraphs. If you want to be even more creative, try ending your essay with a question for your readers or a new insight. Good luck!

And now that you’re ready with that essay, put it to good use! You can recycle that same essay, when applying for the Career Goals Scholarship Bundle. We’ve joined together multiple scholarships (all requesting essays on career goals), into just ONE simple application! See more info here , or just sign up to get going.

Check out examples from other students just like you. Here are links to some great career goal essay examples:

• Example 1  
• Example 2  
• Example 3  

Or maybe you’re looking for help with an academic goals essay — we’ve got you covered there too.

Also, check out this helpful list of the 10 most common scholarship essay topics !

Sign up for Going Merry today, and upload your career goal essay right to your profile. It’s that easy!

• Recent Posts

• 7 Outstanding Oregon Scholarships for 2024 - November 6, 2020
• Great Scholarships for Students in Ohio for 2024 - November 4, 2020
• Great Scholarships for Students in Texas for 2024 - July 30, 2020

Ready to find scholarships that are a match for you?

• Applying For Scholarships

Writing Tips for a Career Goals Essay (2023)

Jennifer Finetti Mar 1, 2023

Get our best scholarship practices, insights & tips delivered to your inbox

Thank you for subscribing!

For your college scholarship essay, you may be asked about your career goals. The scholarship committee wants to see how investing in your education will help your career. Do you have a definitive plan? Will a college education fit into that plan? These are the answers they want to see.

In this guide, we will provide some scholarship essay examples about career goals to jumpstart your essay writing.

Writing tips for career goals scholarship essays

Here are some quick tips for writing career goal scholarship essays:

• Write about career goals that tie into the scholarship. This doesn’t mean you have to lie about your career goals to make them fit. Find a way to relate them to the scholarship committee or other elements of the scholarship.
• Be precise about your career goals. Avoid vague statements that suggest you do not have a plan. Judges like to see determination because it shows they’re making a worthy educational investment.
• Discuss how your education will help you achieve your career goals. The scholarship will assist with your education. Show a connection between the two so they can see why you deserve this scholarship.
• If you mention multiple goals, indicate which one you feel most strongly about. Longer essays may allow you to mention a backup plan, but the committee needs to see where your focus lies.
• Avoid cliché statements. Describe how your specific talents, experiences, and degree pursuits will help you succeed.
• Point out solutions, not problems. You may mention struggles you’ve had in the past, but pinpoint how you will learn from them. Moreover, show how those struggles led to your career goals.
• Organize your thoughts in a fluid manner. This will most likely be in chronological order, starting with your degree and progressing through your career growth.
• Write, revise, rest, revise. This goes for any essay writing. Write the first draft from start to finish. Then read through it and edit any grammar or flow errors. Take a break, preferably overnight, and then re-read your content with fresh eyes.

The fastest path to earning scholarships

Simplify and focus your application process with the one-stop platform for vetted scholarships.

Example 1: Scholarship essay about career goals (100 words)

In a 100-word scholarship essay, you need to quickly make your point. There is not enough room for a lengthy intro or backstory. Use concise, comprehensive statements to deliver the most information in the fewest words.

I’m a sophomore at Texas Tech University, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Companion Animal Science. After graduation, I hope to attend Texas A&M to become a veterinarian serving rescue organizations and animal shelters. I was born and raised in the south, where it is common for people to abandon animals in rural areas. Those animals then go into a rescue – emaciated, frightened, and confused. I want to work with rescues to provide affordable veterinary medicine to the animals they save. This scholarship would help me continue my education and potentially save thousands of abandoned animals in the future.

Word count: 99

Example 2: Scholarship essay about career goals (250 words)

With a 250-word scholarship essay, you have a little more room to discuss the details of your career goals. You can explain situations from your past that inspired your career pursuits. You could use one paragraph to talk about your short-term goals and another to talk about your long-term goals. Just make sure the big picture ties into the scholarship.

My name is Patrick Holden and I am a freshman at the University of Michigan, majoring in English and minoring in linguistics. I plan to become an English teacher, but this wasn’t always what I had in mind.  When thinking about my future, I always saw myself in some sort of corporate office, perhaps as an executive assistant or a loan officer at a bank. My father works in the finance office for a car dealership and my mother works at a call center. I assumed I would follow a similar, albeit boring, path in life. In my junior year of high school, everything changed. My English teacher inspired me in ways I could have never imagined. She got me to love writing, literature, etymology, and everything about the English language. She made me want to be a better student in all of my classes, and she helped me see the value of education. I decided then that I wanted to inspire other students just as she did for me. My parents are unfortunately not able to contribute much toward my college expenses. I have earned a tuition scholarship based on my ACT score, but I still need additional funding for books and supplies. English majors have particularly high book costs because we have to purchase multiple books for each class. With the help of this scholarship, I could afford to continue my degree and become an English teacher.

Word count: 240

Example 3: Scholarship essay about career goals (500 words)

With 500 words or more to play around with, you have plenty of space to talk about your career goals. Maintain the same theme throughout the scholarship essay. Each paragraph should connect to the next, and they should all work together to describe your career plan. Avoid making disconnected statements for the sake of word count. In the end, the scholarship committee should have a clear view of your educational plans and professional aspirations.

Internet marketing has gone from an optional method of advertisement to a vital step in business outreach. Even small businesses in remote towns look to the internet to attract customers and spread the word about their services. I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing with an emphasis on Digital Marketing. With this training, I will be able to enter a profession that will only grow year by year. When I was younger, I found print advertisements to be fascinating. I loved reading the newspaper with my father just to see the full-page ads in between stories. When I got older though, those ads became less appealing because they were not adaptive. They seemed dated, static and ill-fit for changes in society. That’s when I discovered internet marketing. It was still in its infancy when I was in middle school, but by the time I graduated high school, it had become a staple in business development. I loved the way internet marketers had to constantly adjust to fit Google’s algorithms, new mobile devices, and new audiences. I knew this was the career for me. Originally, I planned to focus solely on business marketing because there were not many digital marketing degrees available. Over the last two years though, several schools throughout the country have developed internet marketing courses that explain fundamental methods of search engine optimization, website analytics, and more. These are the foundations I will build my career around. The best part about internet marketing is that there is always something new to learn. I can use my creative mind and exploratory nature to try new advertising methods that help businesses succeed. Every time they do well, I do well. This is the kind of job fulfillment most people can only dream of, but my educational plan and job prospects will allow me to achieve it. I have picked up some freelance jobs online to supplement my studies and help pay for my education. It is difficult to maintain a steady stream of income in freelance because I spend so much time on my school work. This scholarship could offset some of the costs and reduce my workload as a whole. While I will still work throughout the semester and full-time in the summers, having extra financial aid would greatly reduce my stress in college. I look forward to a future where I can use my marketing skills to help business owners achieve their career goals. I plan to spend the first few years after graduation working for a successful, long-standing digital marketing company. After I have enough on-the-job training to feel confident in my abilities, I will open my own internet marketing company in Chicago, where my family lives. I have a clear picture of where I will be in the next 10 years, and I know this degree is going to help me get there.

Word count: 481

• Scholarship Essay

Jennifer Finetti

As a parent who recently helped her own kids embark on their college journeys, Jennifer approaches the transition from high school to college from a unique perspective. She truly enjoys engaging with students – helping them to build the confidence, knowledge, and insight needed to pursue their educational and career goals, while also empowering them with the strategies and skills needed to access scholarships and financial aid that can help limit college costs. She understands the importance of ensuring access to the edtech tools and resources that can make this process easier and more equitable - this drive to support underserved populations is what drew her to ScholarshipOwl. Jennifer has coached students from around the world, as well as in-person with local students in her own community. Her areas of focus include career exploration, major selection, college search and selection, college application assistance, financial aid and scholarship consultation, essay review and feedback, and more. She works with students who are at the top of their class, as well as those who are struggling. She firmly believes that all students, regardless of their circumstances, can succeed if they stay focused and work hard in school. Jennifer earned her MA in Counseling Psychology from National University, and her BA in Psychology from University of California, Santa Cruz.

Related Stories View All

New Webinar – Top Ten Strategies for Writing Stand-Out Essays

Scholarship Myths We’ve Got to Bust

Scholarships Offered by Your Local Bank

Get started with scholarshipowl.

Simplify and focus your application process with the one-stop platform for vetted scholarships

Career Goals Essay: From Start to End

• Icon Calendar 13 August 2024
• Icon Page 4455 words
• Icon Clock 20 min read

Career goals essays are pieces of writing where authors explain a selected professional path they wish to pursue. In essay writing, outstanding papers contain details on what an individual intends to achieve in a specific occupation. Basically, a person should include stages of professional development and their precise purposes. In writing, five key stages of identifying professional essays include defining a dream job, documenting specific objectives, breaking down these aims, making them measurable, and developing an action plan. Then, other important writing steps include breaking aspirations into short- and long-term objectives. Moreover, a clear order of execution of specific objectives contributes to one’s level of success in a chosen job. In turn, effective career goals essays follow a precise structure that includes introduction, body, and conclusion parts. Hence, every applicant focuses on writing a perfect career goals essay by considering a unique concept of aspirations. Besides, an applicant should focus on professional and educational objectives.

General Aspects

Career goals essays refer to a piece of writing where authors explain a selected professional path they wish to pursue. Basically, an outstanding career aspirations essay contains details on what an individual intends to achieve in a selected profession. Then, other important writing details include job aspirations, relevant achievements that can contribute toward achieving personal aims, and defined ways that ambition can promote professional growth. Further on, including short- and long-term goals plays a crucial role in improving an overall quality of these papers. In writing, career goals essays stand out from personal statements since they show an admission board of prospective employers that one’s professional purposes apply to a specific field of study or job position one intends to pursue. Hence, documents are unique since they allow scholars to create a strong impression and increase their chances of receiving a university admission or being hired by a company. 

