10 year career plan essay

10-Year Life Plan Essay

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Educational Plan

Lifestyle plan, works cited.

Planning ten years of my life seems like a kind of challenge now. We can’t predict what will happen to us after several months. However, I believe that great success is impossible without personal motivation and clearly defined goals. Thus, my life plan essay should start with a clear objective.

In ten years, I want to own an event company that can be the best in its field. I have always been fascinated with this idea. The following 10-year life plan essay will consist of three parts that can help me structure my future and achieve all my goals.

I would like to organize great performances at different events every day. Can you imagine a holiday that never ends? And this will be my work. I will make people happier. Now I need to plan all the steps to help me achieve my dream.

The first step of the way of my goal’s achievement is education. My education will be done at the University of Nevada, where I am planning to study hospitality management as a major and event management as a minor. I am sure of the importance of hard study for my future work. I need to get at least a 3.5 GPA. The multiple locations can help me gain a diversified background and extend my knowledge.

Therefore, I want to do some internship while studying. Perhaps, I will visit different countries to explore the modern tendencies of business start and its future development. Swope says: “I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure, which is: “Try to please everybody” (Swope).

Therefore, I am planning to get experience in different fields because I am sure of their future importance for my business. The examples of some international companies can help me understand how to make my business prosper. To extend my experience, I will start my practice during the study.

I think that education is very important. The lack of knowledge can lead to the business’s incapacity and collapse. Today, the diploma plays a significant role. It gives an appropriate status and respect. A man with a diploma looks more confident and, of course, qualified.

Accreditation provides much more opportunities in life. Therefore, I am planning to study hard and get as much knowledge as possible. I am sure that the university I chose can help me achieve my goals. My education will give me the base for my future business.

It is the most important part of the life plan, which should clarify the goal and approaches to its achievement. Nowadays, the leaders of all companies know the value of settings achievable and understandable goals. Such issues are called smart goals, which need to get better results. These smart ideas help me share my vision of the business with the possible assistants (“Life Planning”).

My attention is turned to the use of certain tools that may help my project. For instance, I need to identify and list all the barriers that may be between me and my goal. I shouldn’t be scared of possible problems because it is an integral part of my future success. Being realistic, I realize all the difficulties I should overcome.

In the beginning, I have to clarify who will be involved in my business. This can be a family company, or I can cooperate with a wide circle of partners. What results do I want to achieve? I want to own a successful company that will be famous around the country.

Choosing the place location, I prefer my native city because it will be easier to find clients and partners. Thinking about these questions, I can clearly understand all the important keys to my goal’s achievement. I will get so many opportunities, so I shouldn’t be lazy in its use (Ashton 8). This is why I think it is the most important period of my life.

My lifestyle should accomplish my educational and professional background and skills. I am planning to do a huge social work and to promote equality among people. I want to help everyone that I can. But I have to learn more from the closest one.

My business will be closely related to people from different communities. Therefore, matching my wants, I should be ready to keep my mind open to different cultural issues and views. I plan to visit many countries to learn about cultural features. This will help in my work with clients.

According to Bukofsky, even my religious and spiritual conditions are very important for my business (34). Family relations also play a huge role in the business success achievement. Life planning is a process that may lead a person to take a more active role and to think about the future. Thinking about my future, I imagine a family that will support me and give me more motivation.

I totally agree with Carlson that “self-actualization is the key to self-help” (9). Although no one can control all life’s events, it is better to try being over random chance and fate.

There is a difference between the person who goes to one’s goal and the man who can easily be influenced by random events. I will structure my life according to the daily plan. This will allow me to follow the main idea, which will lead to success. The life plan is a perfect method to figure out what is really important in life.

I have so many ideas and interests in different fields. I am fascinated by people who can concentrate on the most important idea and follow the plan. However, I should follow my own life plan for the future result. I agree with the statement of Barnett that people should discipline themselves. Following the main idea of life, it is possible to get better results and to make it fast (Barnett).

I have always been a goal-setter. Thereby, my Ten Year Plan is focused on achieving my high ideals and realistic goals. From time to time, it seems that goals are something that we strive to achieve but fail due to personal reasons or social barriers.

However, I am completely sure that a good life plan and motivation can lead to success in spite of all problems that may occur. My Ten Year Life Plan helps me to specify my goals and to see the key moments and the most important steps which can lead me to success.

Ashton, Robert. The Life Plan: 700 Simple Ways to Change Your Life for the Better . 1st ed. UK: Prentice Hall, 2006. Print.

Barnett, John S. Discipline Yourself for Godliness . Tulsa, OK: Mullerhouse Publishing, 2007. Web.

Bykofsky, Sheree, and Richard Carlson. Me: Five Years from Now: The Life-Planning Book You Write Yourself! 1st ed. New York: Hyperion, 1999. Print.

“Life Planning”. myGoals, n.d. Web.

Swope, Herbert. “Failure Quotes.” Wisdom Quotes . Wisdom Quotes. Web.

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How to write a 10 year plan (with examples) and reach your goals

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What’s a 10 year plan?

Creating personal and professional goals, setting smart goals.

Example goals for a 10 year plan

How to create a 10 year plan

Set yourself up for success.

You’ve probably heard this question in a job interview : “Where do you see yourself in five years?” 

If you came prepared, you probably answered with a quick overview of your professional 5 year plan . But if an interviewer asks about a 10 year plan, you might feel put on the spot. Whether you’re just starting your career path or eager to plan for an extreme life change, 10 years seems like a long time — and it is.

But having goals for the next decade will help you create a 1 year, 3 year, or 5 year plan to build the future you want. Here’s how to start visualizing your long-term goals and turn that vision into an actionable 10 year plan, with examples to inspire you .

