essay about career goals example

• 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

Why Are You Applying to This Scholarship Essay (with Example)

Writing Scholarships

Get started with scholarshipowl.

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

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.

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.

• Sign Up For More Advice and Jobs

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 .

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Recent Job Searches

• Registered Nurse Jobs Resume Location
• Truck Driver Jobs Resume Location
• Call Center Representative Jobs Resume Location
• Customer Service Representative Jobs Resume
• Delivery Driver Jobs Resume Location
• Warehouse Worker Jobs Resume Location
• Account Executive Jobs Resume Location
• Sales Associate Jobs Resume Location
• Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs Resume Location
• Company Driver Jobs Resume

Related posts

How To Write A Job Application Letter (With Examples)

How To Apply For Jobs Online

How To Land A Job Without Connections

How Long Does It Take To Be A Dentist?

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

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Professions & Career — Career Goals

Career Goals Essay Examples

Career goals essay topic examples, argumentative essays.

Argumentative career goals essays require you to present and defend a viewpoint or strategy related to your professional aspirations. Consider these topic examples:

• 1. Argue why pursuing higher education, such as a master's degree, is essential for achieving your long-term career goals.
• 2. Defend your perspective on whether adaptability or specialization is more important in today's ever-changing job market.

Example Introduction Paragraph for an Argumentative Career Goals Essay: The journey toward achieving our career goals often involves important decisions. In this essay, I will argue that pursuing a master's degree is not only personally fulfilling but also a strategic step toward realizing my long-term career aspirations in [your chosen field].

Example Conclusion Paragraph for an Argumentative Career Goals Essay: In conclusion, the argument for pursuing a master's degree underscores the significance of advanced education in shaping our professional futures. As we contemplate our career paths, we are challenged to make choices that align with our ultimate goals.

Compare and Contrast Essays

Compare and contrast career goals essays involve analyzing the differences and similarities between various career paths, industries, or strategies for achieving your goals. Consider these topics:

• 1. Compare and contrast the career trajectories of professionals in two different fields, highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities each path offers.
• 2. Analyze the differences and similarities between pursuing entrepreneurship and working in a corporate environment to achieve your career goals.

Example Introduction Paragraph for a Compare and Contrast Career Goals Essay: The pursuit of career goals often involves making informed choices about our professional paths. In this essay, we will compare and contrast the career trajectories of professionals in [Field A] and [Field B], shedding light on the challenges and opportunities each path presents.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for a Compare and Contrast Career Goals Essay: In conclusion, the comparison and contrast of career trajectories in [Field A] and [Field B] reveal the diverse avenues available for achieving our goals. As we navigate our career choices, we are encouraged to explore the unique advantages each path offers.

Descriptive Essays

Descriptive career goals essays enable you to vividly depict your envisioned career, highlighting the responsibilities, impact, and personal fulfillment it offers. Here are some topic ideas:

• 1. Describe your ideal job in detail, emphasizing the specific role, responsibilities, and the positive contributions you aim to make.
• 2. Paint a detailed portrait of the work culture and environment you aspire to be a part of in your future career.

Example Introduction Paragraph for a Descriptive Career Goals Essay: Our career goals are often shaped by our dreams and aspirations. In this essay, I will immerse you in the vivid details of my ideal job, showcasing the role, responsibilities, and the sense of purpose it offers on my journey toward professional fulfillment.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for a Descriptive Career Goals Essay: In conclusion, the descriptive exploration of my ideal job underscores the importance of aligning our career goals with our aspirations. As we envision our professional futures, we are inspired to pursue opportunities that resonate with our passions and values.

Persuasive Essays

Persuasive career goals essays involve convincing your audience of the importance of a specific career path or the value of setting ambitious goals. Consider these persuasive topics:

• 1. Persuade your readers that pursuing a career in [your chosen field] will contribute significantly to societal progress and innovation.
• 2. Argue for the inclusion of career development programs in educational institutions to empower students in defining and pursuing their career goals.

Example Introduction Paragraph for a Persuasive Career Goals Essay: Our career choices have the potential to impact not only our lives but also society as a whole. In this persuasive essay, I will present a compelling case for the societal importance of pursuing a career in [your chosen field] and the need for educational institutions to support students in their career aspirations.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for a Persuasive Career Goals Essay: In conclusion, the persuasive argument for the societal value of careers in [your chosen field] emphasizes the transformative impact individuals can have on society. As we contemplate our career journeys, we are urged to consider the broader implications of our choices.

Narrative Essays

Narrative career goals essays allow you to share personal stories or experiences related to your career aspirations and the journey toward achieving them. Explore these narrative essay topics:

• 1. Narrate a personal experience that shaped your career goals and ignited your passion for [your chosen field].
• 2. Share a story of overcoming obstacles and setbacks on your path to realizing your long-term career aspirations.

Example Introduction Paragraph for a Narrative Career Goals Essay: Our career goals are often inspired by personal experiences and pivotal moments. In this narrative essay, I will take you on a journey through a defining experience that ignited my passion for [your chosen field], shaping my career aspirations and determination to succeed.

Example Conclusion Paragraph for a Narrative Career Goals Essay: In conclusion, the narrative of my journey toward realizing my career goals underscores the resilience and determination required to overcome obstacles. As we reflect on our own experiences, we are reminded that our career aspirations are within reach with dedication and perseverance.

10 Most Popular Career Goals Essay Topics in 2024

• Adapting Career Aspirations in the Age of Automation and AI
• The Role of Personal Branding in Achieving Career Success
• Navigating Career Changes: Strategies for Lifelong Learning
• Empowering Career Goals: The Impact and Importance of Scholarships
• The Impact of Globalization on Career Opportunities and Choices
• Mentorship's Role in Shaping Future Leaders and Professionals
• Success: The Importance of Setting Career Goals
• The Impact of Cultural Influences on Career Goals and Aspirations
• The Importance of Work-Life Balance in Career Planning
• Entrepreneurship as a Career Goal: Opportunities and Challenges

Career Goals for College Students

Ptcas reflection: physical therapy programs, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences

+ experts online

Why I Want to Go to College

The hopes and challenges in achieving career goals, building of my personal leadership plan, my desire to continue learning computer engineering, 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

Believe in Myself to Achieve Your Goals

Law – a career i want to pursue, a journey to achieve my career goals, planning of my career path, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

Expert-written essays crafted with your exact needs in mind

What is My Foremost Dream in Life

My ambitions to be a financial advisor, my personal goals and success plan, my career plan to succeed in marketing, my goal to pursue a masters degree in human resource management program, an overview of my business career plan, my further career goals: nurse and science tutor, my motivation for pursuing a career in the film industry, my personal objectives and my career goals, my dedication towards management and marketing to become a successful businessman, my goal to succeed as a doctor, why i chose the clinical psychology psyd program, it passion: the reasons of why i chose it industry, paving the way to my future career trajectory, analysis of the three types of goals in my life, i choose the medical career to help people, career research and career goal: college admission paper, my goal of studying and working in domestic marketing, being good at something doesn't mean you should make it your job, my career and education plans to become a chef, the pursuit of a degree as a special education teacher, relevant topics.

• Dream Career
• About Myself
• Overcoming Challenges

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!

Bibliography

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

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 2021 - November 6, 2020
• Great Scholarships for Students in Ohio for 2021 - November 4, 2020
• 38 Weird Scholarships for Unique Students in 2023 - August 2, 2020

Ready to find scholarships that are a match for you?

• 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 scholarships due soon

$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

$2,000 Sallie Mae Scholarship

$40,000 Build a College List Scholarship

Niche $25,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

$25k “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship

$10,000 CollegeXpress Scholarship

$1,000 Appily Easy College Money Scholarship

$5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship

$2,000 No Essay CollegeVine 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

Apply to vetted scholarship programs in one click

Scholarships360 recommended.

Top 67 No Essay Scholarships in April 2024

Top 259 Scholarships for High School Juniors in April 2024

$20k in Exclusive Scholarships from Scholarships360

Trending now.

Top 51 Easy Scholarships✅ to Apply For in April 2024

Top 1,300 Scholarships for High School Seniors in April 2024

Top Scholarships for Current College Students in April 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!

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.

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 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 !

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

View all posts

We’ll Help You Write Career Goals Essays

• Essay Writing Guides

Career goals essays are important for expressing personal ambitions and objectives in the professional realm. They can greatly impact college applications, job interviews, scholarship submissions, and career advancement initiatives. These essays about career goals have the power to showcase an individual’s determination, visions, and unique brand, opening doors to academic programs, job opportunities, and funding.

The purpose of this article is to provide essential instructions for crafting an exceptional career goals essay . It aims to address the challenges, offer guidance and support, and empower individuals with the necessary tools to create a compelling and impactful essay.

Analyse Career Goals Essays Prompts

The prompt is a crucial aspect of essays on career goals , requiring a thorough examination of the specific requirements and objectives. It is essential to identify keywords such as “career goals,” “aspirations,” “objectives,” or any specific instructions provided. Clarity in comprehension is crucial to structure your response effectively. 

Key components include short-term goals, long-term goals, and career aspirations. Short-term goals are immediate objectives or milestones; long-term goals are ambitious aspirations and achievements, and career aspirations are desires related to professional growth and fulfillment. Additional components of career goal essays may include academic goals, personal development objectives, or industry-related targets.