What Is a Career Goals Essay and Its Purpose

According to its definition, a career goals essay is a personal narrative and form of writing that outlines an individual’s professional objectives, specific steps they intend to take to achieve them, and how their past experiences and education have prepared them for this journey. As such, the main purpose of writing a career goals essay is to communicate a clear and coherent vision of a person’s future professional path (Kunert, 2021). For academic applications, such as for scholarships or graduate programs, these compositions provide more insights into how applicant’s goals align with institution’s offerings and values. On the other hand, for job applications, these papers highlight a candidate’s long-term vision and how their job dreams align with company’s objectives, showcasing their potential for growth and contribution within a chosen organization. Moreover, complete documents provide key insights into individual’s motivations, values, and long-term potentials, making it an essential tool for demonstrating commitment and readiness for future challenges (Asher, 2024). In terms of pages and words, the length of a career goals essay depends on academic levels, precise application requirements, and unique writing instructions, while general guidelines are:

High School

• Length: 1-2 pages
• Word Count: 250-500 words
• Length: 2-3 pages
• Word Count: 500-750 words
• Length: 3-4 pages
• Word Count: 750-1,000 words

Master’s

• Length: 4-6 pages
• Word Count: 1,000-1,500 words
• Length: 6-8 pages or more
• Word Count: 1,500-2,000 words or more

Note: Some sections of a career goals essay can be added, deleted, or combined with each other, depending on specific instructions provided by a given institution or an application itself. For example, a standard career goals essay format is a structured outline that includes an introduction paragraph of aspirations, detailed descriptions of short-term and long-term goals, relevant experiences and skills, and a conclusion that summarizes a unique commitment to achieving these objectives (Tipler, 2024). In writing, a career goal statement is a concise declaration of a person’s professional aspirations, outlining their long-term objectives and key steps they plan to take to achieve them. Finally, to start a career goals essay, people begin with a compelling introduction that highlights their primary professional aspirations, key motivations, and crucial experiences that have guided them toward their path.

Developing career goals is an important activity that successful students consider. Basically, such a process allows people to identify their professional objectives based on personal strengths and interests (Creed et al., 2020). Besides, they establish writing steps they must follow to make significant and specific contributions to their communities. In turn, the following stages are essential in developing aspirations:

Stage 1: Defining a Dream Job

Defining one’s dream is a first step in making long-term professional goals and obtaining a necessary motivation. Basically, this step enables an individual to make clear objectives on what to achieve in the future (Kunert, 2021). In essay writing, an aspiring student or employee should take the time to study employment sectors and identify important professions. For example, following this strategy ensures an individual develops the most satisfying aims to achieve through a career dream (Andresen et al., 2019). In turn, prudent individuals base their defined purposes on specific gaps existing in a precise occupation. Moreover, one should focus on delivering a solution that can solve an existing problem in a given labor market (Tipler, 2024). Thus, defining a dream job is a first and important writing step toward leading a successful profession.

Effective use of creative writing ways can lead to an accurate and precise definition of career goals. For example, one should rely on current and job skills that relate to childhood interests (Asher, 2024). In this case, successful aspirations must allow an individual to achieve youthful dreams. Moreover, to write an essay about their career, people outline their professional aspirations, reflect on unique experiences and skills that have shaped their path, and discuss their future objectives and precise steps they plan to take to achieve them (Tipler, 2024). In turn, this strategy can increase one’s level of satisfaction. Therefore, one must relate childhood dreams to a specific profession when developing unique purposes to write about.

Stage 2: Documenting Career Goals

A second step in identifying desired goals is to document them accurately. In particular, a person must identify how specific objectives would change situations and influence other aspects of life (Parada & Salmela-Aro, 2022). Moreover, by noting personal purposes, this writing method allows one to envision a job and determine if it would satisfy personal desires. Hence, some important facts a person must consider may include to:

• Envision a specific type and nature of an office.
• Envisage a unique dress of work.
• Consider some daily activities in a dream job.
• Develop a clear outlook of success in an identified job.
• Spell out an actual meaning of success in a job identified.

A particular process of writing career goals down plays an important role in allowing an individual to identify precise steps to take in achieving aspirations. In essay writing, envisaging different employment aspects can allow a person to develop a strong connection with a future professional path. Therefore, writing one’s aspirations is an important step toward making a firm decision to pursue a specific job.

Stage 3: Breaking Down Specific Objectives

Breaking career objectives into short- and long-term goals is a third important stage an individual should consider. In essay writing, aspiring students or employees must identify precise aims they want to achieve first (Asher, 2024). Basically, a clear order of execution of specific objectives contributes toward one’s level of success in a profession. Then, effective organizations of writing strategies play a crucial role in an entire achievement of one’s career goals (Kunert, 2021). From a practical perspective, effective planning reduces potential chances of wasting available resources in achieving precise objectives. In turn, breaking down aspirations leads to a direct identification of those that one can achieve immediately or after a specific period (Tipler, 2024). Therefore, one should consider separating professional objectives and follow next steps:

• Identify short-term goals – These objectives include those aims one can achieve within twelve months.
• Identify long-term goals – These aims include activities one can complete over several years.
• Develop strategic plans that can connect between two categories of objectives.

Studying standard prospects of any job position enhances one’s ability to break down desired outcomes. For example, every successful person takes specific steps to achieve desired outcomes (Tipler, 2024). In practice, one should learn from what mentors do to achieve their defined occupation objectives and successes. Then, exploring a particular professional development of mentors allows one to determine precise steps to take in pursuing aspirations (Kunert, 2021). In writing, one should consider exploring some opportunities, like online learning, additional certification, and mentorship that can lead to a development of hard and soft skills. Hence, one should consider studying future professional prospects when breaking down aspirations into short- and long-term goals.

Stage 4: Making Career Goals Measurable

Creating specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely (smart) goals enhances one’s ability to achieve desired outcomes. For example, an aspiring student or employee should create smart goals after outlining incremental steps to reach an ultimate job path (Kunert, 2021). Basically, this writing step allows an individual to identify an entire progress made in achieving occupational aims. Besides, one identifies an intended progress after a specific time. Then, other benefits of using smart objectives include a clear development of plans that can allow an individual to move from one step in a given professional path to the other (Tipler, 2024). In turn, students should set specific deadlines for achieving professional objectives. Therefore, one should consider creating smart aspirations and write about them.

Stage 5: Creating an Action Plan

A last step in creating career goals includes developing an action plan. For example, individuals must identify specific resources required to achieve precise objectives created (Kunert, 2021). In essay writing, seeking professional assistance and using online resources can help an individual to identify necessary resources and steps required to achieve specific aspirations. Beesides, effective action plans allow individuals to take precise steps towards achieving a desired professional obective (Tipler, 2024). Therefore, one must consider developing an executable action plan.

Important Factors

• One should revise professional objecitves at every stage – Changing aspirations depend on new realizations a person may experience after considering different factors.
• Reviewing and changing different professions can improve one’s level of satisfaction. In writing, an individual should rely on evidence-based approaches to settle on specific professional aims.
• Five stages identified above should provide a clear explanation of how a person adapts a chosen job, forms a clear concept, impacts professional experience, and anticipates a future profession.

Steps on How to Write a Career Goals Essay

To write a career goals essay, people clearly define their short-term and long-term objectives, connect them to their experiences and skills, and explain how their education and future plans will help them achieve these desired outcomes.

• Understand a Prompt: Carefully read an essay’s prompt to ensure you understand what is being asked and tailor your response accordingly.
• Self-Reflection: Reflect on your career aspirations, motivations, and experiences that have shaped your ambitions and write about them.
• Research: Investigate a specific field you are interested in and understand crucial steps required to achieve your professional objectives.
• Outline Your Essay: Create a structured outline to organize your thoughts and points to ensure a logical flow of ideas.
• Write an Introduction: Start your introductory paragraph with a hook that grabs attention and introduces your desired outcomes and motivation.
• Detail Short-Term Goals: Clearly describe your immediate job objectives and how they relate to your current situation.
• Discuss Long-Term Goals: Outline your long-term career ambitions and how they build on your short-term aims.
• Highlight Relevant Experiences: Discuss your experiences, skills, and achievements that support your aims in writing.
• Conclude Effectively: Summarize your job aspirations and reaffirm your commitment to achieving them.
• Proofread and Edit: Review your career goals essay for clarity, coherence, grammar, and adherence to an assignment writing prompt, and make necessary revisions.

A career goals essay must have three main sections in writing, namely an introduction, body, and conclusion. In an essay, people describe their ambitions by clearly stating their short-term and long-term objectives, explaining crucial motivations behind them, and detailing key steps they plan to take to achieve these desired outcomes (Kunert, 2021). In writing, the primary purpose of this structure is to allow an individual to communicate a career plan effectively. Firstly, an introduction section should provide background information about the professional path identified. Secondly, a body section should provide clear and accurate details to support specific aims one intends to take. Thirdly, a conclusion should section sum up an entire essay without introducing new facts. Hence, some writing guidelines one should follow in completing these three sections are:

Introduction

An introduction section of a career goals essay must begin with a phrase that captures a reader’s attention. In principle, an opening statement should motivate an admission committee or employer to read through an entire essay. For example, to write a statement of career goals, people clearly articulate their long-term and short-term professional objectives, explain key motivations behind these aims, and outline unique steps they plan to take to achieve them (Asher, 2024). Then, other details should give an overview of a career plan. In writing, an introductory paragraph should not exceed 10% of an entire length of a career goals essay. Besides, the primary aim of writing this section is to allow an interested person to understand what an applicant intends to do to achieve specific professional objectives. In turn, some examples of sentence starters for beginning a career goals essay are:

• Ever since I first discovered my passion for [specific field], I have been determined to build a career that allows me to explore and contribute to … .
• Reflecting on my personal and academic journey, I have come to realize that my ultimate job aim is to become [specific role], where I can apply my skills in … .
• My experiences in [specific experience or field] have profoundly shaped my desired aspirations, leading me to pursue a future where I can … .
• Growing up, I was always fascinated by [specific subject or field], and this early interest has helped me to define a clear career path that I am excited to follow toward becoming … .
• A defining moment in my life that solidified my professional objectives was when I [specific event or experience], which made me realize that I wanted to dedicate my professional life to … .
• Committed to making a positive impact in [specific area or community], I have set my professional aims to align with my passion for … .
• My professional journey began with a precise inspiration from [influential person or experience], and, since then, I have been motivated to achieve my desire of becoming … .
• In pursuit of a career that blends my interests in [specific field] and [another related field], I have developed a clear set of objectives that will guide me toward … .
• After years of studying and working in [related field or subject], I have developed a strong desire to advance my job by focusing on … .
• Key challenges and successes I have encountered in [specific experience or job] have not only shaped my skills but have also reinforced my commitment to achieving my long-term professional aim of becoming … .

A body section of a career goals essay should contain several paragraphs in writing. Basically, every paragraph must focus on a single objective an applicant intends to achieve. In practice, each body section must follow a sandwich rule. For example, to write a future plans and goals essay, people outline their short-term and long-term aspirations, explain defined motivations behind them, and detail critical steps and strategies they intend to follow to achieve these aims (Tipler, 2024). In essay writing, this method allows one to begin with a topic sentence, followed by supporting and explanations. Besides, each section must end with a summative and transitioning statement. In this case, each passage must provide adequate support to each professional aim and should take approximately 80% of an entire composition. Finally, applicants must provide clear and accurate details while writing to convince an intended audience.