A 10 year plan is an outline of the tasks or milestones you need to accomplish to meet your goals for the next decade. It combines your short-term and long-term objectives to create an achievable but exciting life plan. 

If you dream of becoming a doctor, “become a doctor” would be your long-term goal. You need to get into med school first — a short-term goal. Actions like studying for the MCAT and applying to schools would be part of the 10 year plan that helps you achieve both your short- and long-term goals .

But your career isn’t the only thing that you can plan for. Say you want to buy a home within the next 10 years. Homeownership is a goal within your plan. Saving, investing, and building credit would be part of the plan that makes that goal a reality. 

A 10 year plan can be whatever you want it to be, whether it concerns your personal life (get married, write a memoir) or your professional goals (start a successful business, become a supervisor). The only rules are that it has to take place over 10 years and contain smaller steps to help you reach goals in the long term.

You’re more than your career. And you’re more than your relationships, your bank account, and the home you live in. But they work together to help you be the person you want to be, living the life you want to live — and you can represent them all in your 10 year plan.

To start creating a realistic plan, divide your 10 year goals into the categories they relate to. You can create as many as you want, but here are the most common categories and what they might include:

Personal and relationship goals

Even if you’re just daydreaming, you probably have some ideas about what your personal life might look like a decade from now. Maybe you want to start a family or volunteer in the community regularly. Start brainstorming a list that matches your vision of the future life you want.

Professional goals

Ask yourself what it would take for you to feel professionally fulfilled. Maybe it’s as straightforward as finding a job at a certain company, or as bold as joining the C-suite at your current job. A lot can happen in your career in 10 years, so this is your chance to dream big. You might even take the leap and start working for yourself as a freelancer or entrepreneur.

Financial goals

Financial wellness can play a huge role in your overall well-being. In 2022, 66% of Americans said money was a significant source of stress in their lives , and creating (and hitting) financial goals can help reduce this stress. If you won’t be satisfied until your credit score is in the 800s and your emergency fund can carry you for a year, add those to the list. 

Learning goals

Some skills take time to comprehend, like learning a new language or complicated software, which is why they should be part of your 10 year plan. No matter how many diplomas hang on your office wall, your life will be richer if you make learning something new a lifelong goal. Even if it’s just for fun, write it down. 

Fitness goals

Your long-term fitness goals can be as simple or lofty as you want them to be. Just make sure the goals you set are realistic . Give yourself something to work toward without setting yourself up for failure. Running a marathon in the next 10 years is achievable, but you need to find a place to start and create a realistic training routine.

Only 19% of people follow their New Year’s resolutions over two years . That’s because they often set goals that aren’t realistic in the long term. It takes willpower and dedication to follow a 10 year plan and meet the milestones you set, but it also takes a planning process that considers attainability.

You can use the SMART goal framework for any type of goal to create the most realistic pathway for you. Here’s what SMART stands for:

Specific: The goal is specific and leaves no room for confusion

Measurable: The goal is something you can make measurable progress toward

Attainable: The goal is something you can realistically achieve

Relevant: The goal is relevant to the values, dreams, and ambitions that matter to you

Time-bound: The goal isn’t open-ended, and you can put a target completion date on it

Some of the ideas you have for your 10 year plan might not be SMART right away. But with these broader goals in mind, you’ll be able to set short-term SMART goals that bring your 10 year vision into focus.

What makes a goal attainable?

Every letter in SMART plays its own role, but the “A” for “attainable” is especially important to note. It’s about setting goals you can actually achieve — but that doesn’t mean they need to be easy. They just need to be in your control.

Winning the lottery, for example, isn’t an attainable goal. Saying you want it and using up your budget won’t make it a reality. Winning the jackpot will always be outside of your control.

Becoming a doctor, on the other hand, might be attainable, even if it seems far away. How realistic this goal is depends on a variety of factors, like what you studied in college and how much time and money you have to go to grad school . But there are actionable steps you can take to make it happen. 

According to a study in the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, specific and difficult goals lead to better performance . If every goal you set is easy to complete, you won’t perform to your highest potential. Personal development comes from pushing yourself and leaving your comfort zone . Be realistic, but give yourself a challenge, and don’t be afraid to take risks . 

Example goals for a 10 year plan 

A 10 year plan is personal. It’s about you, the people you’re close to, and your personal values , which makes it harder to ask for advice on what your goals should be. But here are some 10 year goal examples to inspire you and give you a sense of what a plan could include:

• Get promoted: Earning a promotion can happen in much less than 10 years, but if you set your sights on a high-level position, the process can take a long time. You need to start from the bottom, prove your worth, and slowly move up the ladder.

Build a tiny home: You’ll first need to decide where and what you want to build. Materials cost money, so start creating a budget and saving up. If you choose to build on your own, you’ll also need to learn construction skills, so make a plan for adding that knowledge to your tool belt.

Move to Europe: Moving abroad doesn’t just require strong finances. You’ll need to decide where you want to go and why. And you’ll likely need a visa, whether it’s for work, study, or residency. Your 10 year plan should include saving up, finding jobs, and starting to create a network abroad.

Join a rowing team: If you’re looking to join a high-level team, you may need to spend some time working on strength and conditioning. If you’re not a strong swimmer, taking lessons and joining a gym with a pool will help get you closer to your goal over a few years.

Reduce blood sugar: To accomplish this goal, you may need to make some big shifts to your diet. And if exercise isn’t already part of your day-to-day, you’ll want to work on making it a habit. A decade is more than enough time to find consistent routines that work for you.

Pay off student loans: You can keep paying the minimum amount on your student loans forever, but if you want them gone within 10 years, you’ll need a plan. Maybe you need to refinance your loan or adjust your payment plan . Do your research and create a realistic budget.