To effectively interpret and address the prompt, break down complex prompts into manageable segments, align responses with requirements, stay focused, provide relevant examples, avoid straying off-topic, and review and refine your response before finalizing it. This ensures that your essay about career goals addresses all components and adheres to any specific guidelines provided. By following these simple tricks, you can effectively address the prompt and meet the expectations of your evaluators.

Essay on Career Goal

Engaging in self-reflection plays a vital role in writing one’s paper on career goals , as it imparts clarity, guidance, and coherence with individual values. Furthermore, it facilitates well-informed choices by evaluating aptitudes, deficiencies, passions, and principles. Identifying personal strengths encompasses recognizing realms of proficiency, abilities, and gifts to optimize the execution of career ambitions. 

Identifying areas in need of enhancement or growth and actively working to overcome obstacles are considered weaknesses. Pursuing passions and exploring areas of curiosity play a key role in guiding career exploration and decision-making, thus known as interests. Personal beliefs, principles, and priorities are carefully examined when making career choices and pursuing aspirations; these are what shape our values.

In order to establish challenging yet attainable objectives in essays on career, it is essential to employ the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goal-setting strategy. This requires defining career goals with precision and establishing measurable benchmarks for tracking progress. 

Also, it is crucial to set realistic goals that align with one’s abilities, available resources, and constraints. By incorporating personal values and long-term aspirations into this process and implementing specific deadlines for achieving these goals, individuals can ensure a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction in their overall pursuit.

Essay About Career Goals

To craft a compelling narrative in a career goals essay, follow these steps:

• Develop a clear thesis statement: This statement serves as the central argument, summarising your aspirations and objectives. Ensure it is clear, focused, specific, and tailored to the prompt.
• Structuring your career goals essay effectively: Introduce the topic, provide context, and present the statement.
• Structure the body: The body of your career goals essay should be organised around key themes related to your career goals, such as education, skills development, and professional experiences. Provide relevant examples, achievements, and experiences to substantiate your career goals and demonstrate your qualifications and readiness.
• Maintain logical flow and coherence: Maintain logical flow throughout the body paragraphs, using transitional phrases to connect ideas and maintain reader engagement.
• Conclusion: Summarize the points discussed in your career goals paper, offer reflective insights into your journey and growth, and end with a compelling call to action.
• Incorporating personal anecdotes and experiences: Select personal anecdotes and experiences that directly relate to your career goals and provide insight into your motivations, passions, and aspirations. 
• Share genuine and authentic stories that reflect your unique experiences and perspectives, avoiding embellishment or exaggeration.

It also highlights the impact of your experiences on shaping your career goals and aspirations, illustrating how they have influenced your values, skills, and aspirations. Strike a balance between personal anecdotes and concrete evidence, ensuring your essay on career goals remains grounded in tangible achievements and experiences while conveying your narrative and identity.

Showing Passion and Commitment

To learn how to write a career goals essay , it is essential to demonstrate authenticity, personal connection, research and knowledge, and a positive attitude. Share personal anecdotes or experiences that highlight your deep-rooted interest and enthusiasm for the field. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the field’s challenges and opportunities.

Illustrate your dedication and commitment to achieving your goals by sharing stories of persistence and resilience. Articulate a clear and ambitious vision for your future career path, demonstrating your commitment to long-term success and impact. 

Show tangible results and achievements that reflect your dedication and commitment to your goals. Avoid generic statements and clichés by tailoring your language and examples to reflect your unique experiences, providing concrete details and examples to support your claims, presenting fresh insights and perspectives, and being honest and transparent in your communication. This will help maintain credibility and authenticity in your chosen field.

Topic Examples of Career Goals Essays

To help you with this process, we’ve compiled a list of diverse examples of career goals essays to inspire and guide you.

• “My Journey to Becoming a Software Engineer: A Story of Passion and Persistence:” Write about your passion for coding and determination to pursue a career in software engineering.
• “From Dream to Reality: How I Plan to Build my Own Sustainable Fashion Brand:” Discuss your plans for launching a sustainable fashion brand, your motivations, eco-friendly production plans, and your commitment to ethical fashion practices.
• “Bridging the Gap: My Aspirations to Revolutionize Healthcare Access in Underserved Communities:” Outline career goals in healthcare administration, public health, or medical outreach.
• “Breaking Barriers: A Personal Narrative of Pursuing a Career in STEM as a Woman of Color:” Write about your experiences as a minority in STEM fields and your determination to overcome systemic barriers.
• “Beyond Borders: My Ambitions to Work in International Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution:” Explore your interest in global affairs and their aspirations to contribute to peacebuilding efforts, international relations, or humanitarian diplomacy.
• “Healing Through Art: My Journey to Becoming a Music Therapist:” Discuss your passion for music therapy, career goals in clinical practice, and your desire to use music as a tool for emotional healing.
• “Navigating the Business World: My Aspirations to Become a Social Entrepreneur:” Discuss your entrepreneurial spirit and your goals to launch a social enterprise.

Armed with these inspiring topics and brief descriptions, you’re now equipped to embark on the journey of crafting your own career goals essay. Remember, your career goal essay is an opportunity to showcase your passions, aspirations, and commitment to making a good impact in your chosen field. 

Final Words

As we wrap off our guide to writing a great career goals essay, it’s important to reflect on our trip together. Writing down one’s career goals is more than just a writing exercise; it’s a deep process of introspection and goal-setting. We’ve covered a lot of ground in this book, including how to understand prompts, reflect on yourself, and write a story that truly conveys your goals and passions.

• Academic Writing Guides
• Citation Guides
• Essay Samples
• Essay Topics
• Research Paper Topics
• Research Paper Writing Guides
• Study Tips and Tricks

Featured articles

Strategies for Writing a Great Problem Solution Essay

Composing an assignment on a problem and solution essay topic allows you to demonstrate your ability to resolve human challenges. It helps you understand human problems and how to be a part of the solution instead of allocating blame and pointing fingers. So, how do you compose a great problem solutions essay? This post has […]

Author: Marina Kean

Your Complete Guide to Writing a Compelling Leadership Essay

True leadership lies at the heart of human well-being and success. Every positive step humanity ever took required great and responsible leadership. Therefore, people have studied leadership for many edges to unravel its different underlying factors.  But how do you write a great essay that demonstrates your grasp of this sacred call? This post shares […]

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

You Might Also Like

New Posts to Your Inbox!

Stay in touch

50 Inspiring Examples of Career Goal Statements

By Status.net Editorial Team on February 7, 2024 — 12 minutes to read

A career goal statement is a clear and concise description of your professional aspirations: it outlines what you aim to achieve in your career path, providing direction and serving as a guide for your professional decisions. Crafting this statement requires self-reflection to identify what truly matters to you in your career.

Think of your career goal statement as a compass. It helps you navigate through opportunities and choices, aligning them with your long-term objectives. A well-defined goal statement includes specific job titles or roles, industry preferences, skills you want to acquire or use, and the values that matter to you in a work environment.

For example, your statement might be, “I aim to become a Senior Software Developer at a tech company that values innovation, in the next five years.” This statement is direct, time-bound, and reflects personal and professional values.

When writing your own career goal statement, start by asking yourself some questions:

• What am I passionate about?
• Where do I see myself in five, ten, or fifteen years?
• What skills do I need to develop to reach my goals?

Your statement can evolve as your career advances and your goals change. Remember, it’s a living document meant to grow along with you. Keep it precise, make it inspiring for yourself, and let it reflect who you are and who you want to become professionally. By doing so, you’ll create a powerful tool to steer your career decisions and help achieve your ambitions.

Components of a Strong Career Goal Statement

A strong career goal statement effectively communicates where you see yourself in the future and how you plan to get there. The keys to crafting this include clarity in your aspirations and how your current path aligns with your long-term objectives.

Clarity and Specificity

Your career goal statement should clearly articulate the position you’re aiming for and the steps you plan to take to achieve it. For example, instead of saying “I want to grow in the tech industry,” specify “My goal is to become a Senior Software Engineer at a renowned tech firm within the next five years by honing my skills in mobile applications development and leadership.”

Alignment with Career Objectives

Ensure that your statement aligns with your broader career objectives. For instance, if you’re determined to enter the field of environmental sustainability, your goal statement could specify, “I will secure a role as a Sustainability Project Manager by gaining expertise in renewable energy solutions and contributing to conservation projects.”

Brevity and Conciseness

Keep your statement concise; it shouldn’t be longer than a short paragraph. A crisp, well-worded statement would look like, “Within three years, I aim to advance to a Lead Graphic Designer position by consistently delivering innovative designs and taking on more strategic projects.”

Personal Motivation

Include a sentence about what drives you towards this goal, which gives a personal touch to your career goal statement. You might say, “I am committed to becoming an industry-recognized financial analyst by developing cutting-edge quantitative models, fueled by my passion for data-driven decision making.”

The Purpose of Career Goal Statements

A career goal statement helps you and others understand where you’re aiming in your professional life. It serves as both a guide and a benchmark for your career progression.

