your career goals essay

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!

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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 .

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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!

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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

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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

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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.

• Essay Editor

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

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

Understanding the Importance of Goal Setting

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

How To Write An Essay About My Life Goals

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

Career Goal Essay Definition

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

How Long is a Professional Goal Statement?

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

What to Avoid While Writing Your Career Goal Essay

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

My Future Goals Essay: 12 Models

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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Write a Career Goals Essay: A Comprehensive Guide

A career goals essay is a crucial element in showcasing your aspirations and ambitions. Whether you're applying for a scholarship, admission to a prestigious institution, or seeking professional development, your ability to articulate your career goals is essential. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of writing an impactful career goals essay, providing valuable insights and tips to ensure your essay stands out How to Write a Career Goals Essay: An Ultimate Guide for Students .

Writing a Career Goals Essay

Crafting a career goals essay requires careful planning and thoughtful consideration. To guide you through this process, follow these key steps:

1. Introduction

Your essay's introduction sets the stage for what follows. Clearly state your career goals and why they are important to you. Make sure to grab the reader's attention and provide a glimpse into your aspirations.

2. Developing Your Body

The body of your essay should delve into specific details about your career goals. Discuss the steps you've taken or plan to take to achieve them. Highlight relevant experiences, skills, and achievements that align with your objectives.

3. Dos and Don'ts

When writing your career goals essay, keep these dos and don'ts in mind to ensure a compelling and effective piece:

• Do showcase your passion and enthusiasm for your chosen field.
• Don't use vague or generic statements; be specific about your goals.
• Do tailor your essay for the specific application or scholarship.
• Don't neglect the importance of proofreading for clarity and coherence.
• Do emphasize how your goals align with the values of the institution or organization.
• Don't underestimate the impact of a well-crafted and memorable conclusion.

Q: How do I start my career goals essay? A: Begin with a compelling introduction that clearly states your career goals and why they matter to you.

Q: How long should my career goals essay be? A: Aim for a balance; convey sufficient information to make your case, but avoid unnecessary details. Generally, a well-structured essay of 500-800 words is effective.

Final Thoughts

Writing a career goals essay is an opportunity to articulate your dreams and ambitions. Remember, a well-crafted essay not only informs but also leaves a lasting impression on the reader. By following this comprehensive guide, you're well on your way to creating a compelling career goals essay that sets you apart.

Useful Resources:  https://www.wordlab.com/how-to-write-a-stellar-brand-story/

• Applying For Scholarships

Essay: How Will This Scholarship Help You Achieve Your Goals? (With Example) – 2023

Jennifer Finetti May 23, 2023

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Many scholarship applicants often have to write a “How will this scholarship help you achieve your goals” essay. This gives the scholarship committee an understanding of how the scholarship will help students pursue their goals.

Needless to say, the essay is very important for the scholarship application. This is where students can show off their personality. Students should make sure to write a unique composition which answers the essay question.

Think About Your Goals

It can be challenging to think about what your goals are after college. This is especially true if you haven’t decided on a major and have no idea what you want to study.

If you find yourself struggling to determine what your career goals are, try brainstorming before you start writing. Think of what your short-term and long-term goals are and write them down. What skills do you need to achieve these goals?

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Writing Tips – Getting Started

When starting to write your essay , make sure you open with a catchy introduction. This can be a question, an anecdote or a personal story. You want to grab your reader’s interest right away. Start with something unique, rather than using a generic sentence that any other student can use.

Explain the Inspiration Behind Your Goals

You’ll then want to explain the inspiration behind your goals. What led you to want to pursue these goals? What experiences have you had in life which have influenced you and your dreams?

Discuss Your Goals

After discussing your past experiences, talk about your education and career goals . Do you have a major? How will it help you achieve your goals?

Do you have long-term goals you can talk about? The scholarship provider doesn’t expect you to have long-term goals set in stone so don’t worry if you don’t. Instead, you can write about how you wish to impact others.

Make a Creative Conclusion

In your conclusion paragraph, you should summarize the major points in your essay.  Then finish with a closing thought. You should try to make it creative and unique. You want to leave a lasting impression on the reader.

After you finish writing your essay, make sure you proofread it several times. The last thing you’d want to do is turn in an essay with grammar mistakes.

Scholarship Goals Essay Example

It was November, 2016, a few days before Thanksgiving. My class took a field trip to a soup kitchen to serve lunch. I poured piping hot soup into bowls while people started to fill the room. It was a great way to warm up on the frigid November day. Their eyes seemed empty and sad. “Happy Thanksgiving” we said to one another, as our eyes locked.