Learn a new language: If you want to become fluent in another language, you might want to consider spending six months or a year in another country. That’s a plan for the future, but for now, you can look into enrolling in language classes.

Once you decide what your goal is, start mapping out a clear year-by-year plan. Remember that it’ll probably change if you go along. If you find something unachievable, find ways around it, and be kind to yourself. 

Here’s what a 10-year plan might look like for someone who’s trying to get a job as a senior project manager:

Year 1: Start applying for master’s degrees and scholarships

Year 2: Get into a program and start studying in September

Year 3: Graduate and network with peers

Year 4: Find an internship working under a project manager

Year 5: Land an entry-level role

Year 6: Thrive on the job and take extra courses to close skill gaps

Year 7: Get promoted to a project management position

Year 8: Attend networking events and go the extra mile at work

Year 9: Continue working hard, letting senior team members know you’re interested in a larger role

Year 10: Land a senior project manager position

You don’t have to create goals for every aspect of your life all at once. Goal-setting can take place over the course of a week, a month, or even several months. And it’s important to remember that goals can (and will) change, especially when they cover a period as long as 10 years.

Your big-picture goals — the things you want to achieve over the next decade — are likely vague. Things like “learn a foreign language” and “have a happy family life” are just a starting point. You’ll work backward from there to create a plan you can act on. Here’s how to break it down:

1. Define your long-term goals

If professional development is your current top priority, start with your long-term career goals. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit , maybe being your own boss is part of your vision. At this stage, your long-term objectives can be as grand as you want, as long as you can break them down into steps.

2. Start researching

Start with research, both internal and external. If owning a business is your main goal but you’re not sure what exactly you want to do, think about your skills and what kind of small business those skills would be suited for. Find people whose career paths you want to emulate and start learning from them.

3. Start planning

Keep working your way backward from your long-term goal until you find your first steps. If getting a business degree will help you find a better job now while preparing you to start your own company, figure out a realistic timeline. How long would a degree take you to complete? When would you like to start?

In this example, your 10 year goal is to own a business. But you need yearly goals to get you there. Your 1 year plan might include enrolling in a GMAT prep class and taking the test. Your 2 year plan might include applying to schools. Your 5 year plan might include completing your MBA, and so on.

4. Get support from your community

There’s one incredibly valuable resource to keep in mind: other people. As you work to create a life plan for the future you, turn to the friends, family, and mentors you trust for support. Connect with wellness experts to achieve your fitness goals. Make professional moves with a career coach by your side. 

The most important thing to remember is that you’re never alone in achieving your goals. No matter where you are in life, you’ll have people cheering you on. And in 10 years, you can pay it forward, share your wisdom, and inspire others .

These 10 year plan examples are just that — examples. The vision you create for your future will look different than anyone else’s. But with research, hard work, and support from your community, you’ll learn and grow. And whether you achieve all your goals or not, working for them will give you a sense of accomplishment.

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Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

Personal goals that work: 20 examples to get started

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Career Goals Essay For Scholarships (With Examples)

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

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

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

Why scholarship essays ask about career goals

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

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

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

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

Example career goals essay prompts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Career goals essay examples

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

Career goals essay example 1 – Discuss your career goals

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tips for writing a scholarship essay about career goals

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Career goals essay for a scholarship FAQ

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

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

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

How do you describe your career goals in an essay?

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

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

What are career goals examples?

Examples of career goals include:

Working as a grant writer for a nonprofit organization.

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

Owning your own plumbing company.

Caring for underserved communities as a nurse practitioner .

What are some goals for success?

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

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

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

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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.

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Writing Tips for a Career Goals Essay (2023)

Jennifer Finetti Mar 1, 2023

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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.

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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.

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📚 Step 5: Chevening Scholarship Career Plan Essay

Hi friends,

Welcome to our prestigious Chevening Scholarship journey, we're now on Step 5 of our six-part series in the Chevening Scholarship Essay Writing Guide.

⚗️ Part 1: Crafting an Award-Winning Career Plan Essay for Chevening

The Career Plan essay is your canvas to paint a vivid picture of your career aspirations for your country/community and how the Chevening Scholarship will propel you towards your goals. Here are some tips and an outline to help you craft a compelling Career Plan essay:

Outline Tips for the Career Plan Essay:

Outline: You should follow the standard rule of writing an essay.

INTRODUCTION

Write one paragraph with a clear statement to introduce the problem in your country, your goals to tackle them and your vision/impact once you achieved your goals.

Introduction of the problem

Before you talk what you want to do, it is important to first tell what the problem is. Providing solutions without describing what the problem is, is not logical of course.

What is the problem?

How many people are impacted?

What is your vision?

This means, after you explain your goals, your vision should appear.

Short term Goals

Short term goals are normally for 1-5 years upon your return.

Mid-term Goals

Mid-term goals are between 5-15 (average 10 years) after you return to you home country.

Long term Goals

Long-term goals are typically 15-25 years

Tips for Writing a Career Plan Essay:

Start with Clarity: Begin by clearly articulating your career goals. What impact do you aspire to make in your field and community, and how?

Pathway to Success: Describe the steps you plan to take to achieve your goals. This includes short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals.

Alignment with Course: Explain how your chosen course or program aligns with your career aspirations. How will it provide the necessary skills and knowledge?

Impactful Vision: Showcase your vision for how your career will address a critical issue or problem in your country or field. Highlight the significance of your work.

⚗️ Part 2: Problem, Solution, and Impact

Beyond career aspirations, Chevening Scholars are expected to be Agents of Change, and are expected to think about how they can contribute to solving pressing problems in their countries or fields. Here's a framework to consider:

Problem: Identify a significant issue or challenge in your country or field that you're passionate about addressing.