True details convince admission committees more than other idealized concepts. Basically, applicants should consider providing accurate writing details in an essay as opposed to idealized concepts (Asher, 2024). From a practical perspective, a body section must contain real-life cases that led to a professional choice. Further on, one should consider giving accurate facts and explanations on how various factors will improve a future occupation. For example, in a personal statement, people describe their career goals by articulating their long-term vision, some motivations driving their aspirations, and how their experiences and education align with achieving these objectives (Tipler, 2024). Moreover, some important factors a person should consider are specific ways in which a chosen job may contribute toward community development. Therefore, writing about facts enhances an overall quality of a career goals essay.   

A conclusion section of a career goal essay is a reaffirmation paragraph of a person’s commitment to achieving discussed aspirations, summarizing key steps they will take and some impacts they hope to make in their chosen field. For example, writing an ending paragraph should summarize key concepts provided in an essay’s body (Kunert, 2021). As such, an individual should bring an entire composition into a unique closure. Basically, people need to link opening and body sections together in a conclusion paragraph. Moreover, this section must show readers that one has come to an end of a writing process. Hence, an ending paragraph should take approximately 10% of an entire essay.

Key Features

People should consider the following features to ensure they present outstanding essays:

• Writing several drafts – An applicant should consider preparing several drafts of an essay. Basically, this strategy allows one to refine ideas presented, while revising drafts improves an overall quality of a whole paper. Moreover, one can add or remove some details to enhance a good flow of ideas.
• Editing essays – Applicants should revise their essays to identify and correct grammatical errors and sentence structure. Essentially, effective revisions lead to flawless papers that appeal to a target audience. In turn, one should consider allowing peers to revise essays. Moreover, peer-reviewing is an important step in improving a sentence structure in a career goals essay.
• Including evidence – Prudent learners consider searching for adequate evidence concerning their profession to include it in an entire essay. In essay writing, one should include relevant experiences that can support future aspirations.
• Institutional requirements – One should consider specific requirements set by an institution for completing a career goals essay. In turn, some important factors one should consider include an overall length of a paper and its structure.

Recommendations

Every applicant focuses on writing a perfect career goals essay. Basically, one should consider understanding a crucial concept of professional aims before beginning a writing process. For example, aspirations are forms of personal development aspirations that a person focuses on achieving by considering ambitions (Asher, 2024). As such, graduates should focus on professional and educational objectives. In writing, including details about anticipated salaries makes an entire essay vague. Therefore, an applicant should avoid including irrelevant details when preparing a future plans essay.

Students should set aspirations for different stages of their jobs. For example, effective plans should contain specific stages one should accomplish (Kunert, 2021). In essay writing, every stage should have precise goals, and people need to include measurable and achievable objectives. Therefore, applicants should include specific aims for each stage included in a career plan.

Descriptions

Effective essay career goals essay should include a clear description of adaptation, formation, maturity, and later profession stated. Basically, an adaptation stage entails details on how an individual gained a unique competence and ability to learn from mentors about an actual significance of a specific profession (Tipler, 2024). In writing, a formation phase explains how one will strive to work independently and become a useful employer. Then, a maturity step should entail details on how learners gain professional experiences. Besides, a late-career phase focuses on a specific scope of future professional interests. Thus, an effective aspiration essay should include a clear description of all the stages one should take in developing a chosen job.

What to Include

Common Mistakes

• Lack of Specificity: Being too vague about your career goals can make your essay seem unfocused and unclear.
• Ignoring a Prompt: Failing to address precise requirements of an essay’s essay prompt can result in an off-topic response.
• Overemphasis on Personal Life: Focusing too much on writing about personal anecdotes rather than professional aspirations can detract from a specific purpose of a career goals essay.
• Unrealistic Goals: Setting objectives that are overly ambitious or unattainable can make you appear out of touch with particular realities of your chosen field.
• No Connection to a Present: Neglecting to link your current education or experiences to your future aims can make your essay feel disconnected.
• Overuse of Clichés: Relying on generic statements or clichés in writing can make your paper less impactful and memorable.
• Lack of Structure: A poorly organized composition with no clear flow can confuse readers and weaken your message.
• Failure to Show Passion: Not conveying genuine enthusiasm or passion for writing about your professional objectives can make your essay seem insincere.
• Ignoring Long-Term Goals: Focusing only on short-term objectives without mentioning how they lead to long-term ambitions can leave your paper incomplete.
• Poor Proofreading: Submitting a document with grammatical errors, typos, or poor language can undermine your credibility and professionalism.

Career goals essays are pieces of writing where people explain their selected professional path they wish to pursue. Basically, outstanding papers contain details on what an individual intends to achieve in a chosen profession. Further on, one should include some stages of career development. In writing, effective essays follow a specific structure that includes introduction, body, or paragraph sections. Besides, applicants must consider revising and editing career goals essays to improve an overall quality of their papers and their writing. In turn, aspiring university and job applicants should:

• include professional objectives in each stage of professional development;
• rely on evidence-based approaches to settle on specific aspirations;
• revise career goals essays several times to achieve a desired quality.

Andresen, M., Apospori, E., Gunz, H., Suzanne, P. A., Taniguchi, M., Lysova, E. I., Adeleye, I., Babalola, O., Bagdadli, S., Bakuwa, R., Bogićević Milikić, B., Bosak, J., Briscoe, J. P., Cha, J., Chudzikowski, K., Cotton, R., Dello Russo, S., Dickmann, M., Dries, N., … Zikic, J. (2019). Careers in context: An international study of career goals as mesostructure between societies’ career‐related human potential and proactive career behaviour. Human Resource Management Journal , 30 (3), 365–391. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12247

Asher, D. (2024). Graduate admissions essays: Write your way into the graduate school of your choice (5th ed.). Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed.

Creed, P. A., Sawitri, D. R., Hood, M., & Hu, S. (2020). Career goal setting and goal pursuit in young adults: The role of financial distress. Journal of Career Development , 48 (6), 801–816. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845319897136

Kunert, C. (2021). The insights of a powerful resume: How to fill out career goals and skills in resume: Guide to writing a resume . Independently Published.

Parada, F., & Salmela-Aro, K. (2022). Real-time processes of career goal construction: A case study approach with implications for the development of adolescents’ identity. Identity , 22 (1), 82–100. https://doi.org/10.1080/15283488.2022.2030233

Tipler, E. (2024). Write yourself in: The definitive guide to writing successful college admissions essays . Simon and Schuster.

To Learn More, Read Relevant Articles

Case Brief: Law Student Guidelines

• Icon Calendar 2 July 2020
• Icon Page 4764 words

What to Do If You Can't Find a Job After College

• Icon Calendar 30 June 2020
• Icon Page 2223 words

Which program are you applying to?

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

February 29, 2024

• Writing Your Career Goals Essay

Check out all the blog posts in this series:

• Identifying the Ingredients of a Winning Essay
• Finding a Theme for Your Statement of Purpose
• Revise and Polish Your Application Essays

Your career goals essay demands a laser-like focus. A personal statement, by contrast, allows for some flexibility in its content, though you can – and often should – discuss your career goals. But a career goals essay has a particular and packed agenda. In fact, the prompt for a career goals essay could actually include multiple questions, and in such cases, you want to make sure you address each of them.

For example, in 2022, Kellogg asked applicants to its one-year program to respond to the following prompt: “Please discuss your post-MBA career goal, the current experience you will leverage to support the transition, and the Kellogg 1Y opportunities that will help you reach this goal.” 

This prompt has three parts: (1) What do you want to do post-MBA ? (2) Why is the 1Y program appropriate for you? And (3) what experience has so far prepared you to succeed in your target role? 

So, always pay close attention to your target school’s prompt to ensure that you answer all the questions within its “single” question. 

Three elements of a successful career goals essay

In addition to having a distinct theme , your career goals essay should achieve the following:

• Highlight specific career achievements. Choose from your most notable or defining experiences. These could be related to your work, community involvement, or extracurricular activities. The experiences you select should showcase your leadership skills , creative thinking, collaborative abilities, and personal reflections about what you learned or gained.
• Explain why your experiences and influences make your career goal a logical and wise choice.
• Demonstrate why you are suited to a particular field as a result of your education, experience, abilities, and enthusiasm. Ideally, the material you choose to include will also allow you to prove your knowledge about industry trends and suggest how your abilities and strengths can help you contribute to that field.

It’s a very tall order to achieve all this.

Putting these elements together to create your goals essay

Let’s take a look at a sample MBA Goals Essay and see how these three key elements are incorporated.  

You should be able to easily recognize why the writer’s opening is attention-getting for all the right reasons. The writer introduces herself as the supremely busy executive she visualizes becoming in the future. She trades large amounts of stock, rushes off to a Zoom conference, hurries downstairs, flags down a taxi, then hops on a plane. As she describes this whirlwind of activity, we can practically feel her heart pumping.

After establishing her voice and personality in this opening, she offers context for her MBA goal. Notice that in writing about her work as an accountant for a major firm, she provides relevant details, including how many years she has been in the field, her bilingualism, and her specialty area as an auditor. This information is her springboard to explain why she is pursuing an MBA: she’s bursting out of her limited role as an accountant. Her eyes and ambition are set on a larger playing field as an international investment manager.

Write an essay, not a list or CV

Outstanding career goals essays are not lists of an applicant’s roles and achievements. Instead, they have a narrative flow and arc that convey the candidate’s palpable excitement about their career choice. This writer’s enthusiastic, dreamy first paragraph achieves this, and she returns to that image at the end, where she paints her idealized (if frantically busy) future. She also proves her seriousness by noting that she registered for the CFA exam.

Connect your career goals to your reasons for choosing a particular program

Many essay questions, especially those for MBA programs , will ask why you have chosen the school you’re applying to. Be prepared to respond knowledgeably and enthusiastically. And the only way to become knowledgeable – and enthusiastic – is by visiting campus in-person or virtually, attending student recruitment meetings, participating in forums, reading student blogs, watching videos of students speaking about their experiences, communicating directly with students and/or recent alumni, and otherwise doing your homework. As part of your research, make sure you have familiarized yourself with the courses and specializations that are relevant to your goals.

Summary Tips

• Focus on answering each and every question asked in a career goals essay prompt. Often, there is more than one.
• Highlight specific achievements vividly and in a way that shows that your career choice is logical for you.
• Do the research so you can write about why the school is a good fit for you and do so with genuine enthusiasm.

In the next post in this series , we’ll explain how to take all this advice and apply it to create an exemplary first draft.

Work one-on-one with an expert who will walk you through the process of creating a slam-dunk application. Check out our full catalog of application services . Our admissions consultants have read thousands of essays and know the exact ingredients of an outstanding essay.