A few days later, as I sat surrounded by family, turkey, gravy and pumpkin pie, I couldn’t help but feel like something wasn’t right. Why was I so fortunate to have access to all this food? I thought of the people from the soup kitchen and wondered where they were. I knew right then and there that my purpose in life was to help people.

I returned to the soup kitchen as a volunteer a week later, and a week after that.

I envisioned the realm of possibilities for these people. “I would connect him with a rehab program, her with daycare for her baby so she could find work,” I thought to myself while volunteering. I have dreams of one day being able to help people make changes in their lives.

For this reason, I will be starting my undergraduate degree in social work at Boston University in the fall. I am certain that my studies will instill within me the skills and knowledge I need to pursue a career as a social worker. I hope to be able to help those who are less privileged find hope in their lives.

This scholarship will help me achieve my educational and career goals. I have been working hard to save up for college, but with the exorbitant costs of tuition, my part-time jobs haven’t been enough. I am planning to work during my undergraduate degree, but I do wish to focus a lot of my time on my studies. This scholarship will help by lowering the costs of college and the amount of hours I’ll need to work throughout my studies. This way, I’ll be able to continue with my academic achievements. It will also give me time to find an internship. I am hoping to find an internship at a homeless shelter in the Boston area.

It has been two and a half years since I first walked into that soup kitchen. That day without a doubt has changed the course of my life. My experiences there, talking with people and hearing their stories, have instilled within me a passion to help people make positive changes in their lives. This scholarship will allow me to pursue the education I need to achieve my goals.

• 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.

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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

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Interview Questions

Comprehensive Interview Guide: 60+ Professions Explored in Detail

Example Answers to “What Are Your Career Goals?”

By Biron Clark

Published: December 5, 2023

“What are your career goals?” is a common question you’ll hear in many interviews. And you need to prepare an answer because employers ALWAYS prefer to hire someone who can show they’re goal-oriented and have long-term objectives in their career.

There are also a couple of big mistakes you need to avoid when you describe your career goals in an interview, so we’ll cover how to avoid those mistakes, too.

Let’s get started…

What are Career Goals?

Career goals describe where you’d like to be, what you’d like to experience, and what you’d like to achieve in your professional life over the upcoming one to five years – or more. 

Long-term career goals are made up of a series of short and mid-term goals that act as steps or building blocks toward that greater professional goal. The role you’re applying for should act as a relevant step toward the career goal described in your interview.

Solid (and relevant) career goals are considered a big plus to interviewers and hiring managers, because they keep you organized, active, motivated and focused on the task at hand – all qualities a savvy employer looks for in a new recruit.

Make Sure You Have SMART Goals

Career goals are only useful when they’re SMART . That is Specific , Measurable , Achievable , Relevant and Time-bound . Unless your career goals are SMART , the chances are they’re only dreams. 

Imagine your Specific long-term career goal is to advance to a leadership position in your new product design job. The goal is Time-bound by the company’s yearly promotion cycle and, to Achieve it, you’ll need to plot Measurable short and mid-term goals that are 100% Relevant to the overall goal. 

These sub-goals might include upskilling, leading a small team to gain experience, innovating a new product, and getting noticed as a candidate for promotion.

Watch: How to Answer “What Are Your Career Goals?”

Why employers ask this interview question.

When the company asks an interview question like, “What are your career goals?” they want to know if this job will hold your interest in the short term and potentially long term! (Companies love to hire people who will stay with the company for years and grow/advance).

Companies don’t want to hire you for a role that isn’t bringing you toward your professional aspirations because you’ll be less motivated and more likely to leave the job quickly.

It’s okay if a job doesn’t meet everything you’re looking for in your career. For example, you can say that you eventually aspire to take a leadership position, even if you’re not being considered for a leadership role in this interview.

But then, in your interview answer, you’d want to show how this job is bringing you closer to those future plans/goals. You can do this by ending your answer by saying something like:

…So I was excited to apply for this role because on the job description, I saw a few responsibilities and skills related to leadership, such as training new team members. That’s something I’ve been eager to start doing.

I’ll share some full word-for-word sample answers coming up soon.

How to Answer “What Are Your Career Goals?”