Solutions: Describe the short-term, mid-term, and long-term solutions you envision to tackle this problem. These become your goals in the course of the next 1-20 years.

Impact: Explain the positive impact your proposed solutions will have. How will they transform your community, country, or field?

Vision: Summarize your overarching vision for your role in creating positive change. What legacy do you aspire to leave behind?

This part of your essay demonstrates your commitment to making a difference and aligns with Chevening's mission to empower future leaders who are dedicated to improving the world.

Do you have problem writing your essays: Here is how I can be helpful.

Learn more: You can enroll in my essay writing course which I brought a huge discount. Check it out here .

🏗️ Example:

In the short term, my focus will be on building a robust foundation for my career as a Women's Rights activist in Iran. Over the next 1-5 years, I aim to achieve the following:

Raise Awareness: Launch targeted awareness campaigns to highlight the pressing issues faced by women in Iran, including discriminatory laws and practices. Utilize social media, workshops, and partnerships with local organizations to amplify the voices of marginalized women.

Legal Advocacy: Collaborate with legal experts and organizations to challenge discriminatory laws and policies through legal means. Work towards the repeal of laws that perpetuate gender inequality and advocate for the enforcement of existing laws protecting women's rights.

Mid-term Goals (5-15 Years): In the mid-term, spanning 5-15 years, I envision building on the foundation laid in the short term and expanding my impact:

Policy Reform: Engage in sustained advocacy efforts to influence policy changes at the national level. Collaborate with like-minded organizations and activists to draft and promote legislation aimed at gender equality and the protection of women's rights.

Crisis Intervention: Develop a comprehensive crisis intervention system to provide immediate assistance to women facing domestic violence, discrimination, or other forms of abuse. Establish safe shelters and helplines for those in need.

Long-term Goals (15-25 Years): Looking 15-25 years into the future, my long-term goals are aimed at creating a lasting legacy for gender equality in Iran:

Cultural Transformation: Work towards a cultural shift that recognizes and celebrates the contributions of women in all aspects of society. Promote gender-sensitive education and media representation to challenge stereotypes and biases.

Political Participation: Encourage women's active participation in politics and decision-making processes. Support women to run for political office and ensure their voices are heard at all levels of government.

International Collaboration: Foster international collaboration with women's rights organizations and activists to apply global pressure on Iran to uphold human rights and gender equality standards. Engage with international bodies to monitor and report on the state of women's rights in Iran.

Vision: My overarching vision is to see Iran as a nation where women enjoy full and equal rights in all spheres of life, where gender-based discrimination is eradicated, and where every woman has the opportunity to reach her full potential. I envision a society that embraces diversity and empowers women to be leaders, decision-makers, and agents of positive change.

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💁🏾 Part 3: Receive Essay Writing Support and Empower Girls’ Education

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your support, as the funds generated through my Courses , Mentorship , Consultations, and Essay Support go directly to the Roshna Social Organization (roshna.org) . This organization is dedicated to providing educational opportunities for underprivileged girls and children who are banned from going to school in Afghanistan . Your contributions are making a significant difference in the lives of these young girls, helping to break the cycle of gender apartheid and poverty through education.

By investing in your Chevening Scholarship journey, you're also investing in a brighter future for those who need it most. Thank you for your commitment to both personal growth and community empowerment.

🤑 Part 4: Special Discount for Essay Writing Courses

Great news! I've listened to your feedback, and in an effort to make my Essay Writing courses more accessible and affordable, I've reduced the price exclusively for my newsletter subscribers. Check the link above…

🆘Important Updates on Essay Writing Support

Starting from October 1, there will be a price adjustment for my essay writing support program.

Standard Support Price Change

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55$ → 65$ > 16 October to 31 October

65$ → 75$ > 1 November to 7 November

Premium Plan Support Price Change

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110$ → 120$ > 1 November to 7 November

NEED Help : Don't hesitate to find mentors or friends to help you with the writing process. You can book consultation sessions with me at www.sirathaidary.com or you can enroll in my essay writing course to learn tips and tricks to prepare yourself and win the award.

Stay tuned for our next issue, where we'll delve into the Career Plan essay. Crafting a compelling career plan is essential for your Chevening Scholarship application, and we'll provide you with expert guidance to make it stand out.

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Career Plan Examples: 90 Day, 1 Year, 10 Year, and Lifetime

January 5th, 2017 by lewis

Source: Ryan Allis

Career plan templates are helpful, but all the blank fields can come across as intimidating, especially if you don’t know where to start!

To guide you along, we’ve included:

• Above: a filled out example
• Below: commentary on how to fill it out and in the best way possible

Life purpose

The first section is life purpose.

Before you get into the success metrics, qualitatively define your life purpose. Another way to think of it is your mission statement or how you want to make your mark on the world.

Ryan does a good job showing how he’s trying to help the greater good with his life purpose.

Success metrics

The second section is success metrics.

Use the acronym SMART as a checklist. That is, be specific, measurable, actionable, relevant and time-bound in your goals. And don’t be afraid to shoot high. Failure is okay if you don’t meet your goals. Because if you set readily achievable goals you’re less likely to get satisfaction from your (likely smaller) accomplishments.

Action plan

The third section is action plan.

It’s not enough to set goals; you need to define the specific steps that you’ll take to make it happen. I call that an action plan.

In Ryan’s example, he spells out how he can make it happen. On the one hand, it’s nice that it’s succinct. On the other hand, I would have liked it if Ryan provided more details. It would clarify the specific next steps Ryan should take to make his career goals happen.