Professional Development

Your career goal statement is a powerful tool for professional development. It’s a declaration of your ambitions, which often falls into specific categories like acquiring new skills, achieving certifications, or reaching a new position. For example, you might aim to become a certified project manager within the next two years, highlighting the steps and skills you’ll need to get there.

Job Search Focus

When you’re on the job hunt, having a career goal statement gives you a lens to evaluate potential job opportunities. Imagine you’re an engineer seeking roles in renewable energy projects; your career goal statement would specify this preference, allowing you to target your job search and tailor your applications to match your aspirations.

Performance Management

During performance evaluations, your career goal statement offers a clear outline of what success looks like for you. It can act as a communication tool between you and your supervisor, ensuring that you’re both aligned on your targets. If your goal is to lead a team, your performance metrics might include leadership training and successful project outcomes.

Personal Reflection and Growth

Your career statement doubles as a checkpoint for personal reflection and growth. By setting specific goals like enhancing your public speaking skills or learning a new programming language, you create a framework for personal progress, tying these improvements back to your broader career objectives.

Writing Your Career Goal Statement

A career goal statement is a clear and concise description of your professional aspirations. It’s important to chart a course for your career by setting strategic goals and outlining the steps you plan to take to achieve them.

Self-Assessment

Start by evaluating your interests, strengths, weaknesses, and values. This step helps you align your career trajectory with your personal attributes and ambitions.

• If you enjoy creative problem-solving, you might aim for a role in strategic development.
• Someone with a natural talent for communication might target a career in public relations.

Research and Exploration

Learn about the industries and positions that align with your interests and skills. Find out what qualifications you may need and what career advancement may look like in those roles.

• Researching the field of data science might show you the importance of skills like programming and data analysis.
• Exploring the healthcare industry could lead you to consider roles ranging from a health administrator to a nurse practitioner.

Articulating Your Goals

Clearly state your short-term and long-term career objectives. Make them specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

• Short-term goal: Completing a professional certification in digital marketing within the next year.
• Long-term goal: Becoming a chief marketing officer at a technology company within the next ten years.

Revising and Refining

Your career goals are not set in stone. Periodically review and adjust them to reflect your growing skills, changes in the industry, and personal life changes.

• Revising your goal to include leadership skills if you’re aiming for management positions.
• Refining your goals to focus more on work-life balance if personal circumstances change.

Examples of Career Goal Statements

When crafting your career goal statement, be specific and align your goals with your desired career path. This section will provide examples for different career stages to guide you.

For Recent Graduates

As a recent graduate, your goal statement should reflect your eagerness to apply your education in a practical setting and grow professionally. For example:

• “My goal is to secure a role as a software developer at a forward-thinking tech company where I can contribute to innovative projects and hone my coding skills in real-world applications.”

For Mid-Career Professionals

For you in mid-career, a statement should focus on advancing your current skills and taking on larger responsibilities. For instance:

• “I aim to elevate my expertise in digital marketing to become a marketing manager, where I can lead strategic campaigns and impact the company’s growth directly.”

For Career Changers

As someone looking to change careers, your statement needs to leverage your transferable skills and express your commitment to the new field. Consider this example:

• “I intend to transition into the field of data analysis, leveraging my extensive background in market research to deliver actionable insights and drive decision-making processes.”

For Executive-Level Positions

Your executive career goal statement needs to showcase your vision for leadership and your ability to steer the company to new heights. An example could be:

• “I am determined to apply my 15 years of managerial experience to a Chief Operations Officer role, focusing on optimizing company-wide operations to boost profitability and efficiency.”

50 Examples of Career Goal Statements

• 1. “To secure a challenging position in a reputable organization to expand my learnings, knowledge, and skills.”
• 2. “Seeking a role at (…) Company where I can contribute to the team’s success while developing my skills as an accountant.”
• 3. “To achieve a lead position in software development that allows me to design innovative solutions and manage a dynamic team.”
• 4. “To become a primary school teacher that inspires young minds and fosters a love of learning.”
• 5. “Aiming to leverage my experience in customer service to become a leading sales representative within the next five years.”
• 6. “To grow into a senior role within the marketing department, contributing to the company’s strategic goals and brand development.”
• 7. “Seeking a position as a clinical practice assistant for a health organization that focuses on the development of innovative medical treatments.”
• 8. “To secure a position as a human resources manager and contribute to an organization’s employee engagement and professional development strategies.”
• 9. “My goal is to become a project manager within a progressive tech company, leading innovative projects to successful completion.”
• 10. “Aspiring to be a top journalist within a major media outlet, reporting on significant global events that shape our world.”
• 11. “To develop a career in finance, eventually becoming a chief financial officer for a well-established corporation.”
• 12. “To obtain a managerial position in the hospitality industry, providing exceptional guest experiences and leading a successful team.”
• 13. “Looking to apply my graphic design skills in a dynamic advertising agency, producing high-quality work for a variety of clients.”
• 14. “To establish myself as a leading real estate agent within the community, known for diligently serving clients and achieving their property dreams.”
• 15. “To become a senior software engineer, specializing in machine learning and artificial intelligence, contributing to cutting-edge technology advancements.”
• 16. “Aspire to join an international non-profit organization, focusing on human rights advocacy and contributing to meaningful change.”
• 17. “To earn a position as a lead researcher in a top-tier biotech firm, focusing on the development of life-saving pharmaceuticals.”
• 18. “To be recognized as an expert in environmental law, working to protect natural resources and promote sustainability.”
• 19. “To secure a role as an art director within a prestigious agency, driving creative strategy and inspiring a team of designers.”
• 20. “Aiming to become a chief operations officer, optimizing organizational processes and enhancing overall efficiency.”
• 21. “To advance my career in the field of education technology, developing innovative tools that facilitate learning and growth.”
• 22. “Seeking to become a master electrician, overseeing complex projects and mentoring apprentices in the trade.”
• 23. “To climb the ranks to a senior data analyst role, transforming data into actionable insights that drive business strategy.”
• 24. “To become a leading figure in digital marketing, known for crafting high-impact strategies that generate measurable results.”
• 25. “Aspiring to be an executive chef in a Michelin-starred restaurant, creating world-class cuisine and leading a top-tier culinary team.”
• 26. “To secure a position as a cybersecurity expert, protecting sensitive information from threats and vulnerabilities.”
• 27. “Aiming to be a respected leader in the field of public health, influencing policy and improving community health outcomes.”
• 28. “To establish a career as a professional musician, performing internationally and sharing my passion for music with diverse audiences.”
• 29. “Seeking a role as an aerospace engineer with a focus on sustainable design and innovation in air travel.”
• 30. “To become a leading architect, known for designing eco-friendly and innovative structures that enhance the urban landscape.”
• 31. “To grow into a senior role in supply chain management, optimizing logistics and contributing to the company’s profitability.”
• 32. “Aspiring to become a senior content creator, producing engaging and informative content that resonates with a wide audience.”
• 33. “To secure a position as a labor and delivery nurse, providing compassionate care and supporting families during a pivotal life event.”
• 34. “To become a principal consultant, offering expert advice and solutions to businesses in my area of expertise.”
• 35. “Aiming to be a top sales manager, driving team performance and exceeding company sales targets consistently.”
• 36. “To secure a leadership position within the field of environmental science, contributing to research and advocacy for climate change mitigation.”
• 37. “To become a recognized expert in user experience design, creating intuitive and user-friendly digital products.”
• 38. “Seeking a role as a professional event planner, executing unforgettable events that exceed client expectations.”
• 39. “To advance to a senior technical writer position, producing clear and concise documentation that supports product development.”
• 40. “Aspiring to be a chief diversity officer, fostering an inclusive workplace culture where all employees can thrive.”
• 41. “To become a lead mechanical engineer in the automotive industry, contributing to the development of innovative and efficient vehicles.”
• 42. “To secure a position as a business analyst, helping organizations to improve processes and systems for better performance.”
• 43. “Aiming to become a senior environmental consultant, providing actionable strategies for sustainable business practices.”
• 44. “To establish myself as a professional photographer, capturing moments and stories through my lens for global publications.”
• 45. “Seeking a role as an investment banker, helping companies to grow and investors to achieve their financial goals.”
• 46. “To become a thought leader in digital transformation, guiding enterprises through the integration of new technologies.”
• 47. “Aspiring to be a senior policy advisor, influencing legislation and policy decisions that impact the public sector.”
• 48. “To secure a position as a professional interpreter, facilitating communication in multiple languages for international organizations.”
• 49. “Aiming to become a leading expert in nutritional science, contributing to healthier lifestyles and dietary choices.”
• 50. “To establish a career as a professional speaker and author, sharing my expertise and inspiring others in my field.”

Frequently Asked Questions

How can you write an effective career goal statement for your resume.

When you write a career goal statement for your resume, start by reflecting on your strengths, skills, and experiences. Then, identify the kind of position you’re aiming for and how your career path aligns with the goals of the company. Use action words and quantify achievements where possible.

What are some examples of short-term career goals in professional development?

Short-term career goals might include obtaining a professional certification, improving specific job-related skills such as public speaking or technical proficiency, or networking to connect with industry leaders. These goals are typically achievable within a few months to two years.

What should be included in a personal career goal statement?

