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Career Essay

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

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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. 

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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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Career goals essay example 1 – Discuss your career goals

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How do you describe your career goals in an essay?

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

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

What are career goals examples?

Examples of career goals include:

Working as a grant writer for a nonprofit organization.

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

Owning your own plumbing company.

Caring for underserved communities as a nurse practitioner .

What are some goals for success?

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

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

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

BLS – Career planning for high schoolers

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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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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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February 29, 2024

• Writing Your Career Goals Essay

Check out all the blog posts in this series:

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

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

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

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

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

Three elements of a successful career goals essay

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

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

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

Putting these elements together to create your goals essay

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

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

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

Write an essay, not a list or CV

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

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

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

Summary Tips

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

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

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

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

Related resources:

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

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What Is a Career Goals Essay?

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

Updated January 15, 2024

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

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

A career goals essay is generally used in three situations:

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

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

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

What Should a Career Goals Essay Contain?

A little backstory.

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

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

You should explain why you have chosen this career path.

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

Outline Your Goals

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

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

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

Show How This Application Will Help You Reach Your Goals

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Example titles:

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

How My Next Role in Nursing Will Help Me Help Others

An Introduction

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

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

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

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

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

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

Example introduction:

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

School-Specific Content

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

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

First example of school-specific content:

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

Second example of school-specific content:

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

Your Long-term Vision

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

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

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

Example of long-term vision:

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

Your Short-term Vision

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

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

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

Example of short-term vision:

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

The Conclusion

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

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

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

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

Example conclusion:

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

Vague or Weak Statements

Every sentence in your essay should be specific to you.

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

Discussing Financial Remuneration

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

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

Controversial Topics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You might also be interested in these other Wikijob articles:

Or explore the Jobs & Careers / Career Planning sections.

We’ll Help You Write Career Goals Essays

• Essay Writing Guides

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

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

Analyse Career Goals Essays Prompts

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

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

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

Essay on Career Goal

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

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

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

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

Essay About Career Goals

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

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

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

Showing Passion and Commitment

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

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

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

Topic Examples of Career Goals Essays

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

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

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

Final Words

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

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Examples of Scholarship Essays for the “Career Goals” Question

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

Career Essay Examples

Crafting an engaging and informative career research essay is a crucial step for students and professionals alike who are navigating the complex landscape of career planning and development. These essays serve as a bridge between one's academic pursuits and professional aspirations, offering insights into various fields, the skills required, and future job prospects. They provide a structured way to explore and articulate career goals, understand industry trends, and reflect on personal strengths and interests in relation to the job market. Whether you're a high school student contemplating your future, a college student selecting a major, or a professional considering a career change, delving into a career research essay can illuminate the path ahead.

For anyone looking to embark on this enlightening journey, exploring research essay examples can be an invaluable first step. It offers a glimpse into effective strategies for structuring your essay, choosing relevant content, and engaging your readers. Below, find a list of 10 popular career research essay topics that span a diverse range of industries and interests, reflecting the broad spectrum of career opportunities available today:

• The Evolution of the Software Developer Role in the Tech Industry : Exploring the dynamic landscape of software development, including emerging technologies and the skills needed to succeed.
• A Day in the Life of a Healthcare Professional : Investigating the roles, responsibilities, and challenges faced by healthcare workers, from nurses to surgeons.
• The Future of Renewable Energy Careers : Analyzing the growth of the renewable energy sector and the types of careers that are becoming available.
• Careers in Digital Marketing : Understanding the impact of digital marketing on business and the variety of roles within this fast-evolving field.
• The Role of Data Science in Business Decision Making : Examining how data scientists contribute to strategic decisions in business through data analysis and interpretation.
• Legal Careers in the 21st Century : A look at the changing landscape of the legal profession and the skills modern lawyers need to possess.
• Entrepreneurship and Innovation : Exploring the journey of becoming an entrepreneur and the impact of innovation on creating new business opportunities.
• Careers in Education Beyond Teaching : Investigating the diverse roles within the education sector that contribute to shaping future generations, from administration to curriculum development.
• Engineering the Future: Careers in Civil Engineering : Understanding the role of civil engineers in developing infrastructure projects and the challenges of modern urban planning.
• The Psychology Profession: A Deep Dive into Mental Health Careers : Exploring the various specialties within psychology and the importance of mental health professionals in society.