Desired way of being

The fourth section is desired way of being.

This is a list of adjectives that expresses how you’d feel after achieving this goal. If you’re a fan of visualizing success, then you’ll appreciate writing down your desired emotional state here.

Lifetime goals

The fifth section is lifetime goals.

This is where one discusses lifetime objectives. What’s commendable about Ryan’s example is that while this is a long-term goal, he uses specific and measurable goals like establishing Hive in “1000 cities around the world.”

10 year goals

The sixth section is 10 year goals.

When putting down goals for the 10-year horizon, you’ll notice that Ryan includes both work and personal goals. He’s also think about building scale behind his career efforts with specific goals like “Train others to hold Hive gatherings.” With an objective like that, you see that Ryan is considering how to build an organization that can build and extend upon his personal efforts.

1 year goals

The seventh section is 1 year goals. Ryan does a good job once again in being specific. What’s noteworthy is how the goals are connected from the 90-day, 1 year, 10 year and lifetime goals. They’re not discrete or independent.

90 day action plan

This section is a chance to discuss near-term objectives. I like what Ryan did in the example. He was very specific about who, where, and what he wanted to do. He mentions people like Nadia, deliverables like the “Everything I Learned by 30 Presentation” and specific targets like 1M users.

The signature and date is a nice addition that one normally doesn’t see in most career plan templates. Scientific research shows that people who sign and date their commitments are more likely to achieve their goals.

Final thought

Don’t waste time trying to attain your career goals. Click on the template below, fill it out, and start achieving your dreams. Good luck!

If you liked this article, let us know by clicking Like .

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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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Career Essay

Career essay generator.

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

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What Is a Career Essay?

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

How To Write a Rousing Career Essay

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

1. Devise an Engrossing Title

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

2. Introduce With a Hook

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

3. Organize Your Ideas

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

4. Polish Your Essay

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

Why is career planning important?

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

What is a career genogram?

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

What is career assessment?

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

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

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

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

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

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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Welcome to My10yearPlan.com® My10yearPlan.com® is not a canned, one-size-fits-all experience where the learner has little control over the outcome. Instead, My10yearPlan.com® deepens the learner’s experience with an online tool that acts more as a digital coach, counselor, or mentor. The system gently guides, prompts, and, where necessary, prods the learner through an ageless, in-depth decision-making process. The result? A quantitative 10-year career, education, and life plan that has personal relevance for the learner. And My10yearPlan.com® makes it simple for the user to update their plan as the future unfolds and to share their 10-year Plan with advisors, counselors, instructors, mentors, family, and friends—generating support that will help to buoy them up as they work to achieve their dreams, goals, and plans.

The cornerstone of the Career Choices series is the development of a personalized 10-year plan.

We help students become career-focused while learning how to make informed decisions about their futures.

Crucial to the effectiveness of My10yearPlan.com® is the interactive process taught by the Career Choices series.

Get started today by setting up your school's access to the Career Choices series module My10YearPlan.com®.

We think questions are a very good thing. Check out some of the most frequently asked questions by My10yearPlan.com® members.

Check out our training videos and other great support resources for students, educators, and parents.

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Where Do I See Myself in 10 Years: Envisioning a Decade Ahead

Table of contents, where i see myself in 10 years: a profound exploration, 10 years from now: nurturing personal and professional growth, how do i see myself 10 years from now: a commitment to values, embracing the journey of the next decade, turning dreams into reality: the road to my future, navigating the career landscape: a fulfilling professional journey, fostering personal growth: a holistic approach to well-being, a global citizen: making a positive impact on society, conclusion: a journey of transformation and purpose.

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10-Year Goals: 101 Examples

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

10-year goals are generally considered long-term goals . This means that they should be some of your bigger-picture ambitions for your life.

These goals could represent your hopes and dreams over the next decade for your career, relationships, family, personal ambitions, travel, finances, or anything else you truly desire and are fundamental to your core value set.

Generally, after identifying these 10-year future goals , I recommend creating shorter milestones, like 5-year goals and even short-term goals that align with your 10-year vision and will help give you the motivation to get there.

But for now, let’s think big. Have a browse through the following examples and pick out one or two goals that really resonate with you. Then, scroll to the end of the list to get your SMART Goals Template that will help you to build out your plan to go after your life’s ambitions.

10-Year Goals Examples

Career goals.

1. Leadership Position: Attain a senior executive role, such as C-suite or director-level, in your field within a decade by consistently showing exceptional performance and fostering strong alliances with key personnel (for more, read about leadership goals here ).

2. Expertise Recognition: Be recognized as an industry expert, invited as a keynote speaker at major professional events or contributing regular editorials to prominent industry publications, achieved within the 10-year period.

3. Professional Change: Pivot to a different, more fulfilling industry over the decade by undertaking further studies, engaging in related volunteer work, or starting from entry-level roles in the desired field.

4. Business Expansion: If you started a business, aim to expand it internationally or across multiple cities (For example, a locally successful restaurant owner might aspire to franchise his business in different states.)

5. Significant Contribution: Make a substantial contribution to the organization or the industry as a whole through conceptualizing and implementing a game-changing initiative or strategy that alters the status quo by the end of the 10-year period.

6. Skill Mastery : Develop a comprehensive grasp of a highly specialized skill set, such as project management or data analysis, with examples like earning a Six Sigma Black Belt certification or mastering coding languages like Python and R.

7. Influence Decision-Making : Strive to influence major decisions in your organization over a decade. This means having your opinions considered seriously by decision-makers, reflecting the high regard they hold for your expertise and perspective.

8. Equity Stake : Aim for creating an equity stake in the business you work for, subscribing to the startup culture where employees often have shares or options.