By Judy Gruen, former Accepted admissions consultant. Judy holds a master’s in journalism from Northwestern University. She is also the co-author of Accepted’s first full-length book, MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools . Want an admissions expert help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related resources:

• The Winning Ingredients of a Dynamic MBA Goals Essay , a free guide
• Grad School Personal Statement Examples
• Focus on Fit , podcast Episode 162

About Us Press Room Contact Us Podcast Accepted Blog Privacy Policy Website Terms of Use Disclaimer Client Terms of Service

Accepted 1171 S. Robertson Blvd. #140 Los Angeles CA 90035 +1 (310) 815-9553 © 2022 Accepted

• Essay Editor

How to Write an Essay About My Goal: A Comprehensive Guide

In the ever-evolving journey of life, setting clear objectives and ambitions is crucial. Whether these goals are short-term or stretch into the far reaches of our future, they act as guiding lights in our journey. This guide will assist you in articulating and expressing these ambitions effectively, especially when it comes to writing them down.

Understanding the Importance of Goal Setting

Setting life goals is a combination of introspection and foresight. It demands an understanding of one's current standing and a clear vision for the future. By penning down your goals, you not only provide yourself a clear road map but also make a commitment to yourself to achieve them.

How To Write An Essay About My Life Goals

• Introduction : Initiate with an engaging hook—be it a quote, question, or anecdote—that aligns with your goal.
• State your main goal : Elucidate on what your primary life objective is. Be it professional success, personal achievement, or societal contribution, clarify your aim.
• The 'Why' behind the goal : Delve into your motivations. Discuss the driving forces behind this ambition.
• Steps to achieve : Provide a roadmap. Enumerate the steps you'd undertake to transform this goal into a reality.
• Potential Challenges : Highlight potential obstacles and your strategies to navigate them.
• Conclusion : Summarize and re-emphasize your dedication towards your objective.

Career Goal Essay Definition

It's essential to differentiate between life goals and career goals. While the former encompasses broader objectives, a career goal essay underscores your professional aspirations, detailing why they matter and how you plan to attain them.

How Long is a Professional Goal Statement?

A professional goal statement's length can vary but should be concise. Ranging typically from 500 to 1000 words, it should capture your aspirations succinctly. Always adhere to specific guidelines if provided.

What to Avoid While Writing Your Career Goal Essay

• Ambiguity: Always be specific. • Unsubstantiated lofty goals: Your ambitions should be grounded in reality. • Neglecting personal growth: Showcase how your past has shaped your future. • Reiteration: Stay succinct and steer clear of repetition.

My Future Goals Essay: 12 Models

• Entrepreneurial Aspirations : Launching a sustainable fashion startup by 2030.
• Technological Goals : Developing an AI-driven community healthcare system.
• Educational Objectives : Attaining a Ph.D. in Quantum Physics.
• Artistic Pursuits : Holding a solo art exhibition in a renowned gallery.
• Societal Contributions : Establishing a foundation for underprivileged children's education.
• Scientific Aspirations : Contributing to renewable energy research.
• Medical Goals : Becoming a pediatric surgeon and researching rare childhood diseases.
• Travel Objectives : Visiting every UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Sports Ambitions : Completing an Ironman Triathlon.
• Literary Goals : Publishing a trilogy of fantasy novels.
• Environmental Aims : Pioneering a city-wide recycling initiative.
• Leadership Aspirations : Becoming the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

Articulating one's life and career goals requires introspection, clarity, and foresight. This guide offers a structured blueprint to ensure your essay not only adheres to academic standards but genuinely resonates with your aspirations and dreams. Whether you're grappling with questions like "what should I write in my college essay?" or "how to draft a goal statement?", this guide is here to light the way.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the ideal structure for a future career essay? Start with an engaging introduction about your aspirations. In the body, detail the steps you plan to take, experiences that have guided you, and why you chose this career. End with a conclusion summarizing your determination and future vision.
• How do I ensure my career goals essay stands out? Incorporate personal stories or experiences that shaped your goals. Be specific about your aspirations and how you plan to achieve them.
• How can I relate my past experiences to my future career in the essay? Highlight skills, lessons, or challenges from your past and demonstrate how they have directed or prepared you for your future career.
• What should I avoid when writing an essay about my career goals? Avoid being too vague about your goals. Steer clear of clichés, and ensure your goals are realistic and grounded.
• How long should my essay about my goal be? This depends on the requirement. Usually, personal statements are between 500-700 words. Always adhere to the specified word limit.
• Can I include short-term and long-term goals in my essay? Absolutely! Detailing both shows planning and vision. Highlight how short-term goals will pave the way for long-term objectives.
• How do I conclude my essay about my goals effectively? Reiterate your dedication to these goals, reflect on the journey ahead, and end with a note of optimism and determination.

Related articles

Top 5 creative book report ideas that guarantee success in class.

Assigned reading helps students develop their critical analysis skill, and book reports test their progress. But it is not enough to simply analyze a literary work — you also need to express your creativity while presenting book report ideas. In this article, you will learn the definition of a literary report, its purpose, and five alternative book report ideas to show off your creativity in class. What is a book (literary) report? A book report is an overall summary and personal assessment o ...

Top 10 Excuses for Not Doing Homework: How to Trick Your Teacher in 2024

Whether it’s because you’re buried in other commitments or just had a seriously off day, finding credible excuses for not doing homework can save your day. Here's a brief look at the top 10 homework excuses, with tips on making them sound as true as possible. Just remember, use these wisely and try to stay on top of your assignments! 1. “My computer crashed right before I finished” In today’s digital world, technology problems are a plausible justification. Claiming that your laptop glitched ...

How to Write a History Essay: A Guideline for Non-Historians

History is a difficult discipline, no one can argue with that. It is especially challenging to write a history essay when you have zero historian bone in your body. That’s why today our goal is to teach you how to write a history essay. What is history essay? A historical paper is a classic instance of a scholarly work that seeks to examine and give answers to questions about long-gone factual incidents and their consequences. Unlike a simple narrative or description, a history paper demands ...

Best Places to Do Homework That Will Create a Perfect Study Heaven for You

Are you wondering, ‘Where can I go to do homework?’ Finding the ideal spot for studying can significantly affect your productivity and overall study experience. Whether you're a student seeking solace or someone looking for a change of scenery, selecting the right environment is key to maximizing your efficiency and focus. In this guide, we’ll discover various places to do homework that can transform your study routine into a more engaging and effective experience. The Importance of Having a C ...

How to Write a Table of Contents for Research Paper: A Complete Guide

After hundreds of hours of non-stop working, the research essay is finished! Unfortunately, it is not the time to celebrate. That’s when you must get down to one of the least pleasant things in professional college or high school writing – a table of contents. The following article will define table of contents, discuss its purpose, and provide guidance on how to make a table of contents for a research paper. What is a research paper table of contents? Academic essays can be from 2–3 to hundr ...

Discussion Posts: Definition, Overview, Writing Tips

Discussions are an important part of academic studies. They foster collaboration, raise student engagement, and help to better process new information. A common way to involve students in critical debate is through discussion posts. In this article, you will learn what a discussion post is and how to write it. Discussion post and open forum definition A discussion post is a written reply typically used in online forums – websites that encourage users to engage in a debate over various subject ...

Why Homework Is Good for Students: 20 No-Nonsense Reasons

Is homework beneficial in education? It has long been a cornerstone, often sparking debates about its value. Some argue it creates unnecessary stress, while others assert it’s essential for reinforcing in-class learning. Why is homework important? The reality is, that homework is vital for students' personal and academic growth. It not only improves their grasp of the material but also develops crucial skills that extend well beyond the classroom. This review explores 20 reasons why homework is ...

Top Proven Tips on How to Make Homework Fun

Everyone agrees that school would be much cooler if there were no homework. Alas, this is an impossible wish. Luckily, no one stops us from making it fun! In this article, you will find some awesome tips on how to make homework fun. 1. Create a comfortable study space Having a separate place where you can study is very important. Sure, you might think sitting on a couch with a laptop in your lap is as fun as it can get, but in reality, it may hinder your progress. Your brain knows that the co ...

What Is a Career Goals Essay?

An opportunity to expand, what to avoid in a career goals essay, final thoughts, how to write a career goals essay.

Updated January 15, 2024

All products and services featured are independently selected by WikiJob. When you register or purchase through links on this page, we may earn a commission.

As the name suggests, a career goals essay is a personal document that outlines your professional plans.

It describes your educational and work history, and your ambitions for the future.

A career goals essay is generally used in three situations:

• When applying to a school or college
• When applying for a scholarship to fund education
• When applying for a new job

It allows the reader to better understand your personality and fully appreciate why you are making the application.

Career goals essays help admissions staff and hiring managers to select the ideal candidates for a position.

What Should a Career Goals Essay Contain?

A little backstory.

This essay is an opportunity for you to allow your personality and experiences to shine, so avoid generic statements.

The document should be personal and concisely describe your life experiences.

You should explain why you have chosen this career path.

If there was a pivotal moment in your life that led you to this application, be sure to highlight it.

Outline Your Goals

The main focus of the essay should be your goals for the future.

Readers want to see that you are ambitious and driven, with a genuine passion for the role or course you are applying for.

These career goals should be split into your short-term goals (looking over the next one to three years) and your long-term goals (which might look as far as 10 years into the future).

Show How This Application Will Help You Reach Your Goals

Critically, your career goals essay must show how this degree or job will help you achieve your goals .

If your long-term goal is to become a veterinary surgeon, studying a veterinary medicine program will obviously be essential.

However, your goal may be more nuanced than that. For example, you might want to become an expert in a particular piece of technology or software. Your application must show how your success in this role will enable you to become an industry leader.

This will also emphasize to the reader that you have done your research and understand the skills required for that particular sector.

You will have likely submitted a CV and covering letter at other points throughout the application process.

Remember, your career goals essay should complement these documents rather than repeat them.

This letter allows you to expand on the points mentioned in the earlier documents, aligning your previous experience with your goals for the future.

If you are writing a career goals essay as part of an application for a new job, be sure to refer back to the job description and person specification.

These documents highlight the exact type of individual the employer is searching for, so be sure your career goals essay matches the content in them.

Most career goals essays will be submitted via email, so an appropriate title is essential.

‘The Career Goals of [Name]’ isn’t a title that will make you stand out from the crowd.

Don’t forget, whether you are applying to a school or an employer, the reader will have the job of sifting through hundreds, if not thousands, of applications .

Where candidates have very similar experiences and education, their creativity and personality will be used to make the final decision.

Example titles:

How a Digital Marketing Degree Will Allow Me to Support Sustainable Businesses

How My Next Role in Nursing Will Help Me Help Others

An Introduction

Your introduction should set the theme for the essay, and crucially, outline your why .

Many candidates find the introduction the most challenging part of the essay to write. Therefore, it often makes the most sense to write it last.