Each of these topics not only presents a rich field of study but also reflects the vast array of career paths available to individuals with different interests, strengths, and passions. By exploring career research essay examples, you can gain insights into how to approach these topics effectively, making your career research essay both informative and engaging.

Career Essay Topics and Outline Examples

Essay title 1: navigating your career path: strategies for successful career planning and development.

Thesis Statement: This essay explores effective strategies for career planning and development, emphasizing self-assessment, goal setting, skill development, networking, and adaptability as key components.

• Introduction
• Self-Assessment: Identifying Interests, Strengths, and Values
• Goal Setting: Defining Short-Term and Long-Term Career Objectives
• Skill Development: Continuous Learning and Skill Enhancement
• Networking: Building Professional Relationships and Leveraging Connections
• Adaptability: Navigating Career Changes and Challenges
• Mentorship and Guidance: Seeking Career Advice and Support
• Conclusion: Empowering Individuals to Shape Their Career Paths

Essay Title 2: The Future of Work: Exploring Career Trends in the Digital Age and Preparing for Industry Disruptions

Thesis Statement: This essay examines emerging career trends in the digital age, including automation, remote work, and gig economy jobs, and discusses strategies for preparing for industry disruptions.

• Digital Transformation: Impact on Traditional Careers and Industries
• Automation and Artificial Intelligence: Job Displacement and Upskilling
• Remote Work: Advantages, Challenges, and Future Workforce Trends
• Gig Economy and Freelancing: The Rise of Independent Career Paths
• Reskilling and Lifelong Learning: Staying Relevant in a Changing Job Market
• Adapting to Uncertainty: Developing a Flexible Career Mindset
• Conclusion: Preparing for the Shifting Landscape of Work and Employment

Essay Title 3: Balancing Work and Life: The Importance of Career Satisfaction, Well-Being, and Achieving a Fulfilling Life

Thesis Statement: This essay discusses the significance of achieving career satisfaction and work-life balance, highlighting their impact on overall well-being and the pursuit of a fulfilling life.

• Career Satisfaction: Defining Fulfillment in Professional Life
• Work-Life Balance: Strategies for Managing Workload and Personal Life
• Mental Health and Stress Management: Coping with Career-Related Challenges
• Family and Relationships: Nurturing Personal Connections Amid Career Demands
• Passion and Purpose: Aligning Career Goals with Personal Values
• Life Goals and Achievements: Pursuing a Fulfilling and Meaningful Life
• Conclusion: Striving for Career Success while Embracing Life's Joys and Challenges

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Essay on Career for Students and Children

500+ words essay on career.

Career is a very important thing in one’s life. Whatever career path you choose to follow, it will impact your life greatly. Your career will define your status in a society in addition to your lifestyle. In other words, your career will determine your social circle and relationships.

Therefore, it is extremely important to choose the correct career path . From a very young age, we aspire to be something or the other. While someone aims to be a doctor, some wish to become a painter. Our career choices depend on a lot of things. Thus, it is important to consider all factors before choosing a career path.

How to Choose your Career?

You must consider a number of factors before deciding on your career. Each factor plays a significant role in your choice. Firstly, always assess yourself thoroughly. You must understand your area of interest to choose a career. For instance, someone who dances well can surely become a doctor, but his interest will always be in dance. Thus, ensure that you have the caliber to perform well in the field you choose. This will come from your area of interest itself.

After that, you look for the opportunities available as per your area of interest. Now that you are aware of what you like and dislike, you can easily look for occupations matching your passion. Make a list of the occupations you can get into following your interests. Furthermore, shorten the list you have prepared. You must do so as per what suits you best. Consult with your seniors and parents to make informed decisions.

Most importantly, acquire the skills for the career option you are interested in. Ensure you earn the qualifications and degrees for it. Try taking training programs to enhance your skills. This will give you an upper hand in knowing whether you are correct in choosing the specific career plan. Furthermore, create an impressive resume which can help you get the right opportunities.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

How to Achieve your Career Goal?

There are steps you need to take before achieving your career goal. As they say, success doesn’t come overnight. You must work along the way to accomplish your goals. There is always hope if you have the will. Firstly, create profiles on different job portals to attract the employer’s attention. When you maintain your profile well, you will be able to get good career opportunities.