You always want to seem goal oriented, so it’s not a good idea to say, “I’m not sure” or “I haven’t thought about that.” That’s NOT going to impress hiring managers. But you also need to make sure the career goals you mention fit into the job you’ve applied for.

Here’s how this can hurt you if not:

Imagine you’re interviewing for a customer service position. And the hiring manager asks about your long-term career goals. If you say, “My goal is to move out of customer service and find a role that doesn’t involve working with customers as much. I prefer to work behind the scenes,” then the hiring manager is NOT going to hire you for their job. Employers want to hire someone who really wants this specific job, because then you’re more likely to be motivated , have a great attitude, etc.  So prepare a few goals and aspirations you can talk about, but make sure your goals fit with the job you’re interviewing for. Otherwise, adjust the goals you plan on talking about for the interview. Be strategic and think about what’s going to get you hired for the job you want, and don’t say anything that suggests you’ll be bored, frustrated, or want to leave this job quickly.

One more note: Just like with the question “where do you see yourself in 5 years?” you’re not expected to be able to predict the future accurately. Nobody’s going to check on you in two years and see if you’re following what you said in a few years.

Hiring managers just want to see what your interests are and whether you’ve thought about this at all.  And they want to make sure they’re not hiring someone who’s going to be bored in their job. That’s why employers ask questions about your long-term career goals and ambitions in an interview, and how to answer.

“What Are Your Career Goals?” Example Answers

Now that you know how to answer questions about your career goals in the interview, let’s look at some word-for-word example answers.  First is an example of an entry-level job seeker. After that, we’ll go through an example for job seekers with more experience.

Entry-Level Example Answer to “What Are Your Career Goals?”

I just graduated with my degree in Finance , and I’m excited to get my first position in the industry, now. My longer-term goals are to learn a variety of areas within the field of finance and work toward deciding what area of specialization I want to take. I’d love to become an expert in one specific field of finance in the long term, but I know the first step is to build a solid foundation and learn the basics in an entry-level role. I saw this job offers exposure to a variety of areas, which is something I liked.

Notice that the end of this example answer includes a line about why their particular job interests you . This is a great tactic you can use with a variety of your interview answers . Answer their question, but then conclude by putting the focus back on their job and why you want this position! Most job seekers don’t do this. You’ll really stand out with this tactic and put their mind at ease that you’ll love their job. (Employers are REALLY scared of hiring someone who won’t love the job, even if you have the necessary experience. Because it costs a lot of time/money/energy to hire and train someone, and that’s all lost if you leave in the first year).

Mid-Level Example Answer to “What Are Your Career Goals?”

My goal for many years was to become a Manager. I achieved that last year. Now as I look forward in my career, I’d like to build and manage larger teams and continue advancing as a leader. I’ve found I really enjoy mentoring and leading a team, even more than I enjoyed working as an individual contributor earlier in my career. When I saw your job description mentions a chance to hire and lead a team of five, I knew I should apply.

Again, this sample answer for “what are your career goals?” does a lot more than just answering the basic question. You start by mentioning a past achievement, then you answer the question, and then you mention what you saw in their specific job that excited you. This is a great formula to follow when answering this question as a mid-level or senior-level job seeker.

Senior/Executive-Level Answer Example

My career goal right now is to take the leadership and management experience I’ve obtained over the past 12 years and transition into a Fortune-500 company. I feel this would provide a new challenge and bring out the best in my abilities at the same time. I’ve excelled most in roles where I was involved in cross-functional team leadership involving multiple departments, and I feel this is something I’ll gain more exposure to in a Fortune-500 firm. I saw on your job description that this is mentioned as a part of the role here. Can you tell me more about that?

Ending your job interview answer with a question directed back at the hiring manager is a great way to make the interview more conversational. Try to do this at least a few times, instead of just answering a question and then waiting for the next question. This can be a real game-changer in your interviews in terms of the flow and how confident you feel and appear.

Short Term vs. Long Term Career Goals

When you’re asked interview questions about your professional goals, you’ll need to decide how far in the future to discuss. Should you share a career goal that’s ten years in the future? One year? Or something in between. I recommend discussing your career goals in a two to five year timeframe. That shows ambition and shows that you’ve thought about your long-term career, but at the same time, those goals aren’t so far out that you can’t discuss exactly how you’ll achieve them.

You want to be able to talk about how you’ll reach your goals, through personal development and professional improvement. And that becomes hard to do if you’re talking about your goals a decade from now. You don’t want to name a goal like becoming a CEO , when you’ve never held any leadership positions. It’ll just seem like you’re hoping rather than aiming. So as you share your own goals, I recommend picking a career goal that’s a few years out. Not too short-term, but not too far away.