Your personal career goal statement should include your career interests, the competencies you wish to utilize, the type of environment you thrive in, and how you see your career progressing. It gives employers a glimpse into your aspirations and professional philosophy.

Can you give examples of comprehensive goal statements for students?

An example for a student might be: “Graduate with a degree in Environmental Science and secure an internship with a leading sustainability organization, to contribute to effective climate change solutions.” This states the education aim and the practical, immediate objective after graduation.

How do you frame a career goal statement for entry into graduate school?

A career goal statement for graduate school should express your academic interests, how the program aligns with your career plans, and what you intend to accomplish professionally with the advanced degree. This could be working towards a specific research field or role in academia.

What elements make up a compelling and succinct one-sentence career goal?

A compelling one-sentence career goal is specific, mentioning the desired industry or role, is realistic, and includes a timeframe. For example, “To become a certified project manager within the next year and lead technology-related projects in a Fortune 500 company.”

• Career Goals Examples [Professional Advancement]
• Goal Setting: Performance Review Examples (Rating 1 - 5)
• Best Mission Statements Examples [Energy and Chemicals]
• How To Write Accomplishment Statements (Inspiring Examples)
• 65 Examples of Career Aspirations for a Job Interview
• Best Mission Statements Examples [for Travel & Accommodation]

• Human Editing
• Free AI Essay Writer
• AI Outline Generator
• AI Paragraph Generator
• Paragraph Expander
• Essay Expander
• Literature Review Generator
• Research Paper Generator
• Thesis Generator
• Paraphrasing tool
• AI Rewording Tool
• AI Sentence Rewriter
• AI Rephraser
• AI Paragraph Rewriter
• Summarizing Tool
• AI Content Shortener
• Plagiarism Checker
• AI Detector
• AI Essay Checker
• Grammar Checker
• Citation Generator
• Reference Finder
• Book Citation Generator
• Legal Citation Generator
• Journal Citation Generator
• Reference Citation Generator
• Scientific Citation Generator
• Source Citation Generator
• Website Citation Generator
• URL Citation Generator
• Proofreading Service
• Editing Service
• AI Writing Guides
• AI Detection Guides
• Citation Guides
• Grammar Guides
• Paraphrasing Guides
• Plagiarism Guides
• Summary Writing Guides
• STEM Guides
• Humanities Guides
• Language Learning Guides
• Coding Guides
• Top Lists and Recommendations
• AI Detectors
• AI Writing Services
• Coding Homework Help
• Citation Generators
• Editing Websites
• Essay Writing Websites
• Language Learning Websites
• Math Solvers
• Paraphrasers
• Plagiarism Checkers
• Reference Finders
• Spell Checkers
• Summarizers
• Tutoring Websites
• Critical Essay Examples and Samples
• Descriptive Essay Examples and Samples 2024
• Compare and Contrast Essay Examples and Samples
• Narrative Essay Examples and Samples
• Best Persuasive Essay Examples
• Expository Essay Examples and Samples
• Cause and Effect Essay Examples and Samples 2024
• Definition Essay Examples and Samples
• Reflective Essay Examples and Samples
• Analytical Essay Examples and Samples 2024
• Summary Essay Examples and Samples
• Evaluation Essay Examples and Samples
• Argumentative Essay Examples and Samples
• NHS Essay Examples and Samples
• Discourse Community Essay Examples
• Essay on Synthesis Examples, Samples
• Essay on Racism Examples and Samples
• Essay on Gun Violence Examples and Samples
• Essay on Mental Health Examples and Samples
• Essay on Nursing Examples and Samples
• Essay on Gun Control Examples and Samples
• Essay on Education Examples and Samples
• Essay on Who Am I Examples and Samples
• Essay on Bullying Examples and Samples
• Essay on Artificial Intelligence Examples and Samples
• Essay on Music Examples and Samples
• Essay on Problem Solution Examples and Samples
• Essay on Integrity Examples and Samples
• Essay on Leadership Examples and Samples
• Essay on Domestic Violence Examples and Samples
• Essay on Respect Examples and Samples
• Essay on Profile Examples and Samples
• Essay on Life Examples and Samples
• Essay on Autobiographical Examples and Samples
• Essay on Obesity Examples and Samples
• Essay on Cyberbullying Examples and Samples
• Essay on Technology Examples and Samples
• Essay on Professionalism Examples and Samples

Essay on Career Goals Examples and Samples

• Essay on Animal Testing Examples and Samples
• Essay on Drug Abuse Examples and Samples
• Essay on Immigrations Examples and Samples
• Essay on Capital Punishment Examples and Samples
• Essay on Communication Examples and Samples
• Essay on Friendship Examples and Samples
• Essay on Community Service Examples and Samples
• Essay on My Family Examples and Samples
• Essay on Frankenstein Examples and Samples
• Essay on Pro Life Examples and Samples
• Essay on Anxiety Examples and Samples
• Essay on Industrial Revolution Examples and Samples
• Essay on Research Argument Examples and Samples
• Essay on Food Examples and Samples
• Essay on Great Depression Examples and Samples
• Essay on Self-Reflection Examples and Samples
• Essay on The Great Gatsby Examples and Samples
• Essay On What Does It Mean to Be American Examples and Samples
• Essay on World War 2 Examples and Samples
• Essay on Ethics Examples and Samples
• Essay on Concert Review Examples and Samples
• Essay on Fahrenheit 451 Examples and Samples
• Essay on Nursing Scholarship Examples and Samples
• Essay on Pro Choice Examples and Samples
• Essay on Process Analysis Examples and Samples
• Essay on Solar Energy Examples and Samples
• Essay on Personal Narrative Examples and Samples
• Essay on Hamlet Examples and Samples
• Essay on Civil Rights Examples and Samples
• Essay on Rhetoric Examples and Samples
• Essay on Martin Luther King Examples and Samples

Recent Articles

May 06 2023

One year action plan with SMART Goals Essay Sample, Example

Sep 17 2018

Why Popular Motivation Techniques are Ineffective Essay Sample, Example

Dec 17 2013

Why Students Should Take a Gap Year Essay Sample, Example

Remember Me

What is your profession ? Student Teacher Writer Other

Forgotten Password?

Username or Email

MBA Career Goals Essay Examples

We can improve your MBA profile and boost your candidacy. Gain insight into the review process and eliminate weaknesses from your MBA application.

Note: You must have javascript enabled to submit the form.

Career Goals Essay Samples

Almost every MBA application has a career goals essay. Here are some important resources to help you nail it:

Career Goal Guidance from Key Members of our SBC team

How to Structure your MBA Essays

Successful Examples of Career Goal Essays

One of the things I value most at Company X is the collaboration between teams to advance new technologies. As a Program Manager, I coordinate research and development (R&D) projects for the engineering department. R&D is an exciting field to me because we make quick decisions, progress at lightning speed, and focus on the future. Currently, I am directing a X project that impacts the future of autonomous driving.

Post-MBA, I will join the R&D group for a technology or automotive company as a product manager. I want to own the product lifecycle and effectively shepherd a product from inception to market. Ultimately, I aspire to influence monumental decisions like Porsche’s recent $6B investment in electric cars and electric charging infrastructure.

Product management capitalizes on my strengths: communication, teamwork, leadership, planning and organization. I enjoy the breadth of exposure through this role because successful new product development requires me to leverage resources from all over the company – R&D, finance, marketing, supply chain, and production.

But to achieve this goal, I first need a Goizueta MBA. Specifically, Goizueta’s extensive core coursework will teach me how to manage budgets and identify new product markets. Opportunities to apply my classroom learnings to real-world problems through an IMPACT 360 project and to further my leadership development through the Goizueta Advanced Leadership Academy will enable me to pivot to a R&D product manager role and advance my career.

Additionally, Goizueta’s culture of engagement will be instrumental to my development. Building camaraderie through extracurricular and social opportunities will enhance the shared learning I seek in my MBA program, as I envision gathering with my classmates every Thursday at KEGS and exploring Atlanta on the weekends. Essentially, Goizueta provides a business education that will not only facilitate my career progression, but also offers a lasting, lifelong community.

My immediate post-MBA goal is to secure a client relations position at a private equity firm, focusing on global expansion in Latin America. In this position I will hone-in on my knowledge of Latin American banking and finance, coupled with my Spanish speaking fluency, to apply the financial acumen gained at Kelley, to help drive firm’s expansion into the Latin American market. I know that a Kelley MBA would help me pivot into the private equity space and enhance my technical finance and analytical skills needed to excel while working in this unique investment class.

In my three years of professional experience, I have an increased understanding in interpersonal skills needed for a client relations position; however, I want to continue to advance my career in finance through a private equity role. A Kelley MBA will help me enrich my financial expertise and build technical skills needed to succeed in the industry. Additionally, I will acquire deeper problem solving and data analytics skills through courses in the Quantitative Analysis for Business Decisions and Financial Accounting disciplines. Specifically, I am excited how Kelley offers finance electives as early as my second semester, which I will take advantage of in preparation for my summer internship. Finally, Kelley’s Capital Markets Academy will be key to my development. The Capital Markets Academy, particularly Academy Fridays, will provide me with additional coverage into the financial services industry where I can gain the core finance skills necessary to grow, as well as delve into networking opportunities outside of the classroom.