Moreover, always maintain your network. Build a solid network and create sources in the field. This way you can update yourself with the latest happenings in the industry. In addition, try to attend the related seminars and workshops that happen related to your career choice. You will meet influential people of the same field who can broaden your thinking.

In short, always remember to stay determined. You can easily achieve your career goal if you set your mind to it. In other words, people usually distract themselves easily. You must not do so and focus on your career path to achieve your goals efficiently.

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104 Career Development Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Career development is an essential aspect of personal growth and professional success. Whether you are a student exploring different career paths or a working professional looking to advance in your current field, writing an essay on career development can help you gain clarity and insight into your goals and aspirations. To help you get started, here are 104 career development essay topic ideas and examples:

• The importance of career development in achieving personal and professional goals.
• How to create a career development plan that aligns with your skills and interests.
• The impact of technology on career development in the digital age.
• The role of education in career development and advancement.
• Exploring different career paths: How to discover your true passion.
• The benefits of career development programs and workshops for employees.
• The challenges and opportunities of a career change.
• The role of mentorship in career development.
• How to effectively network for career growth.
• The importance of continuous learning and professional development.
• The impact of globalization on career opportunities.
• The skills and qualities needed for success in the modern workplace.
• The influence of family and cultural background on career choices.
• The role of internships and apprenticeships in career development.
• The impact of social media on personal branding and career advancement.
• The benefits and challenges of freelancing and remote work.
• The role of emotional intelligence in career success.
• The importance of work-life balance in career satisfaction.
• The impact of gender and diversity on career opportunities.
• The role of self-assessment in career decision-making.
• The impact of economic factors on career choices.
• The benefits of volunteering in career development.
• The influence of societal expectations on career choices.
• The role of personality traits in choosing a career path.
• The impact of automation and artificial intelligence on future job prospects.
• The benefits of having a career mentor.
• The role of leadership skills in career advancement.
• The impact of organizational culture on career development.
• The benefits of international work experience in career growth.
• The role of goal setting in career planning.
• The impact of career development on job satisfaction.
• The benefits and challenges of entrepreneurship.
• The role of communication skills in career success.
• The influence of role models on career choices.
• The impact of economic recession on career opportunities.
• The benefits of continuous feedback and performance reviews in career growth.
• The role of emotional well-being in career development.
• The impact of job insecurity on career choices.
• The benefits of developing a personal brand for career advancement.
• The role of negotiation skills in career progression.
• The impact of work environment on career satisfaction.
• The benefits of lifelong learning in career development.
• The role of resilience in overcoming career setbacks.
• The influence of societal trends on career choices.
• The impact of job automation on future career prospects.
• The benefits of cross-functional experience in career growth.
• The role of networking events in career development.
• The impact of organizational support on career advancement.
• The benefits of mentoring others in your career field.
• The role of adaptability in navigating career changes.
• The influence of personal values on career choices.
• The impact of job market trends on career opportunities.
• The benefits of professional certifications in career development.
• The role of feedback in improving career performance.
• The impact of flexible work arrangements on career satisfaction.
• The benefits of continuous self-reflection in career growth.
• The role of social capital in career advancement.
• The impact of job mobility on career choices.
• The benefits of attending industry conferences in career development.
• The role of work-life integration in achieving career success.
• The influence of organizational values on career choices.
• The impact of job outsourcing on future career prospects.
• The benefits of cross-cultural experience in career growth.
• The role of professional associations in career development.
• The impact of work-life balance policies on career satisfaction.
• The benefits of seeking feedback from colleagues in career development.
• The role of mentorship in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
• The impact of job insecurity on career choices for millennials.
• The benefits of building a personal brand on social media in career growth.
• The role of negotiation skills in achieving work-life balance.
• The influence of personal interests and hobbies on career choices.
• The impact of artificial intelligence on the future of career development.
• The benefits of pursuing advanced degrees in career advancement.
• The role of emotional intelligence in managing workplace conflicts.
• The impact of job satisfaction on career choices.
• The benefits of participating in professional development programs for career growth.
• The role of mindfulness in career development.
• The influence of organizational structure on career choices.
• The impact of job insecurity on career choices for Generation Z.
• The benefits of building a personal network in career advancement.
• The role of negotiation skills in career transitions.
• The impact of workplace diversity on career satisfaction.
• The benefits of pursuing side projects and hobbies in career development.
• The role of resilience in adapting to technological advancements in the workplace.
• The influence of parental expectations on career choices.
• The impact of job automation on the future of career paths.
• The benefits of cross-industry experience in career growth.
• The role of emotional intelligence in effective leadership and career advancement.
• The impact of job security on career choices.
• The benefits of continuous professional training in career development.
• The role of work-life balance in reducing occupational burnout and enhancing career satisfaction.
• The influence of societal norms and stereotypes on career choices.
• The impact of job market competition on future career prospects.
• The benefits of workplace mentoring programs in career growth.
• The role of negotiation skills in salary negotiation and career progression.
• The impact of workplace culture on employee engagement and career satisfaction.
• The benefits of international assignments in career development.
• The role of self-confidence in career advancement.
• The influence of personal experiences and challenges on career choices.
• The impact of job security on career choices for the gig economy.
• The benefits of continuous learning and upskilling in career growth.
• The role of emotional intelligence in building effective workplace relationships and fostering career success.
• The impact of job satisfaction on overall life satisfaction and career choices.
• The benefits of pursuing a portfolio career in career development.