Let’s take a look at some career goals ranging from short – long term:

• Short-term career goals: 
• developing professionally with design, leadership and skills certifications
• gaining experience by leading a small team on quarterly assignments. 
• innovating great new products with your team each quarter
• establishing  more efficient work processes as you go 
• being commended as an effective team leader at the end of every quarter
• becoming the prime candidate for that sought-after leadership role by the end of the year.
• Long-term career goals: 
• getting hired as department leader managing four small teams.

Mistakes to Avoid When Answering

There are a couple of costly mistakes you should avoid when you describe your career goals in a job interview.

• First, I recommend not sharing anything that will seem like a threat to the company or make them worry that you won’t stay for long in their job. For example, if you’re interviewing at a company in the healthcare industry, don’t say your goal involves switching careers and joining the tech industry. That’s just going to leave the hiring manager wondering why you even took the interview for their position. For this same reason, I don’t recommend saying, “my career goal is to have my own business in the near future.”
• Keep personal goals like that private. I think it’s a great goal. I quit the corporate world to do that myself. But if your future career goals involve quitting and leaving this potential employer, don’t say so when answering this interview question.
•  And one more mistake as you answer interview questions about your goals: Don’t use humor or make a joke . For example, don’t tell the hiring manager, “My goal is to have your job.” This is a serious interview question and you’re going to do better in your job search if you respond with a thoughtful, serious answer that shows you’re goal-focused and motivated.

Answering “What Are Your Career Goals?” – Quick Review

• Never say you don’t have any goals or haven’t thought about it
• Always share a goal that’s at least somewhat related to the job you’ve applied for
• Start your answer by explaining your current situation and what you accomplished previously in your career
• Next, explain your future career goals and how you plan to achieve them
• Conclude by telling the interviewer what interested you in their particular job (based on the job description) – make sure they can see how their job fits into your bigger career goals

If you follow the advice above, you’ll give a great answer when interviewers ask about your long term career goals and objectives. You’ll show them that you’re someone who has long-term aspirations and plans and they’ll love to see this.

You’ll also show them why their job interests you, which tells them you’ll be motivated and work hard. This makes them FAR more likely to offer you the position than someone who can’t clearly explain their career goals and how those goals fit into this job they’re discussing.

About the Author

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Thanks for a great article, really learnt a lot.

Quick question though;

1.To what extent should i keep talking about my goal?

2. Should i bring personal issues if the case arises?

Comments are closed.

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.

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What Are Your Career Goals - How to Answer w/ [Examples]

You could say “What are your career goals?” is the adult version of “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

You probably even had a better idea of what to answer when you were 6.

You should channel that same level of confidence when talking about your career goals to an interviewer.

Easier said than done, right? Especially if you’re uncertain about what your goals are or what they should look like in the first place.

We know that struggle! To help you figure out your career goals (and answer the dreaded interview question), we compiled this guide.

• What is a Career Goal and Why is It Important to Have One
• The 4 Most Common Types of Career Goals
• Tips for Answering “What are Your Career Goals” and things to avoid saying
• 3+ Examples of How Your Answer Should and Should Not Look Like

So, let’s get started:

What is a Career Goal

Career goals are targets. Things, positions, situations related to your professional life that you have set your mind on achieving. 

They can be short-term, like getting a promotion or certification, or they can be long-term, like running your own successful business or being an executive at your dream company. 

No matter what they sound like, they should be this sort of prize that motivates you to get going in your career. 

Why Is It Important to Have a Career Goal (And Why Interviewers Care)

Firstly, the job interview aside, you should have a career goal simply because it’s beneficial to you . 

Not to impress the interviewer, your relatives, or your future Tinder date, but to improve yourself.

Having a career goal will keep you focused and keep you from getting stuck on a cycle where every day looks the same and you forget what you are working for in the first place. 

It gives you something to aim for, steps to follow, progress to make.

Now, back to the interviewer and why they’re asking the question. Your answer lets them know about two things:

• How long do you plan on working for them
• What motivates you to work

All interviewers are curious as to why you want to work for them, and they will ask you straight up about it. However, this question tells them something that the “Why do you want to work for us?” interview question doesn’t.

Your career goal will give them an idea as to what type of employee you will be - long term or short term. Is this position something that you will be staying in for a while, or is this a temporary stop until a better opportunity comes along? 