9. Entrepreneurship : Embark on an entrepreneurial journey. This could involve leaving your current employment situation and starting your own venture, whether it’s a brick and mortar shop, an e-commerce platform, or a tech startup.

10. Job Satisfaction : Attain work-life balance and job satisfaction within a decade. This could include the ability to work remotely, flexible hours, or achieving a balance between your professional and personal development.

11. Networking : Build an extensive professional network that includes mentors, industry leaders, peers, and younger professionals within a decade.

12. Intellectual Property : Develop a novel piece of technology, a novel process, or a replicable business system that secures a patent within ten years.

13. Social Impact : Create or be a part of substantial social impact projects through your career in a decade. For instance, a software developer might aim to create applications that improve the quality of life for disabled people.

14. Higher Education : Aspire to achieve a higher level of education, such as a master’s degree or a doctorate, that is relevant to your career path within a decade.

15. Financial Stability : Aim for financial stability and set a 10-year target for savings, investments, or even a retirement fund.

See Also: Long-Term Career Goals Examples

Relationship Goals

16. Cohabitation: Aim to live together for a few years within the decade to understand each other’s routines, habits, and coping mechanisms (For example, learning how each of you deals with household chores or bill payments).

17. Marriage: If you are currently dating or engaged, set a goal to get married and form a legally recognized union within this 10-year period.

18. Building a Family: If you’re in a committed partnership, consider expanding your family by having or adopting kids within a decade, only if it aligns with both partners’ desires.

19. Mutual Respect: Work towards cultivating an environment of mutual respect, where each individual values the other’s perspectives, feelings and choices, throughout the decade.

20. Emotional Understanding: Strive for deep emotional understanding where each partner is adept at identifying the other’s emotional needs and providing comfort or stability as needed.

21. Financial Stability: Pool your resources towards achieving a specific financial goal within a decade. This could be buying a house, making a significant investment, or even starting a business together.

22. Traditions: Create personal traditions that cater to your collective interests, such as annual camping trips or visiting a particular place on each anniversary (For example, visiting the place where the proposal was made every anniversary).

23. Conflict Resolution: Develop efficient methods to resolve disagreements or conflicts that consider each other’s feelings and the goal of finding a positive resolution.

24. Shared Goals: Have a list of shared objectives, such as traveling to a specific number of countries together, completing a marathon, or learning a new language over tie next decade.

25. Decade-long Commitment: Aim to stay committed to each other, consistently making efforts to improve the quality of your relationship throughout the ten-year span.

26. Celebration of Milestones: Celebrate major milestones together such as anniversaries, career accomplishments, or any other significant achievements.

27. Advocate Equality: Define and maintain a partnership where both parties enjoy equal rights and privileges, advocating equality in all decisions, chores, and responsibilities.

28. Clear Communication: Maintain clear communication lines throughout the 10 years, making sure each partner feels heard and understood in every conversation. ( See more Communication Goals Examples Here )

29. Personal Growth: Encourage each other’s personal growth, whether it’s learning new skills, pursuing hobbies or advancing in careers.

30. Unwavering Support: Provide unwavering support for each other, irrespective of the situation, pointing out positives, providing constructive criticism , and lifting up whenever needed.

Financial Goals

31. Revenue Streams: Diversify your revenue streams over the decade by exploring opportunities such as investment portfolios, real estate, or starting your own side business.

32. Retirement Planning: Invest and save wisely to fortify your retirement fund and aim for a specific amount by the end of the decade.

33. Debt Clearance: Zero out any outstanding debts, including student loans, mortgages, or credit card bills, within the next 10 years.

34. Home Ownership: If you don’t already own, set a goal to purchase your own house within the decade.

35. Savings Account: Build a substantial savings account, buffering for emergencies or unexpected expenses. For example, aim to save a year’s worth of living expenses.

36. Investment Mastery: Master the art of investing, learning the intricacies of stock market, mutual funds, or cryptocurrency within a decade.

37. Child’s Education Fund: If you have kids or plan to, start building a solid education fund for them within the next 10 years.

38. Charitable Contributions: Set a goal to regularly donate a set percentage of your income to causes you care about, growing to a significant amount over a decade.

39. Insurance Coverage: Lock in comprehensive insurance coverage that includes health, life, and possibly disability insurance within this period.

40. Financial Literacy: Educate yourself in financial literacy, mastering budgeting, investing, reading financial documents, and understanding tax laws.

41. Passive Income: Develop passive income sources that generate a certain amount each year, like rental income from a second property or profits from a low-involvement business.

42. Estate Planning: Plan your estate within this period, including making a will and arranging for assets distribution.

43. College Fund: If it’s applicable, set a goal to fully fund your children’s college fees within this period.

44. Financial Independence: Reach a state where your investments, savings, and passive income can cover your living expenses, making you financially independent.

45. Business Ownership: If you have entrepreneurial aspirations, aim to own a profitable, self-sustaining business within the next 10 years.

Personal Dreams

46. Global Travel : Aim to visit every continent or a certain number of countries within the next decade (For instance, consider visiting all the countries in Europe).

47. Skill Acquisition : Learn a new skill that you’ve always found interesting, such as playing a musical instrument, coding, painting or scuba diving, by the end of the decade.

48. Fluency in a Foreign Language : Choose a foreign language and attain fluency in it by studying intensively for the next 10 years.

49. Home Ownership : Achieve the dream of owning your own home, defined by your own terms. It doesn’t have to be a mansion; it could be a cozy cabin in the woods or a small city apartment.

50. Book Authorship : Fulfill your dream of writing and publishing a book, whether it’s your life story, a novel, or a non-fiction piece.