These essay topic ideas provide a diverse range of perspectives on career development. Whether you choose to explore the impact of technology, societal expectations, personal values, or any other aspect, remember to back your arguments with examples and evidence to make your essay more compelling. Good luck with your career development journey and essay writing!

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• Applying For Scholarships

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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• Job Application Documents

How to Write a Job Application Essay

Last Updated: April 9, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdM and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Shannon O'Brien is the Founder and Principal Advisor of Whole U. (a career and life strategy consultancy based in Boston, MA). Through advising, workshops and e-learning Whole U. empowers people to pursue their life's work and live a balanced, purposeful life. Shannon has been ranked as the #1 Career Coach and #1 Life Coach in Boston, MA by Yelp reviewers. She has been featured on Boston.com, Boldfacers, and the UR Business Network. She received a Master's of Technology, Innovation, & Education from Harvard University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 197,398 times.

Many employers now require a writing sample, or job application essay , to accompany all applications or résumés — even if writing is not a significant part of the position. The goal of the job application essay is to ensure that applicants have the right communication skills for the position offered. Sometimes, potential employers will provide a specific topic or series of questions for your essay to respond to. However, you may also be asked to provide an essay with no guidance whatsoever. Either way, approach the essay seriously so that it highlights the skills and assets you could bring to the company. [1] X Research source

Outlining Your Essay

• If you don't know much about the company, do a little research on it before you start writing. You might look at their website or do a general internet search with the name of the company to see if any news articles or other reports come up. Go beyond the four corners of the job listing so that you understand who will likely be reading your essay.
• If there's anything in the job listing or essay requirements that you don't understand, contact the employer and ask about them. Employers are often impressed by applicants who clarify the employer's intent rather than making assumptions.

• For example, if you're applying for a position in sales, you might want to write an essay about your ability to tailor your pitch to specific clients and close the deal. If you have the ability to be more creative, you might tailor your essay to "sell" yourself directly to the employer.

• For each of your points, think of a specific example you can relate briefly that illustrates the point. For example, if you've described yourself as a "team player," you might include an example of how you came in on your day off to complete some of the more monotonous tasks that no one else wanted to do so a project could be completed ahead of schedule.
• It's a good idea to have more than one example in your outline for each point, even if you only end up using one. That way, if you start writing something and it ends up not working as well as you thought it would, you'll have a back-up handy.
• Brainstorming can be difficult. If you find yourself churning over the same thoughts, stand up and take a break for a few minutes. Step outside or go for a walk to clear your head, then come back to it.

• For example, if you want to describe how you increased sales in a specific quarter, you would want to state specifically how much you increased sales. Your former employer may have sales figures that you could ask them for. You might also have that information in your records.
• Wherever possible, use specific numbers and dates rather than making general statements. It's okay to estimate, but make sure your estimate is conservative. Saying you led your sales team to the highest sales in a quarter is impressive — but only if it's true.

Completing Your Rough Draft

• Think of this paragraph as telling the hiring manager what you're going to tell them in the essay. Outline the points you're going to elaborate on in the essay that back up your theme or thesis statement.
• Sometimes it's best to go back and write your introduction after you've written the body of your essay. That way, you can make sure the introduction provides an outline that matches the body.