My immediate post-MBA goal also includes being a business leader with global perspective. I anticipate enhancing my managerial skills through courses such as International Management and Organizational Behavior and Leadership in order to be a more effective manager and a stronger communicator. Because of my interest in working with a global financial services organization, I will pursue the Global Business Achievement certificate program. Through Kelley’s Global Business Achievement certificate program, I can further develop my Spanish speaking skills and potentially work on a global research project in hopes of enhancing my worldview, gaining exposure to other international companies, and expanding my global perspective; all key to leading international teams.

In summary, I believe my MBA from Kelley, coupled with my experience working in Latin American finance, will make me a competitive candidate for a position at a private equity firm. In the event I do not get an offer from a private equity firm, I would look for client facing roles at an international bank or hedge fund. Ideally, these opportunities will also focus on Latin American expansion, as I am interested in continuing to work in Latin American finance and improving my Spanish language skills. I know that Kelley offers exposure to diverse financial firms and opportunities in banking, ensuring my successful launch on a new path.

I am excited by the ability of technology to make tools and information more accessible. Television and libraries have been made available globally through internet distribution at virtually no cost. I too have leveraged data and technology to exceed expectations in my educational and professional experiences. For example, I spearheaded the development of Energy First’s iPhone application in 2008, and integrated Live Meeting as a collaborative tool in my retail territory. As I uncovered further applications of technology, I began aspiring to work on the strategic development of such advances, rather than merely their adoption. Having spent the last three and a half years with Energy First, a conservative organization, I look to further my career with more innovative organizations that drive change – such as Facebook or Google – before working in a strategic capacity for a startup venture.

I have always been an entrepreneur at heart. In the sixth grade I published a magazine on my home computer, seeking subscribers from classmates. In 2005, I ran a consulting service that provided computer training for baby boomers. As I look to shift my career path to the technology sector, a strategic roadmap is required to ensure I develop the appropriate skills to facilitate this transition. In the short-term, I plan to gain experience with leading providers of online solutions through internships and post-graduate work. Industry experience will help me apply strategic theory in practice, while I learn best in class marketing tools and processes. I will learn to apply my refined analytical skills in scenarios that are pertinent to preparing for my long-term goals. Having already worked in strategy and execution roles with Energy First, I see myself applying these complimentary foundations in a new sector. After gaining industry experience, refining my quantitative skills and learning to apply a rounded skill set with leading organizations, I will be prepared for a prominent marketing and strategy role in an innovative online service startup. I seek to work on leveraging technology to improve accessibility to information and services. Just as Google has leveraged data mining to launch Google Books and expand global access to literature, I believe further opportunities exist that I plan to uncover as I gain industry knowledge. Any organization in which I work will also need to have a significant focus on leveraging their resources to help the community. UCLA Anderson provides an ideal foundation for achieving both my short-term and long-term goals, as well as allowing me to continue developing a socially conscious mindset through various leadership opportunities.

In order for my career to take a crucial step forward, I need to put myself in an innovative environment where I can challenge and be challenged. I have developed a strong understanding of what my strengths are, and more importantly, what areas require development – financial analysis and business planning in a new industry. An MBA at UCLA Anderson will provide me with the best foundation to take that next step for three reasons. First, the culture of energetic and passionate students and faculty from diverse professional and geographic backgrounds will facilitate idea sharing from varied points of view. For example, the opportunity to learn from Professor Bob Foster on technological business plan development will be a crucial element of my graduate studies. Secondly, Anderson’s reputation for developing exceptional team leaders is evidenced by some of the inspiring alumni, such as Jim Stengel. Teamwork will be at the forefront of any business that I enter, and learning leadership principles that have produced success in the past will ensure that I am adequately prepared to lead a team-based organization. I will develop my teamwork and leadership skills in clubs such as the High Tech Business Association as well as community-driven endeavors such as the Challenge for Charity. Finally, Anderson’s Applied Management Research Program will allow me to build on the principles of the rigorous curriculum, as well as acquire knowledge firsthand about an organization in an industry that I am passionate about. The challenge of working with a team to develop recommendations will provide invaluable experience that will prepare me for business plan development in a method unique to a traditional class-based curriculum. I am confident that my experience at UCLA Anderson will help me target my current weaknesses, share my strengths and experiences with my colleagues, and develop my entrepreneurial skills so that I am able to play a key role in a venture that is both financially and socially responsible.

After several years as a Wireline Field Engineer, I am at a crossroads where I will start to define the future of my career. I envision becoming the VP of Strategic Marketing at a technical firm. Unlike most of my fellow engineers, I plan to merge my technical background with a marketing education to put myself in a position where I can be successful in such a career. A marketing position in a technical firm fits my interests and talents perfectly. Cutting-edge technology fascinates me, and with an engineering background, it is a language I speak. Most engineering jobs deal with technology, but few are primarily focused on human interaction, something that is an essential part of my vision. I enjoy dealing with people; while solving a complex engineering problem can provide great pleasure, it is no match for the satisfaction I derive through team interaction. Similarly, I have always enjoyed coaching others, whether it’s by conducting mock interviews at the high school where I volunteer or teaching nuclear theory to new engineers at a wellsite. The idea of taking a complicated concept and packaging it in such a way that the client clearly understands the benefits is highly appealing.

While my current technical position has many advantages, it is time for a change. I love the challenge of problem solving, and I thrive in such an international role, but I lack a strong business background. As I progress and move into an office job within Schlumberger, I do not see a career path allowing me to follow my goal without taking the initiative to gain further marketing knowledge. I have set my sights on this goal and will devote the necessary time and energy to put myself in a position to be successful.

Anderson is my choice in an MBA program for three reasons. First, it has excellent access to the Asia Pacific region, a market I am familiar with and would like to do business with in the future. My time spent in Thailand has been phenomenal, and I hope to work with such gracious, hospitable people throughout my career. Second, Anderson has a diverse student body from all over the world, something that is essential if I am to be multi-cultural upon graduation. Finally, Anderson is known to be an excellent all-around program, and being well-rounded is extremely important to me. With high quality training from Anderson, I am certain that I can succeed in the strategic marketing position I desire. I understand that a career of this nature requires a great deal of work. I embrace the challenge and look forward to a career which combines my professional skills and my enjoyment in working with others, but for the near future I look forward to an MBA program with exposure to the brightest teachers and young professionals from different business sectors across the globe. Learning to solve business problems, not just technical ones, is the next critical step toward a career in which I will thrive for years to come.

Growing up as one of five bi-racial students in a small farm town south of Dallas, I yearned to see the world outside of Texas. Looking for the first opportunity to broaden my horizons, I only applied to East Coast colleges to ensure that I would experience a variety of ways of life. At seventeen, I moved to New York to attend NYU where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and immediately after moved to the Midwest to experience another area of the country, attending Indiana University Law School. Further pushing my boundaries, I studied abroad in Sevilla, Spain my first summer of law school and realized not only the joy of experiencing different cultures, but also my desire to have a career with a global impact. While interviewing for post-law school positions, I found I was not interested in the more traditional legal roles, but that my skills and passions were better suited for the business sector where I could combine the reasoning and analytical skills I learned in law school with my interest in marketing and travelling. My first job with Kaplan was a perfect balance of these qualities. My responsibilities as an account manager, including creating and implementing effective strategies, plans and promotions to increase preference at law schools, sparked my interest in discovering consumer needs. Last year, I accepted a position with Princeton Review as a regional manager, where I manage and analyze sales goals for over 100 representatives, work with outside corporate sponsors to increase revenue and brand recognition, and partner with cross-functional teams to drive growth. Additionally, this position has required numerous business travels, which, in addition to my international travels, has strongly piqued my interest in the hospitality and travel industry and I am now ready to make a career shift to this sector. My long-term vision is to become an innovator, developer and leader as a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of a large hospitality company. The most rewarding aspect of my past two roles is bringing a product that I believe in to other people. As a CMO, the opportunity to share my passion on an international level is exciting and motivating. After three years of sales and account management experience, I have developed a thirst for understanding consumers and discovering their needs, their motivation to purchase products or services and ultimately how they become loyal to a specific company or product. Within the hospitality industry, specifically airlines and hotels, providing excellent service and a quality product makes travel easier and more enjoyable, increases travelers’ happiness and encourages future travel and brand loyalty. To reach this goal, in the short term I want to become an associate brand manager within the hospitality industry with a company such as Virgin America or Kimpton Hotels, helping grow their business traveler segment, while maintaining their current brand as a luxury service. Here I will learn the ins and outs of the hospitality industry, while receiving hands on experience managing a product, coordinating marketing functions, and leading cross-functional teams to ensure that the marketing plan is properly executed. After learning the basic skills of brand management, I expect to progress through the company as a marketing director and eventually my ultimate goal of a CMO. An MBA is essential to reach my goals. As I have only worked on the sales side with a legal research and a bar review prep company, I realize my limitations without more formal training. Without knowledge of how to read and analyze a profit & loss statement, bring a brand to market and position it for success, evaluate pricing patterns, synthesize market reports and understand consumer learning, I cannot be successful in a brand management role. An MBA will not only ease the transition, but will also help me gain the building blocks of marketing and business in general and gain broader strategic skills to effectively manage multiple large products. I look forward to my MBA putting me on the path to achieving my personal and professional goals.