In 2020, hiring and training an employee costs between $4000-$7600 . Money that employers have no interest in investing in someone who will be working for them for no longer than two months.

Having a career goal also means you are not applying for a position just because the job ad randomly stumbled in your way and, being unemployed, you’d apply to just about anything so… here you are. 

If you have a goal that you want to achieve, it means that this interview was no accident and this job position really aligns with your aspirations. That means you will probably be more dedicated to the job, work harder, and have a great attitude. 

An alternative to the career goals question is “ Where do you see yourself in 5 years? ”. In both cases, interviewers are trying to get to the same point: your future.

4 Most Common Career Goals

Apart from the two main types - long term and short term - career goals can also be sorted into categories depending on their focus.

The 4 most common ones being:

Goals focused on professional advancement 

These goals are all about improving your work performance and being more efficient; getting better and faster at what you do and climbing higher up the ladder because of it. 

Short-term example: A sales agent increasing their monthly sales by x%

Long-term example: Make a senior partner at a top law firm.

Goals focused on leadership advancement

When it comes to leadership, there’s a lot of room for career advancement. These goals are all about improving your management skills and aiming for positions with more responsibilities.

Short-term example: Working my way up to the position of a manager at this restaurant. 

Long-term example: Working as an executive at X company.

Goals focused on educational advancement 

Whether you just graduated or you’re a full-on professional, there’s always more to learn. These goals are about keeping you up to date with the new developments in your field or just learning something new and different.

Short-term example: Learning a new programming language.

Long-term example: Finish medical school, complete a surgery residency program, and successfully earn a state license to practice medicine in no more than 11 years. 

Goals focused on personal development

These goals put emphasis on self-improvement and skills like networking or teamwork. Achieving them has a positive impact on your professional life, but they also show that you are more than just work work work.

Short-term example: Becoming more proactive within your company.

Long-term example: Improving your networking skills.

How to Answer - “What Are Your Career Goals?”

There really is no formula for getting this question right. There are, however, some tips we can give you to make sure your answer hits all the right spots.

Be relevant to the company.

Let’s say one of your goals at the moment is to get a certification from an online course in fictional writing. That’s an amazing goal, but if you are applying for a position as a sales manager, this certification is not going to help you a lot at the interview.

So what this means is, your answer to this interview question should be related to the position/company you’re applying for. 

• My goal has always been to be a Certified Public Accountant. In one year I will have finally fulfilled the education and experience requirements to enter the Uniform CPA Exam, which I’m very determined on passing.
• I’m only an amateur photographer, but my goal is to have my own exposition one day. Whenever I’m outside of work I try to dedicate myself to it as much time as possible so I can expand my portfolio. I think it’s cool for an accountant to be engaged in something else like photography, right?

Start with short-term goals and then move to long-term ones.

Short-term goals usually tend to be steps in the way of the bigger long-term goal. They’re also more specific and clear. 

When giving your answer, you can start talking about these goals, and then roll into the long-term ones. Your answer will sound much more logical and your plans well thought out. 

• I’m aiming to discover some new talented authors in the upcoming years. Delivering a bestselling book would help me establish my name as an editor in the publishing industry and help me gradually build a strong clientele of writers.
• My goal is to be the editor of some major writers. I can see myself delivering a bestselling series like Harry Potter in a few years.

Back your goals with an action plan

Laying out a list of goals doesn’t make for a very convincing answer. Instead, focus on one or two main goals and briefly explain how you plan on achieving them or how they will benefit your career in the long-term. This shows that you have thought these goals through and are clear about what you want in the future. 

For example, if your short-term goal is to learn a new programming language, explain how you will achieve that (certification or auto-didactic learning) and how that improves your work performance (does it allow you to work on more projects? Does the company you work for benefit from that?).

Elaborating on that last sentence: Focus on the employer.

Yes, they’re asking about your career goals, but at the end of the day, they care about their company’s best interest more. (No shocker here.) So, when talking about your goals make sure to express how achieving them will also be beneficial to your potential employer. Convince them it’ll be a win-win situation.

• I’m trying to find the appropriate time this year to enroll in a course for learning SAP FICO. It would help me as a financial analyst deliver more accurate reports, as well as help the company plan and monitor costs better.
• I’m aiming to improve the quality of my reports and analyses. I need to do some more research on how exactly I can do that, but for now, that’s my goal.

Preparation and Practice.