• If the employer listed specifically what should be included in your essay, follow their order, since that's what they'll be looking for when they read the essay.
• Write in the first person and make yourself the star of any anecdote you include as an example. Use action verbs to focus on what you did rather than focusing on what happened and how you reacted to it. [7] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source

• For example, if you're writing about your skills as a team player, you might note that you discuss doing routine work that others found monotonous so they had time to work on other parts of a project. You could use that detail to move on to a section describing how you're detail-oriented.

• For example, you might write "My business school education, skills as a team player, and focus on detail make me the best candidate to lead your sales team."

Finalizing Your Essay

• For example, you might start by looking solely at punctuation, then read through again focusing on spelling.
• If you find that you tend to repeat a particular error, go through your essay looking for that error specifically.
• If your grammar isn't particularly strong or you're writing in a language other than your native language, have someone else read over your essay as well.

• If you find that you stumble over a sentence while reading aloud, that's a sign that your writing could be clearer. Work with your text until you have something that you can read aloud with ease.

• If the prospective employer did not specify a length, try to keep your essay under 2 double-spaced pages. Remember that hiring managers are busy and don't have a lot of time to read a long, rambling essay.
• Eliminate all unnecessary words or sentences that aren't relevant to the subject of your essay. The majority of your sentences should be short, declarative sentences with action verbs.
• Apps such as Hemingway ( http://www.hemingwayapp.com/ ) or Grammarly ( https://app.grammarly.com/ ) can help you identify portions of your essay that are more difficult to read. Both of these apps have a free version that you can use to edit your text.

• Working backward is particularly helpful for noticing spelling mistakes, especially hard-to-catch homophone errors, because you're seeing the word out of context.

• It may also help to print your essay in a different font or font size than what you used to type it. This breaks your brain's familiarity with the text, which can make typos and other errors more noticeable. Just remember to change the font back after you print it.

Job Application Essay

Expert Q&A

• Give yourself plenty of time to work on your essay. Ideally, you should plan to work on it over the course of at least two days, so you have the time to set it aside after writing before you move to the editing and proofreading stage. [15] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Unless you're applying for a position in a political or religious organization, avoid including anything in your essay that identifies your political or religious preferences or beliefs. [16] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Avoid using humor, especially sarcasm or ironic humor, as it can be misconstrued in text. Additionally, humor may lead the hiring manager to believe that you aren't serious about the position. [17] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/writing-sample-job-application
• ↑ https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2012/04/30/essay-how-write-good-applications-jobs-or-grants
• ↑ Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdM. Life & Career Coach. Expert Interview. 25 May 2021.
• ↑ https://www.govloop.com/community/blog/government-job-application-essays-made-easy/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/application-essays/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/
• ↑ https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/proofreading-tips
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/career-transitions/200906/the-dreaded-writing-sample

About This Article

Job application essays can seem scary, but they’re really just an opportunity for you to highlight your skills and explain why you’re suitable for the role. Read the job listing to find out what traits and skills the company is looking for, like time management, working under pressure, and leadership. If you don’t know much about the company, read through its website and do an online search to find articles about its work. In your introduction, you’ll want to to describe yourself and introduce the main points you’ll be making. Then, write a paragraph for each trait or skill. Use real life examples from previous jobs, your recent studies, or extracurricular activities to support your points. For example, you could highlight your leadership skills by talking about a time you led a group project that exceeded your targets. For more tips, including how to write a compelling conclusion for your job application essay, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Essay on My Future Career

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Future Career in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Future Career

Introduction.

My future career is a topic that I often ponder about. I aspire to become a doctor, a profession that is noble and rewarding.

Why a Doctor?

I want to be a doctor because I want to help people. Doctors can save lives and alleviate suffering, which is a great service to humanity.

Preparation

To achieve this, I need to study hard, especially in science subjects. I also need to develop qualities like patience and compassion.

Becoming a doctor is my dream. I know it’s a challenging path, but I’m ready to face it for the sake of my future career.

250 Words Essay on My Future Career

Everyone aspires to have a flourishing career that not only brings them financial stability but also personal satisfaction. As a college student, the concept of a future career is more than just a distant reality; it’s a goal that shapes my academic and personal choices. My chosen career path is to become a Data Scientist.

Why Data Science?