Your introduction should be an honest and personable account of why you have chosen this field of study.

Starting with a generic opening paragraph will not inspire or motivate your reader. Stay away from phrases such as “I have wanted to be a lawyer ever since I was a little girl.”

This sentence tells the reader very little about your current aspirations.

It can also damage your integrity, as we all know most small children dream of being a movie star or astronaut before the job of lawyer ever springs to mind.

Example introduction:

Most individuals in the US are lucky enough to never need the law to protect them. However, many fail to see how the intricate details of the constitution support their life every day. I have a particular fascination with criminal law after being introduced to the field by a family friend. The monumental impact a lawyer can have on the life and welfare of an individual truly astounded me, and I have spent the years since investigating the effects of the American legal system. This is why I have tailored my education so far to prepare me for a legal career. I work every day on developing my research and analytical ability, and now feel ready to dedicate myself fully to the legal field.

School-Specific Content

Admissions staff, tutors and hiring managers want to know that their applicants have done their research.

You can show them that you have done yours by adding a small paragraph straight after your introduction showing why you chose this school to study at or this company to work for.

First example of school-specific content:

[Insert company name] has an incredible global reputation, with clients in every continent. I can see that staff retention rates are incredibly high, indicating strong career opportunities and the prospect of continuous development. The company values show that diversity and integrity are of the utmost importance, and I would love the opportunity to work for an organization whose principles align with my own.

Second example of school-specific content:

[Insert school name] is well known for producing the highest caliber of graduates, with an excellent global reputation. The school leaderboards show that the grades from [insert school name] ranked within the top five in the country for the past 10 years. I would be proud to associate myself with an establishment that holds itself in such high regard and am thrilled at the prospect of learning alongside the best.

Your Long-term Vision

Remember, it is crucial you show why and how you are actively working towards these goals. For example, merely stating, 'My long-term goal is to become a lawyer with my own practice’ is worthless.

The reader wants to see how this goal aligns with your personality and why you have chosen this route.

The goals set out in this essay should be precise and meaningful .

Example of long-term vision:

Law is an area of study that affects us all. The law protects us, and I am fascinated by its impact on both an individual and global scale. Of course, I want to graduate with a top-class degree, but I am also passionate about the connections and network I will build along the way. My goal is to open my own practice one day, specializing in family law. At the moment, I volunteer in my local practice, gaining experience and building a network that will help me later in my career. I believe the combination of world-class education and hands-on legal experience will help me to achieve this ambitious long-term goal.

Your Short-term Vision

Next, it is crucial to discuss your short-term goals .

If you're applying to school, your short-term goals will explain what you aim to achieve throughout the degree or program.

For a job application, these goals will outline your targets for your first year in the role.

Example of short-term vision:

In the short term, my goal is to build a network in the legal sector. I have already begun doing this through my weekly volunteering role. However, this degree will undoubtedly allow me to meet a much broader spectrum of people. I am excited to curate this network with a range of legal specialists, from students at the start of their careers to tutors with many years of experience in the industry.

The Conclusion

As with any essay, your conclusion should summarize what you have discussed throughout.

You should not throw in any new ideas, subjects or theories at this point. Otherwise, it indicates to the reader that you have not cohesively written the essay.

Your conclusion should be about the same length as the introduction, mentioning your final goals and the name of the establishment you are applying to.

You must outline again why you want to work for this company or study at this school. Using a statistic or fact will show that you have conducted thorough research.

Example conclusion:

I am immensely excited to begin my experience with [insert school name]. Ultimately, this education will allow me to fulfill my dreams of becoming a lawyer and one day opening my own practice. I will bring hard work, determination and enthusiasm to the law school, never forgetting why I began this journey.

Vague or Weak Statements

Every sentence in your essay should be specific to you.

For example, statements such as ‘I want to study medicine because it will allow me to get a good job’ does not show the reader that you are passionate or enthusiastic about this position.

Discussing Financial Remuneration

Whether the essay is aimed at a prospective employer or a college admissions office, they want to see why you want the position personally.

Someone solely focused on the financial rewards will likely not have longevity in the career.

Controversial Topics

Of course, there will be times where politics and current affairs are relevant to the discussion.

However, showing a one-sided argument that doesn’t align with the readers can alienate your application before you even begin.

A career goals essay is an opportunity for your personality to shine through. It isn’t a test of who has the best grades or the most experience , but a chance to show how this job or degree can change your life.

Although the reader is excited to hear about your goals, they are more interested in how this role links to your ambitions.

Be sure to constantly reflect upon how obtaining a place on this course, or securing the job role, is intrinsically linked to your goals.

A word limit is often applied to career goal essays. Where there is no limit, be sure to write no more than 1,000 words.

This piece should be concise and to the point, showing the reader you can effectively convey your thoughts and ideas.

You might also be interested in these other Wikijob articles:

Or explore the Jobs & Careers / Career Planning sections.

How to Write a Career Goals Essay

Writing an essay about your achievements and aspirations takes a lot of work. First of all, you need to clearly understand your objective and have a specific plan for how to get it. Your career goals essay should communicate your current situation and the steps you plan to take for your professional growth in the coming years. It may seem daunting, but it is far from an unmanageable task. Our detailed writing guide will walk you through the process. Just take small, focused steps, and you’ll find yourself holding an outstanding essay that can open a window of opportunities for you.

What a career goals essay is

It’s an essay where you outline your professional objectives, ambitions, and the path you intend to follow to achieve your career aspirations. It typically includes a detailed description of both short-term and long-term career goals. You must also explain how your background, experiences, and education have prepared you to pursue these goals. To win readers’ hearts, your essay should also contain the specific steps you will take to get from point A (your current position) to point B (the desired professional destination). Do not hesitate to ask our writers for help when you experience difficulties getting from point A to point B in your writing. Just leave a “ do my college essay ” request, and they will assist you.

The essay you write should be specific and creatively showcase your personality. For instance, if you apply for a scholarship and need to submit a career goals essay, it might be the way to truly show the application committee who you are in a personal way that doesn’t come through in a transcript. Your essay is the place where you can communicate your ambitions, dreams, and aspirations. 

When you might need to write it

Most educational institutions ask you to explain your goals and aspirations when applying. Apart from your academic achievements, the application committee wants to understand if the school or college you are applying to is a good fit. Application committees assess your achievements and consider the possibilities and opportunities they can offer you. Applying to educational institutions is just one situation where you might need to write a career goals essay. If you also need our writers’ assistance with other similar essays, you can ask them: “Please help me do my personal statement ,” and they will offer you many interesting ideas. Here’s our list of four situations where you might send a career goals essay:

• College and graduate school applications. As mentioned, many schools require applicants to submit a career goals essay as part of their admissions process. It helps admission committees understand applicants’ aspirations and how the institution can support their academic and professional development.
• Scholarship applications . Only those who can clearly explain the reasons why they need a scholarship and how they plan to use it can count on winning it.
• Job applications . In some cases, when applying for internships or full-time jobs, employers may request you write about your career aspirations as part of the application process. It helps them evaluate whether your objectives align with the company’s mission and whether you have a clear professional growth plan.
• Personal development and planning . You may also write such essays for personal growth. They serve as a roadmap for your future, helping you clarify your aspirations and the necessary steps to achieve them.

What the prompt might look like

To better understand how the task can look, here’s an example of a career goals essay prompt.

Please provide a comprehensive essay outlining your career goals and how you plan to achieve them. In your response, consider the following:

• The specific field, industry, or profession you intend to pursue.
• The relevance of your academic experiences to your career goals.
• The steps and strategies you will take to attain your objectives.
• How the institution/scholarship program can support your aspirations.

As you can see, the task can be rather specific and even have a checklist of things you need to include in your essay. However, there still is plenty of room for your creativity. “Can I also be creative when I do my term paper or do my coursework ?” – you might ask us. Sure, we believe there is always a way to get creative, even when you are following the strict guidelines of academic writing.

How to choose a topic for your career goals essay

If you have the opportunity to select a topic yourself, you can use the following tips to help you make the right choice.

• Follow your passion. If you are considering a new role/job/school, you should follow your passion. Let your true feelings show in the essay you write. Your enthusiasm for the subject will come through in your writing and make your essay more engaging.
• Consider your strengths. What can you do well? How can you leverage your unique abilities in your chosen career path?
• Research career options. Investigate different career options within your field of interest. This research can help you discover specific roles that appeal to you.
• Evaluate long-term prospects. Is it a field that has opportunities for growth and advancement? Will it be relevant 5 or 10 years from now?
• Consider your long-term happiness. The career you choose should stay in demand and correlate with your interests. Think about how it will contribute to your overall satisfaction with life. You should aim to pursue a fulfilling career that brings you joy.
• Feasibility and realism. Ensure that your career goals are realistic and attainable. While ambition is admirable, your goals should be within reach with the right effort and resources.
• Uniqueness and distinction. What makes your career goals unique, and how does your perspective stand out? What sets you apart?

Structure of a career goals essay

Here is a typical structure for this type of essay. You can use these points as a basis for your outline.

Introduction

Objective : to attract readers’ attention and clearly state your main career goals and their significance.

Your Educational Background

Objective : to explain how your academic experiences and achievements have prepared you for your chosen career path.

Stating the Goals

Objective : to communicate your short-term (1-5 years) and long-term (5+ years) career objectives and why they matter.

Relevance of Goals

Objective: connect your educational background to your career goals. 

Action Plan

Objective: to define the specific steps and strategies you plan to take to achieve your goals.

Why This School/College/Scholarship

Objective: to explain why it is the perfect place for you to get the educational background to help you pursue your career.

Objective : to leave a lasting impression on the reader by concluding with a strong, insightful statement.

How to write a career goals essay: step-by-step guide

Now, let’s look at the writing process itself. “Does the writing process differ from the one I use to do my dissertation ?” – some clients ask us. While there are some differences, the logic behind it remains to be the same. Here is a list of steps you can take to write a memorable and convincing piece.

1. Understand the prompt

Carefully read the essay prompt to ensure you understand the specific requirements and expectations. If confused, don’t hesitate to  clarify some of the prompt’s points with someone from the organization. You can also ask our writers: “Please help me do my assignment .” The chances are they know what to do even if you don’t have all the information available to you.

2. Brainstorm ideas

Reflect on your career aspirations, interests, values, and experiences. Brainstorm possible topics and define key points you want to include in your essay.

3. Define a career goal

Choose a career goal or aspiration that aligns with your passions and interests. Ensure it’s a goal you’re genuinely committed to pursuing.

4. Create an outline

Develop an outline with a standard essay structure. See the previous section of this article to do this task faster. Outline the key points and arguments you want to make. You can also rely on our team to do that. Just leave a “Help me do my paper for cheap ” request, and we will be there for you.