51. Physical Fitness : Work towards a specific fitness goal, like running a marathon, achieving a certain body weight, or mastering a tough yoga pose in this 10-year span.

52. Culinary Skills : Become a pro at making your favorite cuisine. Set a goal to learn and perfect 100 recipes within the decade.

53. Learn Survival Skills : Spend the next 10 years learning and practicing survival skills such as building a fire, identifying edible plants, basic medical care, and so forth.

54. Master a Game : Be it chess, poker, or the latest video game, make a personal goal to achieve mastery level over the next decade.

55. High-altitude Trek : Add completing a high-altitude, long-distance trek, like Machu Picchu or Kilimanjaro, to your 10-year vision.

56. Animal Rescue : If you’re an animal lover, aim to organize or participate in rescue missions for abandoned or injured animals.

57. Sustainable Living : Commit to a goal of sustainable living, reducing your carbon footprint by using renewable resources, going vegan or minimizing use of plastics.

58. Tradition Initiation : Begin your own tradition or event, like an annual neighborhood block party or a family gathering on a specific day each year.

59. Docuseries Completion : Choose a genre you love and commit to watch all the classics or critically acclaimed films/series in that genre in a decade.

60. Mindful Living : Incorporate mindfulness into your lifestyle. Commit to meditating daily or practicing mindful exercises to reduce stress and enjoy a mindful life over the next decade.

See Also: Long-Term Personal Goals Examples

Educational Goals

61. Undergraduate Degree: If you have not yet achieved this milestone, set a goal to earn your bachelor’s degree within the next 10 years.

62. Master’s Degree: Consider pursuing a master’s degree that aligns with your career path or personal interest within the next decade.

63. Doctorate Degree: If you aspire to a high level of expertise in a specific field, set a goal to complete a PhD within this 10-year span.

64. Certification Courses: Aim to complete certification courses relevant to your profession or interest. For example, Project Management Professional (PMP) certification for project managers or CompTIA Security+ for IT professionals.

65. Foreign Language Proficiency: Target achieving proficiency in a foreign language through formal education or language immersion programs over the next 10 years.

66. Thought Leadership: Strive to publish research papers or articles in prestigious journals or magazines, contributing new ideas or insights to your field of study.

67. Vocational Training: If academically-focused education isn’t for you, aim to complete vocational or trade school training. This could be anything from HVAC repair to culinary arts.

68. Professional Networking: Utilize educational settings to build a robust network of professionals in your field.

69. Teaching: If you are passionate about your field, consider making an impact by teaching or becoming a guest lecturer at an institution within a decade. (For more, see: goals for teachers ).

70. Continuing Education: Engage in lifelong learning by committing to taking at least one continuing education course every year for the next 10 years. This can range from advanced courses in your field to expanding your repertoire with varied subjects of interest.

71. Study Abroad: Plan for a study abroad program to diversify your educational experience and gain exposure to different cultures, teaching styles , and points of view.

72. Internship or Co-op: Especially for current students or young professionals, aim to secure internships or co-op positions in companies that align with career goals. These ‘real-world’ experiences can be invaluable educational tools (see also: a list of internship goals ).

73. Scholarships or Grants: Strive to earn scholarships or grants, either to ease the financial burden of your education or as recognition of your skill, talents, or academic prowess.

74. Library Exceptionalism: Make regular use of libraries over the next 10 years and try to read a specific number of important books, journals, or papers related to your field.

75. Leadership in School Activities: If you are in a school or college, aim to lead an extracurricular activity or a club in the next decade.

See Also: Long-Term Goals for Students

Business Goals

76. Business Expansion: Grow your business to serve a broader geographic region, such as expanding nationally or internationally within the next decade.

77. Market Domination: Aspire to dominate the market in your industry sector by becoming the top-selling, most recommended, or otherwise highest-rated entity.

78. Unique Offering: Develop or patent a unique product, service or process that sets your business apart from the competition and increases its value proposition.

79. Revenue Increase: Aim to increase your company’s revenue by a specific percentage or amount by the end of the decade.

80. New Venture: If you have an entrepreneurial mind, consider starting a new business aligned with evolving market trends and demands.

81. Customer Service Excellence: Undertake initiatives to improve your business’s customer service, aiming for recognition for excellent customer service in your industry in the next 10 years.

82. Community Involvement: Leverage your business to contribute to your community, like funding local education initiatives or reducing environmental impact.

83. Sustainable Operations : Transform your business to operate sustainably, minimizing its environmental footprint and incorporating green practices into operations.

84. Team Building: Cultivate a talented and committed team that supports your business’s vision and contributes significantly to its growth.

85. Automation of Processes: Implement automation of manual processes using technological advancements, improving productivity and reducing operational costs.

86. Workplace Culture: Create a positive and empowering workplace culture that promotes creativity, inclusivity, and employee satisfaction.

87. Net Worth: Aim to grow your company’s net worth to a specific valuation within a decade.

88. Strategic Partnerships: Build strategic partnerships or alliances with other businesses that can leverage mutual growth and market reach.

89. Industry Authority: Strive to become an authoritative figure in your industry, invited as a speaker for industry events, or contributing to industry trends and regulations.

90. Public Listing: If you own a private company, set the goal of preparing your business for an initial public offering (IPO) on the stock exchange within a decade.

Fitness Goals

91. Weight Management: Aim to reach and maintain your ideal weight within a decade, focusing on a healthy lifestyle rather than short-term diets.

92. Marathon: Train to participate in, and successfully complete, a marathon within the next 10 years.

93. Strength Training: Develop a consistent strength training routine with a goal to be able to lift a specific amount of weight by the end of the decade.

94. Flexibility : Increase your flexibility by incorporating regular yoga or Pilates practice into your fitness routine, with a target to achieve challenging poses in 10 years.