In the modern era, data is the new gold. The ability to interpret and analyze data is becoming increasingly valuable in various sectors. Data Science is an interdisciplinary field that uses scientific methods, processes, algorithms, and systems to extract knowledge and insights from structured and unstructured data. My interest in Data Science was ignited by the amalgamation of mathematics, programming, and the potential to create meaningful change.

Preparation for the Future

To prepare for my future career, I am majoring in Computer Science, with a focus on data analysis and machine learning. I am also taking additional courses in statistics, probability, and algorithms. Besides academic preparation, I am honing my skills through internships and projects that provide practical exposure to real-world problems.

Long-Term Goals

In the long run, I aspire to work in a leading tech firm where I can apply my skills to solve complex problems and contribute to the growth of the organization. I also aim to continuously learn and adapt to the rapidly evolving field of Data Science.

My future career as a Data Scientist is a journey that I am excitedly embarking upon. It is a path that promises a blend of intellectual challenges, continuous learning, and the potential to make a significant impact in the world of technology.

500 Words Essay on My Future Career

The concept of a future career is not just a mere vision but a manifestation of one’s personal, professional, and academic goals. It’s a blend of one’s passion, talent, and the ability to make a difference in the world. As I contemplate my own career trajectory, I am drawn to a field that is innovative, challenging, and consequential to society: Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Why Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial Intelligence has been a subject of fascination for me, primarily due to its vast potential and influence on modern life. It’s not just about robots or sci-fi fantasies; AI is about creating intelligent systems that can understand, learn, and adapt to new situations. It’s about amplifying human potential, solving complex problems, and creating a future where technology and humanity coexist harmoniously.

Academic Path

To prepare myself for a career in AI, I plan to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, followed by a Master’s in AI or Machine Learning. This academic path will equip me with the necessary theoretical knowledge and practical skills to excel in the field. Courses like Data Structures, Algorithms, Machine Learning, and Neural Networks will form the backbone of my education.

Professional Goals

Professionally, I aim to work with a leading tech firm, contributing to their AI research and development efforts. I aspire to be part of projects that push the boundaries of what AI can achieve, whether it’s in healthcare, education, transportation, or any other sector. I am particularly interested in ethical AI and how we can create systems that not only augment human intelligence but also respect our values and rights.

Contributing to Society

A career in AI is not just about personal fulfillment. It’s about contributing to society in a meaningful way. I envision using AI to address pressing societal issues, such as climate change, poverty, and disease. By leveraging the power of AI, we can develop solutions that are efficient, scalable, and impactful.

Challenges and Opportunities

The path to a career in AI is fraught with challenges. The field is highly competitive, and the technology is constantly evolving. However, these challenges also present opportunities for growth and innovation. By staying abreast of the latest research, continuously learning, and embracing a problem-solving mindset, I believe I can navigate these challenges and make a significant contribution to the field.

In conclusion, my future career in Artificial Intelligence is a reflection of my passion for technology, my academic interests, and my desire to make a positive impact on society. It’s a journey that requires dedication, resilience, and continuous learning. But I am ready for the challenge, and I look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Journalism as a Career
• Essay on Engineering Career
• Essay on Compare and Contrast Two Careers

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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Role of Education for Successful Careers Essay

Introduction.

Over the years, there has been ongoing debate on the importance of education for a successful career. Even to those who agree that education is important, there is still the lingering question on the level of importance. Many learners and employment seekers have repeatedly been questioning the importance of education with respect to personal career in certain fields.

There are also questions touching on the role of education in determining the level of success in the business world and in improving the quality of life in general. Today, many people seeking certain job opportunities with some even possessing many years experience find themselves being rejected in favour of candidates possessing degrees in that field. (Santiago)

Depending on the height of achievement that one is seeking to accomplish, the echelon of education might be practical, but the most important thing to realize is that some level of education is vital to future success. In essence, completing high levels of education shows that one has an obligation and enthusiasm to study and apply the gotten information in their various areas of specialization.

Additionally, this also acts as proof that one is willing to use the acquired thoughts, theories, and principles to attain a variety of responsibilities and aspirations. Although there are obviously many reasons why people should advance their education, the most important is that education enables a person to acquire the subject substance and vital information needed in the day-to-day living. (Hartman & Stewart 283)

Today, many people are undoubtedly shunning formal employment in favour of starting up their own businesses. This has led many people to question the importance of academic excellence in the light of this new development. Contrary to this belief, attaining academic excellence especially in English and language skills helps people to communicate their ideas in a clearer manner.