5. Write a strong introduction

Begin with an engaging opening that grabs the reader’s attention. Use a relevant hook to do so. Also, state the purpose of your essay: to discuss your career goals and the path to achieving them.

6. Discuss your educational background

Describe your current academic situation, including your institution, major, and relevant coursework or achievements. Highlight any correlations between your education and prospective career goals.

7. Provide more information on your career goals

List your short-term and long-term goals, specifying the desired field or profession. Connect these goals with your values and passions. If you need our team to help you prepare a presentation on your values, just make sure we get your “ do my PowerPoint presentation ” request as soon as possible. We also have experts who know all about deductive essay writing help .

8. Discuss the congruence of your goals

If you have been studying English literature for the past four years, it might look strange if you write about the goal of becoming an astronaut with the help of this scholarship. It helps if there’s a clear connection between your skills and knowledge and the career you want to pursue. 

9. Present your plan of action

Let the committee know what steps you are planning to take. Discuss the resources and support you need, such as further education, certifications, or training. Explain how you plan to use your strengths and overcome possible challenges on your way to success.

10. Explain why you’ve chosen to apply there

This is the part where you explain the relevance of your choice. What can this particular institution or scholarship give you?  If you need help formatting your project, ask our writers: “Please help me do my APA paper ,” and they will make sure it is flawless.

11. Highlight your achievements

Showcase any relevant accomplishments, awards, or activities demonstrating your commitment to your career goals.

12. Discuss possible challenges

If you’ve faced or anticipate facing obstacles or setbacks, discuss them and explain how you’ve overcome or plan to overcome them. It is crucial to show your resilience and determination.

13. End with a strong conclusion

Summarize your career goals and the key points of your essay. Better not to present new points at this stage. Highlight your enthusiasm and commitment to your chosen field again.

14. Proofread and edit

Something that can spoil your masterpiece is grammar mistakes. It can help to use proofreading tools to help you spot things you might overlook. Also, take a final look at your piece and check that all the paragraphs are in place and there are smooth transitions between them. Don’t hesitate to get editing assistance by leaving a “help me edit and do my research paper ” by filling out the order form.

• Be specific . Otherwise, the readers of your essay will decide that you don’t know what you want. Avoid vague statements and be clear about the position or field you want to pursue. 
• Mention transferable skills . Discuss the skills and knowledge you’ve gained that are transferable to your future career. For instance, maybe working in a laboratory taught you to be careful and attentive. Now, you can use these skills to work on your new project after receiving the scholarship.
• Be honest and authentic . Avoid exaggeration or providing misleading information. Only writing the things you think the admissions committee wants to hear even if they’re not true, in the long run, probably will not get you very far.
• Tailor your essay . Customize your essay for each application. Address some unique features of every organization you apply to. Doing so will show the committee that you’ve made an effort and conducted thorough research.
• Be positive . Keep an optimistic tone in your essay. Show that you’re excited about your future and the contributions you can make to your chosen field.

Remember that EssayShark writers are always here to assist you with your career goals essay. They also have a broad knowledge of how to write an article of 500 words and how to make a visual essay , so just let them assist you. They know what to write to make your piece stand out and they’re eager to help you.

Image by Albrecht Fietz from Pixabay

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

What our customers say

Our website uses secure cookies. More details

Get professional help from best writers right from your phone

Grab our 3 e-books bundle for $27 FREE

Guide on Career Goals Essay: Tips and Templates

What's the Purpose of Your Career Goals Essay

There are many contributing factors that lead you to your career path. Those include the education you receive in high school, your interests, and relevant past experience. As we approach the verge of graduation, we tend to establish distinct career aspirations based on these factors. So, you need to gather all the information mentioned above concisely and clearly in your career goals essay.

Writing winning career goals essays is one of the major parts of your college application. The main purpose is to project why you follow certain educational programs. This is your chance to show off your career ambitions and state why your candidature should be invested.

Proceed with the article for detailed tips on how to write a scholarship essay about career goals, and read specific career goals essay examples for more inspiration.

Feel welcome to use our essay writing service whether you are looking for an education goals essay or 300 word essay on career goals examples.

How to Write a 'What Are Your Career Goals Essay'

There are some essential components and writing tips for crafting a top-notch career goal essay. Primarily, the admissions committee should be able to see individualism and honesty in your personal cover letter. Your future goals should be based on your pure interests. The next important step is organizing your essay following a classical structure consisting of an introduction, body, and conclusion. Last but not least, aligning your ambitions and relevant experience to your future career and stating why this particular educational program will help you through your career growth is crucial.

For specific educational and career goals essay examples, check the prompts given below.

Keep Your Personal Style in Your Career Goals Essay

Looking forward to the stage of application to write your personal statement? Your career goals essay serves that purpose for many reasons.

The admissions committee should be able to see your personality between the lines of your career goal essay, whether you are applying for an MBA program or specific financial aid. List down all the relevant experiences that provided you with valuable knowledge and try to combine them in your essay. Describe what exactly drew you to participate in those workshops, conferences, or internships, and state how they align with your career goals.

Writing career goals scholarship essays is your chance to highlight your unique character and personality. You are welcome to write about your ambitions, goals, and aspirations. However, the most important thing is to list them per the chosen educational field. That will be a projection of your thoughtful decision regarding your career path.

The career essay example below might motivate you to construct an essay that will grant you admission to the desired institution. For further educational goals essay tips, proceed with the article.

Structure Your Career Goals Essay

Your career goals essay shows your career plan. It is your chance to strategically call the attention of the scholarship committee to your interests, passions, and aspirations. For that reason, you need to write a winning essay in a very clear and direct manner. Try to organize the essay in adjustment to the classical structure:

• Introduction - Start writing with attention-grabbing phrases that will immediately hook the reader. Briefly overview the main objectives you intend to discuss in the rest of the essay.
• Body - Feel confident in jotting down the professional or academic experience that you had in the past. Associate the latter with your future career goals.
• Conclusion - Sum up discussed points and firmly restate your enthusiasm for choosing that specific undergraduate or graduate program.

Check out the provided career essay example for more writing tips.

Maintain Relevance in Your Career Goals Essay

Begin to describe your academic and career goals from a long-term perspective. Give why it is worth investing in your education over all the other candidates. In other words, do not be shy to highlight the value that your candidature holds based on gained experience and professional goals. Align what you want to achieve with what you are applying for.

For more insights on 'what are your career goals essay' check out the service of our essay writer online .

Your Career Goals Essay Example

You are welcome to glance through the career goals scholarship essay we have prepared to make your writing process easier.

'Why do I Want to Be a Special Education Teacher?'

Childhood is the time of our lives when most of our genuine interests originate. Ever since I was a small kid, my mom often found me sitting quietly at the desk, pretending to be a teacher. I distinctly remember that I found it thrilling and satisfying to correct the works of fellow classmates and write small remarks as side notes for them. As I grew older, I directed my main career goal toward becoming a teacher. I believe that teachers inspire future generations to be the best versions of themselves, which only brings about positive outcomes.

My pure intentions orbit around helping those not perceived as equally smart or intelligent from the modern perspective. No wonder I always knew that I wanted to offer a helping hand to children with disabilities. They need to gain valuable knowledge as much as we all do, and we should be encouraged to create equal opportunities for them. I firmly believe that contributing to the development of those underprivileged children will make their lives brighter and slightly easier. Everybody deserves to acquire a college knowledge base if one has the desire. Hence, no wonder I aspire to become a special education teacher.

I have spent years gaining experience in the field of education. With the help of traineeships and workshops, I allowed myself to dive deep into the psychological aspects of teaching. Therefore, I mastered the ways which should be implemented in the field of education to create an unstressful and welcoming environment for children with disabilities to become proficient in any desired subject. I firmly believe that pursuing the Special Education undergraduate program will help me get to my life-long goal of becoming a helpful, competent, and reliable teacher who can positively impact the lives of myriads of underprivileged children.

From my subjective point of view, there is no better career choice than becoming a special education teacher. I want to touch upon the lives of those vulnerable children deprived of the same possibilities and opportunities that others are granted naturally. The appropriate educational program will be the best possible means of achieving my dream.

For more scholarship essay examples, you can check out the one below. Meanwhile, look at the list of fully accredited online universities that can help you fulfill your scholarship goals.

Professional Career Goals Essay Examples

Here you can read one of the professional career goals essay examples. We would be delighted to pave the way for you to perfectly describe your academic and career goals based on it, whether you are applying for a specific job position or trying to win the trust of the scholarship committee.

'My Aspiration of Going into Business'

Deciding on a career choice can be very stressful for youngsters. However, I always knew I wanted to connect my experience and hold a bachelor's degree in a field related to Business Management. The choice is not accidental. I have deliberately found a passion for owning a business, specifically in the film industry. The cinematography of various Western or Eastern movies in Hollywood, Eastern Europe, or Asia would always grab my attention because I found them aesthetically pleasing. I discovered that I wanted to dig deeper into the mechanisms behind creating such kinds of artworks, and I aspired to finance their production through my own means. Hence, connecting my professional career goals directly to the business industry was a prominent means of achieving my goal.

My leisure almost always included watching movies of adventure, romance, history, and other genres. As I got older, I gradually concluded that I learned much more from the movie industry than I ever learned in school. That became one of my major motivations to invest in my career in the business industry to be able to financially and structurally manage the crew who work blood, sweat, and tears behind the scenes to contribute valuable pieces of work to the film industry. I always imagined myself being in charge of marketing, financing, and dealing with the staff that is the core force behind creating masterpieces. That way, I would help youngsters like me to enjoy a quality product that would not only be aesthetically pleasing but informative as well.

I have invested a lot of my time and energy volunteering for workshops and conferences that helped me gain deeper insight into the film industry. These opportunities revealed my time management, communication, and team player skills. I believe these qualities are essential to succeed in any field in the modern world. At the same time, I found my intellectual strength in math and the relevant technical subjects. I wanted to combine my inspirations and interests. Hence the final decision to go into the business field was the product of aligning these two factors perfectly.

I have a clear vision for my future, and I'm willing to continue working hard to end up where I envision myself, which is exactly in the business field in association with the movie industry.

Need further assistance? Do not hesitate to use our MBA essay writing service for your benefit. We are here to help you make the best out of your future business career!

Use Our Academic Assistance

We hope you enjoyed the education and career goals essay examples. Our expert writers would be delighted to contribute to your future success.

And if the college admissions exams are on the way, feel free to check out best study tips for exams . Try implementing them in practice and ace all your upcoming challenges.