No matter how much you feel you have your future plans figured out, it’s still important to prepare for this question in advance. Think about some short-term and long-term goals, and take the time to practice your answer.

3+ Sample Answers to “What Are Your Career Goals”

If all that talk had you confused, here are 3 examples of answers that illustrate how to turn theory into practice.

Student/Intern Example

“Well, I’ll be graduating next year and I would love to start working in the marketing department of a company like yours right away. Apart from expanding my knowledge and experience in marketing, I also hope to improve my communication and public speaking skills. I really want to be a proactive and valuable team member.”

Short-term goal: Work in marketing after graduation.

Long-term goal: Be a proactive and engaged team member. 

Action plan: Earn more experience and knowledge in marketing and improve communication and public speaking skills. 

Professional Example

“I know that it’s become more and more helpful to know Python in the context of finance, so I plan on learning it this year. It will come in handy when solving portfolio optimization problems. As far as long-term goals, I would like to become a part-time professor at Y university. I have given some guest lectures there and really enjoyed it. The flexible hours are also very beneficial as they allow me to keep another job as well.”

Short-term goal and action plan: Learn Python in the finance context.

Long-term goal and action plan: Become a part-time professor at Y university.

Management Example

“At the moment I’m trying to improve my leadership skills so that I’m able to manage larger game design teams. I’ve only had experience as a lead designer so far, but I hope after a few years and some more experience I’ll be able to fully manage an entire project.”

Short-term goal: Manage larger game design teams. Long-term goal: Become project manager. 

Action plan: Improve leadership skills and gain more experience as game design lead. 

If you’re looking for sample answers to similar tricky interview questions, check out these 35+ Common Interview Questions and Answers .

4 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Answering “What Are Your Career Goals”

After covering the to-dos, let’s get to the NOT to-dos.

Here are 4 of the most common mistakes people make when answering “what are your career goals?”

Answer with “I have no goals”

There isn’t much to elaborate on this one, just.... don’t. 

Talk about salary

It’s okay for money to be your motivator. Hell, it’s the motivator for most people. You know that, we know that, the interviewer knows that, BUT that’s not what they want to hear and that’s not what you should say. 

For example, if you’re in the marketing industry and you want to get to a point where you have an annual salary of $70,000. You should look into what positions in your industry make that kind of earning and set them as your goal instead.

So, at the interview, instead of saying “My goal is to make $70,000 in salary by the time I’m 30”, go with “My goal is to be a content marketing director by the time I’m 30.”

Set unrealistic goals

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t dream big. We fully support that reach-for-the-stars mindset. 

However, insisting that in 5 years you’ll be CEO of the company where you’re applying, when you just graduated a month ago… that doesn’t sit that well, especially with the interviewer. You will come off as arrogant and that definitely won’t get you through the door.

Get into too many specifics

Meaning, if your goal is being head of marketing for your dream company and that’s not the position or company you’re applying for, it would be best to not mention that. 

Doing so would let the interviewer know that your eyes are on another company and this position is temporary to you. Instead, you can just say that your goal is being head of a marketing department. No more details on who, where, what. 

There are a lot of other danger zones during interviews, so if you want to find out about them, here’s a guide on 26+ Biggest Interview Mistakes .

Key Takeaways

Whew, that was a lot to take in, right? 

When answering the “what are your career goals” interview question, here’s what you need to remember:

• Be relevant to the company. If your goals align with the needs of the company, or even better, the company benefits from them, you’ll have an advantage as a candidate.
• Explain how. Give some steps that you plan to follow to reach your goals. That will show that they are well thought and planned.
• Avoid the money talk. Instead of talking $ bills translate salary into an actual position. That sits better with the interviewer.

When it comes down to it, all the lists and tips don’t mean much if you don’t take time to properly prepare and practice, so don’t skip that part.

And if you want to practice more interview questions, we've prepared examples answers for you:

• Tell Me About Yourself
• Why Do You Want to Work Here?
• Why Should We Hire You?
• What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?
• What Is Your Greatest Strength?
• What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?

Wait, that's not all! We've even got guides with tips on how to ace your next interview:

• Video Interview - Tips on How to Ace It
• Phone Interview Questions & Tips - How to Ace It
• How to Ace Interviews with the STAR Method [9+ Examples]
• Thank You Email After Interview

Suggested Readings:

• 101 Career Paths for Every Personality
• How to Craft an Elevator Pitch
• Salary Negotiation Tips

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