Having the opportunity to observe the intricacies of private real estate operations in my current position, I have come to the realization that there’s a considerable gap in how sustainable design (planning strategies that minimize environmental impact and reduce energy consumption) is integrated with development/construction efforts. Consequently, I see significant promise in expanding green awareness to urban planning and wish to dedicate my career to support sustainable growth in the real estate industry. Therefore, in the short term after earning an MBA, I plan to take a position as a development manager for a national REIT and work to implement programs that derive economic gain from environmentally-conscious construction. In the long run, I will capitalize on these experiences by founding a consulting firm that will provide strategic expertise to support and improve private retail, real estate, and development firms’ sustainable initiatives.

My passion for green design began when I was a young painter growing up in an overpopulated Taipei neighborhood. As a boy, I often found the city’s monotonous gray backdrop insufficient for the contents of my canvas. The drastic Taipei urban expansion, resulting from rapid economic growth in the 80’s, drained many environmental resources and plagued the sky with pollution. During this time, I started recreating the city’s outlines into a more ideal community through imagination, and in the process found a passion to combine my artistic talents with my creativity to reshape the surrounding neighborhood. After moving to the US, I decided to make a leap from my imagination to reality and embarked on a career in sustainable design by enrolling in the School of Architecture at the University of Arizona.

After graduating, I took a position with Thompson Architecture in 2004 for the opportunity to work on program implementations that emphasized green construction. Recognizing the potential impact of my position, I consistently went beyond my defined technical roles to assume managerial responsibilities and became the youngest Project Architect in the 600 employee firm at the age of 24. In this new role, I was provided significant exposure to project delivery management, contract negotiations, and client interactions, and in the process deepened my overall interest in business operations. My increased client access also enabled me to initiate sustainability research proposals for them, an endeavor that resulted in landing new green design deals with retailers including Coffeeland, Clothestime, and Shoetown. However, in the process of analyzing the costs and environmental benefits for these green stores, I learned that this case by case approach offers rather limited effects on the environment, and the only way to maximize the benefits of sustainability is through implementation on a more massive scale. After working with the real estate groups of these major retailers and witnessing the impact of ROI analysis on the direction of corporate development, I discovered my true passion would be to work in a business capacity that had exposure to all sides of the real estate development business and could drive environmental impact through broad company initiatives.

Upon evaluating my objectives, I believe I have attained the core technical knowledge necessary to fulfill my future aspirations, but lack the business expertise to execute upon my abilities. Specifically, I would like to enhance my knowledge of market analysis, financing options, economics, and the overall trends/cycles of the real estate industry, in order to propose effective, sustainable solutions. Additionally, as my current role is limited to serving only retailers, I would like to learn appropriate strategic frameworks for consulting other types of clients. I also hope to refine my managerial and communication skills, which will be essential for obtaining buy-in for alternative development proposals. Having identified my goals, I feel now is the right time to attain a business education that can complement my technical experience and facilitate a career transition into real estate development.

From my campus visit this summer, interaction with current students, and discussions with school alumni, I strongly believe that Haas offers the best MBA program for me. First, the Fisher Center offers a wide array of real estate courses, such as Real Estate and Urban Economics, that will provide a valuable foundation for understanding the market dynamics of the development industry. I have already studied Professor Jaffee’s insightful research on the trend toward green development and discussed my interests at length with current Haas Real Estate student Steven Shanks. Therefore, I sincerely believe the Fisher Center will empower me with the necessary resources to identify high-potential sustainable opportunities and organizational skills to generate substantial returns. Outside of the classroom, I plan to take on leadership roles within the Real Estate Club and contribute through activities such as the Bank of America: Low Income Housing Challenge. Finally, I am excited about the Real Estate career opportunities that Haas has to offer, and plan to be actively involved with the new ACRE program.

Haas also stresses global entrepreneurship and innovation. As an innate entrepreneur who has implemented numerous personal and professional initiatives to improve our environment, I look forward to participating in Lester Center activities such as the Berkeley Solutions Group and YEAH. Additionally, through the Haas Social Venture Competition, I plan to propose a business idea for assisting private real estate companies address public urban concerns while achieving financial returns. I also hope to explore different leadership styles and further expand my international exposure by interacting with a truly global student body and learning environment. To that end, I am interested in leveraging Haas’ global entrepreneurial perspective to assist underprivileged communities around the world by participating in the International Business Development program. Through the sponsorship of nonprofit sustainable-oriented clients, such as Beahrs ELP, I hope to assist low-income neighborhoods similar to where I grew up through proposing effective green planning and environmental conscious construction.

Lastly, I am ultimately impressed by Haas’ unparalleled commitment to integrating corporate social responsibility within its entire business curriculum. My definitive goal is to implement innovative programs that positively advance our surroundings and Berkeley’s socially active student body passionately shares such vision. I plan to contribute through the Net Impact Club by making use of my non-profit experience while proposing novel and publicly useful business plans to local private companies. Thus, I will stay involved with the local community while investing in my cross-functional skills alongside a diverse set of talented peers. I am deeply impressed by Haas’ strong support and tradition, and I sincerely believe Berkeley’s close-knit student body will strengthen my capacity to lead the important changes that I could only imagine as a young painter twenty years ago.

Entering the classical music industry just before the economic downturn has opened my eyes to disconcerting financial weaknesses in professional symphonies. As lucky as I was to be a working musician, I saw signs of economic instability in orchestras around America. As a committee member of the Santa Barbara Symphony, I see firsthand how orchestras are financed from year to year and the room for improvement is tremendous. Almost immediately after the housing bubble burst and the market crashed in 2008, orchestras began to show signs of financial insecurity. Due to the recent economic downturn, symphonies across the country are shortening seasons, instituting hiring freezes, and even filing bankruptcy. Top ranked symphony orchestras, such as the New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic, have enacted hiring freezes for vacant positions, and highly regarded orchestras in Houston, Atlanta, Baltimore, and Philadelphia have enforced pay cuts after posting an average of $1.5M in budget deficits. Clearly, changes need to be made on how these primarily nonprofit organizations operate.

After working as a cellist in this economic climate and seeing the strain on my colleagues, I am moved to make a career change to the business side and revolutionize how symphony orchestras are managed. Over the past four years, I have witnessed my peers struggle to find work, soloist friends go weeks without concerts, and prominent symphony musicians show deep concern for their livelihoods. In spite of recent hardships, I believe there is incredible room for growth and revitalization within the classical music community, specifically in symphony orchestras. With the right guidance, I know that symphonies can not only become more financially secure, but also stir a renewed interest in orchestra concerts in their surrounding areas. Armed with an education in general management and exposure to nonprofit business models, I will be able to exact that change. With the skills gained from a Rice MBA, I will join a symphony in a general management role to improve operations and better manage endowment funds and revenue from ticket sales and donations. Long-term, I will transition my career to consulting, where I will help orchestras around the country operate more efficiently and profitably, thus enabling them to thrive both financially and artistically.

To be effective, I need both the strong educational foundation and practical application that Rice offers. At Rice, I will gain the knowledge and skills I need through its comprehensive general management core curriculum. Specifically, I intend to maximize my education through the Leadership Intensive Learning Experience, case-based coursework, public/nonprofit financial management elective, and real-world Action Learning Project. I believe that attacking real world issues and learning from real examples will be key in my transition from a leader as a cellist to a leader as an executive. Coming from a collaborative musical background, I believe that Rice’s well-rounded core curriculum, which emphasizes a healthy balance of class lectures by leading faculty and real world applications of concepts, will give me the tools I need to transform from musician to businessman. Moreover, the Leadership ILE courses will give me a chance to turn my leadership skills in music into strong leadership skills in business. Finally, participating in the Consulting, Net Impact, and Finance Clubs will further equip me to work with orchestras by learning from and being inspired by my diverse peers, all the while building lifelong friendships with like-minded colleagues.

I look forward to bringing my experience as a team player and leader from a unique background as a musician back to Rice and growing both professionally and personally within a culture where students challenge and encourage each other. I am confident that I will contribute to the overall culture, atmosphere, and education of the Jones School by working well with my classmates both inside and outside the classroom. With my unique background as a concert cellist and pedagogue, I also look forward to offering a different perspective in class discussions while having my eyes opened to many different perspectives drawn from equally diverse experiences. Furthermore, I look forward to being able to exercise the problem-solving skills I acquired as a teacher, an ensemble team member, and a section leader in my transition to a businessman at Rice. As my MBA classmates inspire me to constantly evolve and improve on my strengths and weaknesses, I know will do the same for my peers.

As a high school senior, I was given an interesting Christmas present from my parents. They opened up a brokerage account in my name and deposited few hundred dollars into it. It wasn’t the stereo system or the new set of golf clubs that I had hoped for, but it would turn out to be the best present they could have given me. I did not realize it at the time, but this gift would ultimately have a great impact on my future. Sitting down at the computer with my father, he taught me the basics of investing in stocks and mutual funds. My interest in investing grew throughout that final year of high school and became even greater in college. The more I learned about finance and the capital markets, the greater my interest grew.