Frequently asked questions

She was flawless! first time using a website like this, I've ordered article review and i totally adored it! grammar punctuation, content - everything was on point

This writer is my go to, because whenever I need someone who I can trust my task to - I hire Joy. She wrote almost every paper for me for the last 2 years

Term paper done up to a highest standard, no revisions, perfect communication. 10s across the board!!!!!!!

I send him instructions and that's it. my paper was done 10 hours later, no stupid questions, he nailed it.

Sometimes I wonder if Michael is secretly a professor because he literally knows everything. HE DID SO WELL THAT MY PROF SHOWED MY PAPER AS AN EXAMPLE. unbelievable, many thanks

New posts to your inbox!

Stay in touch

Essay About Career Goals: Top 5 Examples and 3 Prompts

Career goals are milestones that demonstrate your development. Read some examples for inspiration to write a thought-provoking essay about career goals. 

Why might you need to write an essay about your career goals? When applying for universities, internships, and full-time jobs, you may be asked about your plans for the future. This helps the company or individual decide whether you are a good fit for the position.

Setting career goals can start with making a vision board, jotting down your aspirations, or even telling loved ones about them. There is no need to start big; it can be as simple as learning a new language or skill. It’s the process that counts, and the process can be ongoing and will likely lead you to identify further goals. 

If you want or need to write an essay about career goals, here are some examples to give you inspiration and some prompts to help you choose your own approach to the essay.

1. My career goals changed after uni, and that’s okay by Hazel M.

2. how my career goals & self-perception have changed now that i’m in my 30s by audrey gonzalez, 3. how to keep your career goals on track by clare whitmell, 4. my dad scorns my career goals. how do i keep us from falling out by annalisa barbieri, 5. why career plans are not always the answer by melody wilding, top 5 writing prompts on essay about career goals, 1. what are the benefits of having a solid set of career goals, 2. should you disregard others’ input when setting career goals, 3. when it comes to career goals, is there a blueprint to success, 4. guidance on setting career goals in the education sector, 5. does the socioeconomic status of an area affect the career goals of a population.

“If life has taught me anything, it’s that planning too far in advance can be more troublesome than it’s worth. I still have 30 years left before retirement and I’m open to anything – who knows? Maybe that editor job will happen after all. The most important thing, however, is not to be disappointed if it doesn’t; to appreciate the here and now, and pause long enough to look at how far you’ve already come. So, if your plan doesn’t pan out (or several years in you realise it might not be for you), that’s okay. You haven’t failed or disappointed anyone, you’ve just taken a different path. Chances are, you’re exactly where you need to be.”

Here the author describes how different her life is compared to how she envisioned it in her youth. When establishing her career goals, she planned to work as the editor of a national newspaper; however, she is not dissatisfied with the path her life has taken. 

Hazel M. initially pursued her goals by moving to London but soon realized she preferred a different location and a line of work she could manage independently. Setting goals for the future is always sensible, but never be afraid to choose a different path if you feel your current route is not working. The author demonstrates that choosing goals is a fluid and ongoing process. For more inspiration, see these articles about achievements .

“When I think back over the last decade, it’s a little weird to recognize just how much I’ve changed, both in my attitude toward my career and my perception of myself. I’ve gone from coasting along with whatever job pays the bills to actively broadening my marketable skills, and from constantly second-guessing my adulthood to being adult enough to say I don’t know, but I will soon .”

Similar to the previous essay, Gonzalez details how her life has deviated from her original plans. She realizes she was only doing jobs to stay financially stable and that her career goals were not as well-thought-out as she had believed. She also began to see herself as an adult rather than a mere student or an intern. 

Finally, Gonzalez realized that by taking a more proactive approach, bolstering her existing skills, and learning new ones, she could access broader and more rewarding opportunities. Gonzalez’s essay perfectly shows how career goals should not only be about money.

Looking for more? Check out these essays about work .

“Persistent effort and the willpower to stay the course are the fundamentals for achieving any sort of change. But you’ll also need a strategy for staying motivated when you experience setbacks and obstacles. Learn from these and use them as a spur to change what isn’t working rather than allowing them to chip away at your self-confidence.”

Whitmell gives readers tips on how to formulate career goals that are targeted, measurable, realistic, and achievable in a given timeframe. An essential piece of advice she gives is to have a positive mindset and be confident in yourself. 

Being determined, confident, and optimistic will help you bounce back from whatever setbacks you may encounter at any point in your career. And we all experience setbacks; however, they must be viewed as an opportunity for growth and part of the learning curve. You might also be wondering, why write goals down?

“Your dad may never understand you in the way you want, but that shouldn’t result in a broken relationship. He should respect your choices, because they will be the building blocks of your life, not his. You are a whole different person from him, with your own fears and hopes. These are worthy of discussion.”

Barbieri responds to a reader at odds with her father over her career goals in this article. The author recommends finding the right time for the reader to talk to her father and finding common ground regarding the reader’s career goals. These goals reflect her passions, and even if her father disagrees with them, he should at least respect them. 

“The idea of a five-year plan is so popular because it promises certainty –– that if we follow a linear path to success, happiness will follow. But trying to predict the future is a losing battle. It’s impossible to know what your priorities will be a few years from now, let alone the opportunities you’ll be presented with.”

In her article, Wilding writes about how strict career goals are not always beneficial. She discusses how they can leave you obsessed and “stuck” trying to fulfill these goals. She also provides insight on how to plan your career, including pursuing your passions, using failure for improvement, and not looking too far into the future. 

Having career goals can help you feel prepared for the future. But what good does it do? Discuss the benefits of setting career goals. Include the drawbacks of having a fixed plan too early and the importance of revisiting it incrementally. Remember, your dreams and aspirations will change as you progress through life, and your goals should accommodate this.

We have heard about basing career goals on “what you want.” However, should you still listen to the opinions of others, such as your parents, as is the dilemma in Barbieri’s essay? Or should you follow your gut? The people closest to us know us well and sometimes better than we know ourselves. How do we choose when to take advice and when to follow our instincts. You can include career advice services offered to teenagers and school leavers. This advice is sometimes based on a snapshot of a person by an unfamiliar advisor. Is this advice valid?

Explore the process of developing career goals. Look at the examples of recognizable entrepreneurs and compare the steps they took to develop and achieve their goals. Are there similarities between their methods? Is it possible for someone to take a blueprint to success and apply it to their own career path?

Analyze the current system for helping students develop career goals within your country or state and compare it with other countries. Look at the most effective strategies and back them up with statistical data. How are we teaching young people to plan for their future, and is there scope for improvement? You can include your personal experiences of career support for comparison.

Pick a locality, region, or country and assess the socioeconomic status. Then discuss how this may affect the aspirations of the population, particularly those leaving education. You might consider populations dominated by industries such as mining or manufacturing. Does the nature of the environment hamper potential or does it fuel determination to achieve alternative career options. Include some examples of your findings.

Check out our guide packed full of transition words for essays .

If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips !

Career Essay

Career essay generator.

How do you see yourself 5 or 10 years from now? That question kicks start your imagination and make you visualize yourself in your future career. Maybe you are thinking about it now, but you are likely confused about expressing it in words. Unlike other essay writing , writing your career essay is exciting because you are writing about yourself, your plans, passion, and aspiration. Learn how to make your career essay impressive by reading this article.

10+ Career Essay Examples

1. career pursuing essay.

Size: 324 KB

2. Career Interest Essay

Size: 642 KB

3. Career Goals Essay

Size: 429 KB

4. Career Research Essay

Size: 186 KB

5. Career Scholarship Essay

Size: 96 KB

6. Career Personal Essay

Size: 95 KB

7. Career Needs Essay

Size: 73 KB

8. Career Teaching Essay

Size: 59 KB

9. Formal Career Essay

Size: 42 KB

10. Career Project Essay

Size: 29 KB

11. Career Plan Essay

Size: 230 KB

What Is a Career Essay?

A career essay is a text people write to detail their goals or plans for the future. In this essay, people talk about the career they want in the future and the things they have achieved so far. People often ask you to write a career essay when you send an application letter for a scholarship or submit your resume for a job.

How To Write a Rousing Career Essay

You should write your career essay seriously because it might be a deciding factor for your future. That said, in writing your essay, there are a lot of things to consider and a process you need to follow. Your end goal in writing your essay is to convince people that you are determined to walk the talk and make the things you wrote in your descriptive essay to reality.

1. Devise an Engrossing Title

The first thing to think about when writing an essay is coming up with an attention-grabbing title. When people read your essay, they pay the most attention to your title. Also, another benefit of coming up with your title first is that it will serve as a guide for you for the whole essay. 

2. Introduce With a Hook

After devising a title, deliver the next blow with an introduction that piques their curiosity. To do that, begin your essay with a hook. Your hook can be a quote, a question, or you can even provide a statistic. If your introduction is good enough, it will secure the engagement of your readers.

3. Organize Your Ideas

Writing an essay is like taking your readers for a ride. You need to set the vibe and organize the flow of your thoughts. Don’t start too strong it might make the rest of your essay bland. You need to properly build up the development of excitement and make sure the order of your ideas makes sense. 

4. Polish Your Essay

Finalize your essay by proofreading it. When people talk about their passion, they tend to talk too much and include several unnecessary things. Make sure not to do that. Omit all the details that don’t contribute to the overall impact of your reflective essay. Also, don’t forget to review your text for grammatical errors. 

Why is career planning important?

People hustle every day to reach their dream careers. Having a target career gives you a direction and sets your path. Planning your career is essential because being indecisive about it might negatively impact your life. Not having a fixed goal is like not having an end destination. Preparing for it would also make your career action plan achievable.

What is a career genogram?

A career genogram traces back an individual’s family tree and examines the career timeline they pursued. The scope of this genogram reaches the grandparents, extended family, and even the person’s close friends. This graphic representation is helpful when a person has a hard time deciding about his or her career development plan .

What is career assessment?

Career assessment is the process of identifying what career would work best for you. Most assessments are in the form of a questionnaire . It includes questions about your interests, your skills, your hobbies, and your strengths. These are some examples of questions that would help assess your future career. The result of your career assessment might give you ideas on what path to take.

The moment people read your career essay, they often rate how likely you are to succeed. Show them a piece of your mind that would erase all their doubts about your success. They say manifesting works wonders, so manifest the future that you want best by composing a rousing career essay. 

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

Write a career essay on the benefits and challenges of a career in medicine.

Discuss in a career essay the skills needed for success in the digital marketing field.

Tips for Writing an Effective Application Essay

Find the right college for you.

Writing an essay for college admission gives you a chance to use your authentic voice and show your personality. It's an excellent opportunity to personalize your application beyond your academic credentials, and a well-written essay can have a positive influence come decision time.

Want to know how to draft an essay for your college application ? Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing.