95. Mental Well-being : Integrate mind-body workouts like yoga, tai chi, or mindful walking into your routine for improved mental health.

96. Triathlon: Train to complete a triathlon. This challenging goal requires training in swimming, cycling, and long-distance running.

97. Routine Exercise : Aim to exercise for at least 30 minutes each day, making physical activity a consistent habit over the next decade.

98. Body Fat Percentage: Set a goal to reduce your body fat percentage to a healthy range and maintain it through balanced diet and regular exercise.

99. Health Indicators : Aim to improve your health indicators – blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, resting heart rate – to optimal levels within a decade.

100. Sports Proficiency : Choose a sport you enjoy, such as tennis or basketball, and aim to perfect your skills and possibly compete in amateur leagues or tournaments within 10 years.

101. Personal Trainer Certification : If you are passionate about fitness, consider becoming a certified personal trainer within the next decade, helping others achieve their fitness goals while meeting your own.

Make them 10-Year SMART Goals!

Once you’ve selected your 10-year vision from the list above, it’s time to flesh it out by turning it into a SMART goal (Doran, 1981).

This is a framework that helps you refine and fully explain your goal, which research finds makes you more likely to stick to the goal you set and achieve success (Milne, Orbell & Sheeran, 2002).

Here’s what the S.M.A.R.T. acronym stands for:

• Specific: Be specific in order to ensure you are very clear about what success looks like.
• Measurable: Ensure that you can measure progress so you know when you’ve obtained success.
• Achievable: Make sure the goal can be achieved – but remember, for longer-term goals, set your sights high. You can achieve more than you think!
• Relevant: Select goals that are relevant to you, your family, your personality, and your overall life goals .
• Time-Based: Obviously, your end-goal will be a decade from now. But do you have milestones along the way – say, every two years, where you can assess your progress?

To help you to create your SMART Goals, I’ve provided this template that you can save, edit, and print:

Get the Google Docs Template Here

Davis, W. D., Mero, N., & Goodman, J. M. (2007). The interactive effects of goal orientation and accountability on task performance.  Human Performance ,  20 (1), 1-21. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/08959280709336926

Daw, N. D. (2015). Of goals and habits. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112 (45), 13749-13750. doi: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1518488112

Doran, G. T. (1981). There’s a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management’s Goals and Objectives. Journal of Management Studies , 70-75.

Latham G.P., Locke E.A. (2018) Goal Setting Theory. In The SAGE Encyclopedia of Industrial and Organizational Psychology . London: SAGE.

Milne, S., Orbell, S., and Sheeran, P. (2002). Combining Motivational and Volitional Interventions to Promote Exercise Participation: Protection Motivation Theory and Implementation Intentions,  British Journal of Health Psychology,   7 (2): 163–184. Doi:  https://doi.org/10.1348/135910702169420

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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.

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My 10 year career plan by Rachel

Rachel's entry into Varsity Tutor's March 2020 scholarship contest

My 10 year career plan by Rachel - March 2020 Scholarship Essay

Thinking about where my life will be in 10 years is a bit overwhelming and crazy to think about. But in order to be successful it is absolutely necessary to think about this and have a plan or at least goals in mind. It's slightly difficult for me, coming from parents that didn't follow the typical college path but somehow made a comfortable life for themselves. Not everyone gets that lucky, and although I didn't go off to university I finished my Associates Degree at community college while supporting myself.

Now that I've completed that, my next step is going back to college to pursue my Bachelors in Technology Management and Development. I have been employed for my fathers IT company for the past 6 years and have developed a passion for the tech world and new innovative technology. In the next 6-12 months I intend to finish my Cyber Security certification, that will allow me to be accepted to the Bachelor's degree program SPC. Come that following semester, I should be admitted into that program and if I am able to handle full time credits on top of working full time, I will be able to finish this degree within the 2 years following admission! While some people have had success without any higher education, like my father, the world and economy are constantly changing and I believe its extremely crucial to have an education as well as the physical experience of learning on the job site.

This is where I stand out from my peers. While most of my graduating class had gone off to university and got their Bachelor degrees in the same time that I was able to complete my associates, I gained 4 years of incomparable experience working in the industry I love, while figuring out the real world and how to support myself as a young adult, keeping myself out of student loan debt and building a strong resume. By the time I complete my BAS, hopefully within the next 3 years from now, I plan on having an up and coming business venture that integrates the skills I've learned working in the field, and the new information I will have learned upon completing this degree.

While I am not certain on what exactly I want this company to be or to accomplish, as it is still in the distant future- I want it to be something that can help people and become something that is widely recognized across the nation. If all goes as planned, and I am financially stable after starting my own company- I would really like to have a family of my own. It has always been something that I have wanted, but being only 24 I have a lot left to accomplish for myself to ensure I am able to give my family the life they deserve. Another goal of mine, let's say in the next 8-10 years from now, after I have a steady business with growing revenue, I would really like to take care of my mother. After my parents split, she does not really have much and despite that she has given me the world and more. She has helped me in ways I could never repay her, and I never want her to worry about finances again.

Another strong interest of mine, would be to give back to the community. Once my company is established and booming, I would like to give a percentage of my profits to a nonprofit organization that helps children and educators at underfunded public schools. There are a lot of people out there that do now have the resources they need to be their best, whether its in class, getting tutoring, or affording supplies. I've got a pretty long road ahead of me, but this is just the beginning to what is going to be a crazy, but rewarding life.

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

Overview of My Career Plan

• Categories: Career Career Goals Dream Career

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Published: Feb 8, 2022

Words: 1490 | Pages: 3 | 8 min read

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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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