Not surprisingly, I chose to study economics and finance as an undergraduate student at SMU. The summer after my freshman year of college, I obtained an internship with Merrill Lynch, assisting a Senior Financial Advisor with the daily duties of his job. I continued my studies throughout college and upon graduation, accepted an Operations Associate position at Condera, a boutique asset management firm in Houston. Supporting several financial advisors in the management of around $200 million in assets, my duties include performing portfolio analysis, implementing our strategies by executing trades in client accounts, and interacting with clients on a daily basis. This role has enhanced my leadership and communication skills, two areas in which I can contribute in my endeavors at the Jones School. The autonomy of the position and the willingness of my supervisors to listen to my suggestions are extremely satisfying and for this experience, I am grateful.

Throughout my career at Company X, I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about the sophisticated investment strategies that we employ for our clients, institutions, and foundations. Working with two industry veterans, I make it a point to learn as much as possible from them. They allow me to undertake challenging tasks, such as explaining our investment philosophy to prospects and researching new products to use. As I have grown into a more proactive role in client service, the advisors have focused more on bringing in new assets, thereby increasing revenue for the firm. It is from these experiences that my passion for the analytical side of investing has emerged. I have a deep interest in modern portfolio theory and, after completing my MBA, plan to apply that theory in a role that focuses on market and securities analysis. I believe the Jones School curriculum and the environment fostered by the students and faculty will give me a more comprehensive understanding of modern portfolio theory and its application to institutional asset management.

Long-term, I plan to start a boutique asset management firm that services foundations, endowments, and institutions. Recent trends in the financial services industry indicate that the big box brokerage firms such as Merrill Lynch and UBS are losing favor with many investors. Independent advisors are leveraging the services of custodial firms like Fidelity and JP Morgan to run asset management shops that provide completely unbiased and independent financial advisory services. I see this trend continuing as the major investment houses go through drastic changes during the current financial crisis and intend to capitalize on the migration of assets to independent advisors.

The MBA program at the Jones School provides the best bridge for connecting my current career to the future career that I seek. I have gained a strong, core knowledge of investing and finance and need to build on this knowledge, acquiring a more in depth view of the capital markets. After visiting the campus, speaking with students at a partio, and sitting in on one of Professor Weston’s finance classes, I have concluded that the Jones School offers the curriculum and environment that will best prepare me for that career. The real-world asset management experience that the Wright Fund provides is also of particular interest. Another impressive aspect of the program is the wide array of finance courses available to students. I look forward to being a part of a diverse class that will allow me to learn as much from my peers as I will learn from my professors. It is this collaborative aspect of the Jones School that impresses me the most. I know that I will contribute to the Jones School community in a profound way while growing both personally and professionally from all that the program has to offer.

My earliest memories are punctuated with aromas of my Mexican mother cooking tamales, while my Iranian father taught us about Navroz – the Persian New Year – where life begins anew, and dreams are revitalized. This idealism excited me, and watching my parents struggle to provide for my sister and myself, I wanted to help them create a fresh start. I channeled this motivation into opportunities where I could deliver positive change. My career vision, to lead a Latin America-centric microfinance organization such as Accion, capitalizes on these experiences. In the interim, I will prepare myself by attaining an MBA, and joining the International Finance Corporation’s Global Transaction Team as an Investment Officer.

After graduating from UCSB, I wanted to maximize my contributions and exposure and found this opportunity at [XYZ Sports], a small, established apparel manufacturer. While my primary responsibilities were in finance, I made time to work with marketing, sales, and operations teams, understanding their challenges, and helping implement proposed solutions. I wanted to apply this newly acquired knowledge at a startup, passionate about influencing a fledgling entity. At [Memorabilia Retailer], my goal was to implement financial and accounting processes forming the company’s backbone. Working in an ambiguous, often chaotic startup environment, I holistically analyzed each issue and its ramifications. I also built relationships with functional experts, incorporating valuable insights from them. I confidently presented a tough but necessary set of strategic recommendations around financial operations reengineering to management, and won their approval. As an Investment Officer at IFC, and later, a leader in microfinance, I will leverage the poise I developed during these early-career experiences.

Next, I accepted a job at [ABC Healthcare], coming in to an under-resourced finance department. I suggested augmenting our human-capital base in Costa Rica, expanding our limited presence there, and lowering costs. Although this went far beyond my official job description, I spearheaded this project. Spending significant time in Costa Rica, I understood the work environment, hired resources, and trained them on our business processes. Under my direction our Costa Rican office now efficiently handles all our accounting processes, and has grown from a staff of two women, to 20. This success hinged on my ability to safeguard against the risks of developing an international location, a practice that is imperative to the sustainability of a microfinance organization. Further, witnessing the impact meaningful employment can have on families and communities paved the way for my professional ambitions.

Inspired by the transformation I saw in Costa Rica, I began actively volunteering at a local non-profit microfinance organization, Foundation for Women (FFW). As a Senior Advisor, I partner with low-income entrepreneurs to develop their businesses. Through this first-hand microfinance experience, I have reaffirmed that it is an area of business in which I thrive personally and professionally. I have also recognized the skills I need in order to attain my goals.

An MBA’s academic rigor will form the theoretical foundation on which I will build my future career. Courses such as Business Strategies for Emerging Markets, and Corporate Finance may sound similar to what other business schools offer, but Haas’s approach to the MBA via the BILD curriculum is distinctive, and especially appealing to me as its focus on forging change fits well with my personal leadership style. Through its emphasis on innovative leadership I will prepare myself for the volatility often inherent in international microfinance. I am looking forward to embracing knowledge outside the classroom as well. Applying academic theories to real world issues through Haas’s International Business Development Program will be a unique opportunity to learn from diverse teammates, professors, and clients, while gaining exposure to different geographies and their intricacies. I would also love to add an element of microfinance at the 2013 Latin American Business Conference, perhaps by inviting my contacts from FFW to attend or speak.

The Haas MBA will prepare me for a summer internship in banking and a full-time job at the IFC’s Global Transaction Team, where I will strengthen my understanding of the investor’s role in microfinance and build a toolkit for analyzing businesses with a discerning eye. Focusing on Latin America at the IFC and studying the design and productivity of the region’s microenterprise operations, I will become well versed in its cultural and socioeconomic challenges. Armed with this analytical acumen and regional perspective, I will be ideally positioned for a career at Accion, ultimately building on my experiences and network to establish a robust microfinance infrastructure in a country like Costa Rica and eventually across Latin America.

Upon receiving my MBA at USC Marshall, I will assume a managerial role at XYZ where my mother has been the President and CEO since she took the company over from my grandmother in 1998. XYZ is a leading managed care company in Southern California, providing billing and quality oversight services for over 7,400 physician practices. As the future leader of XYZ, I seek to expand its success by addressing the fast-changing management dynamics of medical groups; a Marshall MBA is critical to this career path.

To ensure an efficient transition to my managerial role at XYZ, I will enter the Marshall program with knowledge from my public health masters program and preceding consumer-oriented work. Through my public health masters program, I have developed an innovative masters thesis that evaluates Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), the latest healthcare delivery model put forth by the President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. Through this project, I have become savvy in the ACO model and have gained an understanding of’s current and future potential clients, many of which are already ACOs in the Southern California region. My preceding work in connecting to the consumer mindset through marketing programs and, before that, through internships at XYZ, will also contribute to my informed managerial role.

I have a unique opportunity to create a renewed vision for our company that leverages the emerging paradigm shift in healthcare; the industry is moving away from a system of “sick care”—or acute care for diseases and illness—to a focus on preventing chronic disease and reducing costs. In the short-term, as a manager at XYZ, I intend to align my department and influence my employees to set the industry standard for coordinating care by evaluating the effectiveness of provider networks under this new model of care. I will expand XYZ’s services and client-base by creating sustainable, cutting edge products. I intend to enable the company to thrive in the next era of provider services.

My short-term career goals will be only realized if I fuel them with the functional knowledge and critical leadership skills of the Marshall MBA. I will immerse myself in the curriculum at USC Marshall and apply this knowledge in practice through its international programs and on-campus opportunities. In my first year, I will choose marketing as my functional area to hone my skills in management and team-building and will then take electives in healthcare during my second year to learn the specific business principles that guide my industry. The new core curriculum will allow me to explore subjects outside of my specialization to become a holistic leader. Marshall’s coursework will help me acquire the adaptability and rigorous knowledge that is critical for my high-impact career in healthcare.

My experience at Marshall will empower decision making that is socially-conscious within an increasingly global healthcare arena. I require an understanding of social responsibility to make my mark in the healthcare industry. The Pacific Rim International Management Education (PRIME) is a platform to understand these perspectives and will make me a more self-aware, globally-minded professional. The PRIME program will facilitate my learning of the global economy in healthcare as well as further my knowledge about XYZ’s client-base, as XYZ currently coordinates care for patients in the Pacific Rim. The PRIME program will give me a deeper understanding of our clients abroad and potential opportunities for global business development.