Tips for Essay Writing

A typical college application essay, also known as a personal statement, is 400-600 words. Although that may seem short, writing about yourself can be challenging. It's not something you want to rush or put off at the last moment. Think of it as a critical piece of the application process. Follow these tips to write an impactful essay that can work in your favor.

1. Start Early.

Few people write well under pressure. Try to complete your first draft a few weeks before you have to turn it in. Many advisers recommend starting as early as the summer before your senior year in high school. That way, you have ample time to think about the prompt and craft the best personal statement possible.

You don't have to work on your essay every day, but you'll want to give yourself time to revise and edit. You may discover that you want to change your topic or think of a better way to frame it. Either way, the sooner you start, the better.

2. Understand the Prompt and Instructions.

Before you begin the writing process, take time to understand what the college wants from you. The worst thing you can do is skim through the instructions and submit a piece that doesn't even fit the bare minimum requirements or address the essay topic. Look at the prompt, consider the required word count, and note any unique details each school wants.

3. Create a Strong Opener.

Students seeking help for their application essays often have trouble getting things started. It's a challenging writing process. Finding the right words to start can be the hardest part.

Spending more time working on your opener is always a good idea. The opening sentence sets the stage for the rest of your piece. The introductory paragraph is what piques the interest of the reader, and it can immediately set your essay apart from the others.

4. Stay on Topic.

One of the most important things to remember is to keep to the essay topic. If you're applying to 10 or more colleges, it's easy to veer off course with so many application essays.

A common mistake many students make is trying to fit previously written essays into the mold of another college's requirements. This seems like a time-saving way to avoid writing new pieces entirely, but it often backfires. The result is usually a final piece that's generic, unfocused, or confusing. Always write a new essay for every application, no matter how long it takes.

5. Think About Your Response.

Don't try to guess what the admissions officials want to read. Your essay will be easier to write─and more exciting to read─if you’re genuinely enthusiastic about your subject. Here’s an example: If all your friends are writing application essays about covid-19, it may be a good idea to avoid that topic, unless during the pandemic you had a vivid, life-changing experience you're burning to share. Whatever topic you choose, avoid canned responses. Be creative.

6. Focus on You.

Essay prompts typically give you plenty of latitude, but panel members expect you to focus on a subject that is personal (although not overly intimate) and particular to you. Admissions counselors say the best essays help them learn something about the candidate that they would never know from reading the rest of the application.

7. Stay True to Your Voice.

Use your usual vocabulary. Avoid fancy language you wouldn't use in real life. Imagine yourself reading this essay aloud to a classroom full of people who have never met you. Keep a confident tone. Be wary of words and phrases that undercut that tone.

8. Be Specific and Factual.

Capitalize on real-life experiences. Your essay may give you the time and space to explain why a particular achievement meant so much to you. But resist the urge to exaggerate and embellish. Admissions counselors read thousands of essays each year. They can easily spot a fake.

9. Edit and Proofread.

When you finish the final draft, run it through the spell checker on your computer. Then don’t read your essay for a few days. You'll be more apt to spot typos and awkward grammar when you reread it. After that, ask a teacher, parent, or college student (preferably an English or communications major) to give it a quick read. While you're at it, double-check your word count.

Writing essays for college admission can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be. A well-crafted essay could be the deciding factor─in your favor. Keep these tips in mind, and you'll have no problem creating memorable pieces for every application.

What is the format of a college application essay?

Generally, essays for college admission follow a simple format that includes an opening paragraph, a lengthier body section, and a closing paragraph. You don't need to include a title, which will only take up extra space. Keep in mind that the exact format can vary from one college application to the next. Read the instructions and prompt for more guidance.

Most online applications will include a text box for your essay. If you're attaching it as a document, however, be sure to use a standard, 12-point font and use 1.5-spaced or double-spaced lines, unless the application specifies different font and spacing.

How do you start an essay?

The goal here is to use an attention grabber. Think of it as a way to reel the reader in and interest an admissions officer in what you have to say. There's no trick on how to start a college application essay. The best way you can approach this task is to flex your creative muscles and think outside the box.

You can start with openers such as relevant quotes, exciting anecdotes, or questions. Either way, the first sentence should be unique and intrigue the reader.

What should an essay include?

Every application essay you write should include details about yourself and past experiences. It's another opportunity to make yourself look like a fantastic applicant. Leverage your experiences. Tell a riveting story that fulfills the prompt.

What shouldn’t be included in an essay?

When writing a college application essay, it's usually best to avoid overly personal details and controversial topics. Although these topics might make for an intriguing essay, they can be tricky to express well. If you’re unsure if a topic is appropriate for your essay, check with your school counselor. An essay for college admission shouldn't include a list of achievements or academic accolades either. Your essay isn’t meant to be a rehashing of information the admissions panel can find elsewhere in your application.

How can you make your essay personal and interesting?

The best way to make your essay interesting is to write about something genuinely important to you. That could be an experience that changed your life or a valuable lesson that had an enormous impact on you. Whatever the case, speak from the heart, and be honest.

Is it OK to discuss mental health in an essay?

Mental health struggles can create challenges you must overcome during your education and could be an opportunity for you to show how you’ve handled challenges and overcome obstacles. If you’re considering writing your essay for college admission on this topic, consider talking to your school counselor or with an English teacher on how to frame the essay.

Related Articles

Related topics.

The Career Planning Essay

• Organizational Behavior Teaching Review 24(2):276-287
• 24(2):276-287

• Fort Lewis College

• Texas State University

Discover the world's research

• 25+ million members
• 160+ million publication pages
• 2.3+ billion citations
• Dennis R. Laker
• Gregory P. Cermignano

• Okta Fiana Kiranida

• Herdi Herdi

• K. Mark Weaver

• Joshua S. Bendickson

• Keith Rollag
• Karen Hebert-Maccaro

• J EMPLOYMENT COUNS
• J ORGAN BEHAV

• J VOCAT BEHAV
• Todd D. Jick
• Recruit researchers
• Join for free
• Login Email Tip: Most researchers use their institutional email address as their ResearchGate login Password Forgot password? Keep me logged in Log in or Continue with Google Welcome back! Please log in. Email · Hint Tip: Most researchers use their institutional email address as their ResearchGate login Password Forgot password? Keep me logged in Log in or Continue with Google No account? Sign up

Online Study Skills Hub: Essay Planning: Structuring your work

• Where do I start?
• Critical Thinking & Writing
• Editing & Proofreading
• Essay Planning: Structuring your work
• Dissertations & Theses
• Exam Preparation & Revision
• Finding Books & eBooks
• Finding Resources Step by Step Guide
• Logging in to Online Resources
• Request an Item
• Understanding Resource Lists
• Using eBooks
• IT and Digital Skills
• Presentation Skills
• Reading & Note Taking
• Referencing: How & Why You Should do it This link opens in a new window
• Statistics & SPSS This link opens in a new window
• Time Management Skills
• Understanding Feedback
• Finding Information with AI
• AI & Academic Integrity

Essay Planning and Writing introduction

Essay Planning and Writing are crucial steps in crafting a coherent, persuasive, and well-structured essay. Proper planning ensures that your ideas are organised and your argument flows logically from one point to the next.

Essay Planning :

• Understanding the Brief : Start by carefully reading the essay question to identify key themes, requirements, and expectations.
• Research : Gather relevant information from credible sources, taking notes on key points, evidence, and references.
• Creating an Outline : Organise your ideas into a clear structure. Typically, an essay outline includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each body paragraph should focus on a single idea that supports your thesis.

Structuring Your Essay :

• Introduction : Begin with a hook to engage the reader, provide background information, and present your thesis statement, which outlines the main argument of the essay.
• Body Paragraphs : Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea, followed by evidence, analysis, and a concluding sentence that links back to the thesis. Ensure a logical flow by connecting paragraphs with transitions.
• Conclusion : Summarise the key points made in the body, restate the thesis in light of the evidence presented, and offer a final thought or call to action.

Writing the Essay :

• Drafting : Write a first draft based on your outline, focusing on getting your ideas down rather than perfection.
• Revising : Review your draft for coherence, clarity, and structure. Ensure each paragraph supports your thesis and that your argument flows logically.
• Editing and Proofreading : Check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors, as well as consistency in tone and style.

Effective essay planning and writing involve structuring your essay in a way that clearly presents your argument, ensuring that each part contributes to the overall thesis. A well-structured essay is easier to read, more persuasive, and demonstrates a clear understanding of the topic.

Essay Planning Recordings

• Essay Planning (Video) 12 minutes By the end of this session you should be able to: - Recognise the main difference between editing and proofreading - Know the key aspects to check for when editing your work - Understand common errors in writing and what effective techniques for correcting them.
• Essay Instruction Terms What is meant by different terms you see in assessment criteria and instructions given by tutors.
• 5 Tops Tips for Writing Excellent Essays (Video) 47 minutes Learn our top 5 best tips for producing a quality essay. By the end your should be able to: - Understand the essay question - Write a clear introduction - Craft strong paragraphs - Critically engage with research and evidence - Proofread your work

• << Previous: Editing & Proofreading
• Next: Assessment Types >>
• Last Updated: Sep 6, 2024 6:52 PM
• URL: https://library.roehampton.ac.uk/studyskills

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Career Goals — Overview of My Career Plan

Overview of My Career Plan

• Categories: Career Career Goals Dream Career

About this sample

Words: 1490 |

Published: Feb 8, 2022

Words: 1490 | Pages: 3 | 8 min read

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below:

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr Jacklynne

Verified writer

• Expert in: Life

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 1165 words

2 pages / 894 words

1 pages / 605 words

2 pages / 740 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Career Goals

Throughout our lives, we often encounter challenges that test our emotional resilience and mental well-being. In a world where the stigma surrounding mental health is gradually diminishing, the need for compassionate and skilled [...]

Davis, S. H., & Berk, S. F. (Eds.). (2017). Teaching nursing: The art and science. Wolters Kluwer Health.Dossey, B. M., Keegan, L., & Guzzetta, C. E. (Eds.). (2015). Holistic nursing: A handbook for practice. Jones & Bartlett [...]

Becoming a doctor is no doubt a lifelong journey and that’s not my goal. It’s not enough to reach F1 and say that’s it. My duty, my role, my position in this war against disease is not to become one in line of million doctors [...]

Throughout my life, I have always been fascinated by the intricate workings of the human body and the profound impact that medical professionals can have on the lives of individuals. The field of cardiology, in particular, has [...]

The personality of Cristiano Ronaldo has brought a significant impact in my soccer career. It is with high regards that I decide to express the impact Cristiano Ronaldo brought to my learning life as a role model. Cristiano [...]

This essay will explain why I want to be a nurse. The major I am currently interested in pursuing is nursing. I want to go into the medical field because I believe that it is a great way for me to give back to my community and [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free