USC Marshall will also help me achieve my career goals because of its proximity to XYZ, as I will actively develop my professional network of future business partners and colleagues from the start of the program. Marshall’s core communities will create invaluable networking opportunities with fellow students. As healthcare is quickly evolving into a collaborative, interdisciplinary field, Marshall’s culture will reinforce the values that I will need as a healthcare leader. To further create connections with peers, I will be an active leader in the Healthcare Leadership Association and star player in Challenge for Charity, where I will use my passion for soccer for philanthropic benefit. After my MBA and several successful years working in a managerial position at XYZ, I hope to inherit my family’s business with a strong sense of duty and capability. Only an education from USC Marshall will give me the integrated foundations and networks to transform our business in the decades to come.

SBC’s star-studded consultant team is unparalleled. Our clients benefit from current intelligence that we receive from the former MBA Admissions Officers from Harvard HBS, Stanford GSB and every elite business program in the US and Europe.  These MBA Admissions Officers have chosen to work exclusively with SBC.

Just two of the many superstars on the SBC team: Meet Erin , who was Assistant Director of MBA Admissions at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business (GSB) and Director of MBA Admissions at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

Meet Andrea , who served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years.

Tap into this inside knowledge for your MBA applications by requesting a consultation .

You May Also Like

How to Get Into Harvard Business School

HBS and Stanford: Admitted to Both, Then & Now

Harvard Business School Acceptance Rate, Deconstructed

B-Schooled Episode #2: Interview with Nick, SBC Client and HBS Class of 2020 Student

Learn about our all-in service, meet the sbc consulting team.

(323) 934-3936 info@StacyBlackman.com

Latest Blog Post

Mba applicants, listen up: perfection not required.

There’s no such thing as a “perfect” B-school candidate. It’s far more common for MBA applicants to have some form of “weakness” or “flaw” they must address head-on in their application. This might include: ... →

Career Essay

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. 

Career Essay Generator

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.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

NPR defends its journalism after senior editor says it has lost the public's trust

David Folkenflik

NPR is defending its journalism and integrity after a senior editor wrote an essay accusing it of losing the public's trust. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

NPR is defending its journalism and integrity after a senior editor wrote an essay accusing it of losing the public's trust.

NPR's top news executive defended its journalism and its commitment to reflecting a diverse array of views on Tuesday after a senior NPR editor wrote a broad critique of how the network has covered some of the most important stories of the age.

"An open-minded spirit no longer exists within NPR, and now, predictably, we don't have an audience that reflects America," writes Uri Berliner.

A strategic emphasis on diversity and inclusion on the basis of race, ethnicity and sexual orientation, promoted by NPR's former CEO, John Lansing, has fed "the absence of viewpoint diversity," Berliner writes.

NPR's chief news executive, Edith Chapin, wrote in a memo to staff Tuesday afternoon that she and the news leadership team strongly reject Berliner's assessment.

"We're proud to stand behind the exceptional work that our desks and shows do to cover a wide range of challenging stories," she wrote. "We believe that inclusion — among our staff, with our sourcing, and in our overall coverage — is critical to telling the nuanced stories of this country and our world."

NPR names tech executive Katherine Maher to lead in turbulent era

She added, "None of our work is above scrutiny or critique. We must have vigorous discussions in the newsroom about how we serve the public as a whole."

A spokesperson for NPR said Chapin, who also serves as the network's chief content officer, would have no further comment.

Praised by NPR's critics

Berliner is a senior editor on NPR's Business Desk. (Disclosure: I, too, am part of the Business Desk, and Berliner has edited many of my past stories. He did not see any version of this article or participate in its preparation before it was posted publicly.)

Berliner's essay , titled "I've Been at NPR for 25 years. Here's How We Lost America's Trust," was published by The Free Press, a website that has welcomed journalists who have concluded that mainstream news outlets have become reflexively liberal.

Berliner writes that as a Subaru-driving, Sarah Lawrence College graduate who "was raised by a lesbian peace activist mother ," he fits the mold of a loyal NPR fan.

Yet Berliner says NPR's news coverage has fallen short on some of the most controversial stories of recent years, from the question of whether former President Donald Trump colluded with Russia in the 2016 election, to the origins of the virus that causes COVID-19, to the significance and provenance of emails leaked from a laptop owned by Hunter Biden weeks before the 2020 election. In addition, he blasted NPR's coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

On each of these stories, Berliner asserts, NPR has suffered from groupthink due to too little diversity of viewpoints in the newsroom.

The essay ricocheted Tuesday around conservative media , with some labeling Berliner a whistleblower . Others picked it up on social media, including Elon Musk, who has lambasted NPR for leaving his social media site, X. (Musk emailed another NPR reporter a link to Berliner's article with a gibe that the reporter was a "quisling" — a World War II reference to someone who collaborates with the enemy.)

When asked for further comment late Tuesday, Berliner declined, saying the essay spoke for itself.

The arguments he raises — and counters — have percolated across U.S. newsrooms in recent years. The #MeToo sexual harassment scandals of 2016 and 2017 forced newsrooms to listen to and heed more junior colleagues. The social justice movement prompted by the killing of George Floyd in 2020 inspired a reckoning in many places. Newsroom leaders often appeared to stand on shaky ground.

Leaders at many newsrooms, including top editors at The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times , lost their jobs. Legendary Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron wrote in his memoir that he feared his bonds with the staff were "frayed beyond repair," especially over the degree of self-expression his journalists expected to exert on social media, before he decided to step down in early 2021.

Since then, Baron and others — including leaders of some of these newsrooms — have suggested that the pendulum has swung too far.

Author Interviews

Legendary editor marty baron describes his 'collision of power' with trump and bezos.

New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger warned last year against journalists embracing a stance of what he calls "one-side-ism": "where journalists are demonstrating that they're on the side of the righteous."

"I really think that that can create blind spots and echo chambers," he said.

Internal arguments at The Times over the strength of its reporting on accusations that Hamas engaged in sexual assaults as part of a strategy for its Oct. 7 attack on Israel erupted publicly . The paper conducted an investigation to determine the source of a leak over a planned episode of the paper's podcast The Daily on the subject, which months later has not been released. The newsroom guild accused the paper of "targeted interrogation" of journalists of Middle Eastern descent.

Heated pushback in NPR's newsroom

Given Berliner's account of private conversations, several NPR journalists question whether they can now trust him with unguarded assessments about stories in real time. Others express frustration that he had not sought out comment in advance of publication. Berliner acknowledged to me that for this story, he did not seek NPR's approval to publish the piece, nor did he give the network advance notice.

Some of Berliner's NPR colleagues are responding heatedly. Fernando Alfonso, a senior supervising editor for digital news, wrote that he wholeheartedly rejected Berliner's critique of the coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict, for which NPR's journalists, like their peers, periodically put themselves at risk.

Alfonso also took issue with Berliner's concern over the focus on diversity at NPR.

"As a person of color who has often worked in newsrooms with little to no people who look like me, the efforts NPR has made to diversify its workforce and its sources are unique and appropriate given the news industry's long-standing lack of diversity," Alfonso says. "These efforts should be celebrated and not denigrated as Uri has done."

After this story was first published, Berliner contested Alfonso's characterization, saying his criticism of NPR is about the lack of diversity of viewpoints, not its diversity itself.

"I never criticized NPR's priority of achieving a more diverse workforce in terms of race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. I have not 'denigrated' NPR's newsroom diversity goals," Berliner said. "That's wrong."

Questions of diversity

Under former CEO John Lansing, NPR made increasing diversity, both of its staff and its audience, its "North Star" mission. Berliner says in the essay that NPR failed to consider broader diversity of viewpoint, noting, "In D.C., where NPR is headquartered and many of us live, I found 87 registered Democrats working in editorial positions and zero Republicans."

Berliner cited audience estimates that suggested a concurrent falloff in listening by Republicans. (The number of people listening to NPR broadcasts and terrestrial radio broadly has declined since the start of the pandemic.)

Former NPR vice president for news and ombudsman Jeffrey Dvorkin tweeted , "I know Uri. He's not wrong."

Others questioned Berliner's logic. "This probably gets causality somewhat backward," tweeted Semafor Washington editor Jordan Weissmann . "I'd guess that a lot of NPR listeners who voted for [Mitt] Romney have changed how they identify politically."

Similarly, Nieman Lab founder Joshua Benton suggested the rise of Trump alienated many NPR-appreciating Republicans from the GOP.

In recent years, NPR has greatly enhanced the percentage of people of color in its workforce and its executive ranks. Four out of 10 staffers are people of color; nearly half of NPR's leadership team identifies as Black, Asian or Latino.

"The philosophy is: Do you want to serve all of America and make sure it sounds like all of America, or not?" Lansing, who stepped down last month, says in response to Berliner's piece. "I'd welcome the argument against that."

"On radio, we were really lagging in our representation of an audience that makes us look like what America looks like today," Lansing says. The U.S. looks and sounds a lot different than it did in 1971, when NPR's first show was broadcast, Lansing says.

A network spokesperson says new NPR CEO Katherine Maher supports Chapin and her response to Berliner's critique.

The spokesperson says that Maher "believes that it's a healthy thing for a public service newsroom to engage in rigorous consideration of the needs of our audiences, including where we serve our mission well and where we can serve it better."

Disclosure: This story was reported and written by NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik and edited by Deputy Business Editor Emily Kopp and Managing Editor Gerry Holmes. Under NPR's protocol for reporting on itself, no NPR corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted publicly.