This is gotten from the fact that communication skills are fundamental in any task, whether dealing with co-workers or even business associates. Indeed, one has to efficiently convey their plans, ideas, and goals if they are to become respected people in the society.

Currently, any formal learning incorporates communication skills thus articulating the importance of attaining academic excellence during the learning years. (Moxley & Dumbrigue 36)

Despite the revolution that computers and calculators have brought in the modern world, there is still the need to do basic adding up and calculations on paper or even using the mind. Regardless of the profession that one might be in, there will always arise moments when one has to employ basic math skills.

Lacking these skills can be a big impediment to attaining a fulfilling career or even for life. Indeed, nearly every chore in the life of a man requires some basic math skills. These are activities like preparing meals, shopping, driving among many other chores that people engage in on day-to-day basis.

Lacking the basic math skills can become a big source of frustration for the involved parties and can lead to huge losses in an organization or even in ones private life. (Hartman & Stewart 284)

Currently, nearly all the best paying jobs in the market require high level of learning. In fact, the world works on a basic principle that the more education that one has, then the higher level of earnings they are likely to attain.

This clearly shows that academic excellence is a prerequisite for attaining financial growth in any given career. In fact, trends show that people who attain great success in the business world were once successful in school. Currently, anyone thinking of landing a lucrative job in any major organization must be holding some noteworthy level of education. (Moxley & Dumbrigue 37)

Unlike in the past when certain positions within organizations did not necessarily require any college education, the situation has been reversed and these positions are currently only open to people possessing a certain level of academic qualification.

In any given organization, managers use educational requirements to reduce the number of applicants especially in situations where the number of those applying for the job is more than the available positions.

There are many explanations as to why managers prefer people with higher education but the most likely reason is that learned people are perceived to be ready to learn the procedures within the company since college education is all about learning new things.

Additionally, being in school allows one to interact with people from different backgrounds, which helps them to hone their communication skills thus making them to succeed in their respective careers and in the business world. (Santiago)

Over the years, there has been an ongoing debate on whether academic excellence is important for a successful career. There is no doubt that academic excellence leads to financial breakthroughs in whatever career that one might be pursuing. Even then, there is still the lingering question on the required level of education that one should have attained to make them qualify for certain positions in an organization.

Current trends however show that the range of salaries in organizations depends on the level of education that one has attained. Unlike in the past when some positions within organizations did not require any level of education, the situation has changed and academic excellence is needed to even allow one to set foot in these organizations.

Works Cited

Hartman, Kathleen and Stewart, Thomas. Investing in Your College Education: Learning Strategies with Readings, 2009. Cengage Learning, 283-284. Print.

Moxley, David and Dumbrigue, Cecille. Keeping Students in Higher Education: Successful Practices & Strategies for Retention, 2001. Routledge, 36-40. Print.

Santiago, Andrea. Why is Education so Important for Success? , 2011. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2019, May 3). Role of Education for Successful Careers. https://ivypanda.com/essays/role-of-education-for-successful-careers-essay/

"Role of Education for Successful Careers." IvyPanda , 3 May 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/role-of-education-for-successful-careers-essay/.

IvyPanda . (2019) 'Role of Education for Successful Careers'. 3 May.

IvyPanda . 2019. "Role of Education for Successful Careers." May 3, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/role-of-education-for-successful-careers-essay/.

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Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Role of Education for Successful Careers." May 3, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/role-of-education-for-successful-careers-essay/.

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How to choose a new successful career path in 5 easy steps.

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How to Choose a New Successful Career Path in 5 Easy Steps

Deciding on the right career for you is one of the biggest decisions you'll make in life. Your career shapes your identity, income, lifestyle, and personal fulfillment. Your career is a big part of your life. If you're in the wrong career, stress and burnout can negatively affect your physical and mental health. Being in the right career can bring joy to many areas of your life. So, it's vital to reflect on a path that will bring you fulfillment. Don't let others' opinions or expectations sway you. This is a decision only you can make for yourself.

The good news is that there's a straightforward process to narrow your ideal career path. This way, you don’t have to stress about the endless options.

What Is a Career Path?

Your career path is the sequence of jobs and roles you'll progress through to advance in your chosen field or industry. It’s the sum of your professional journey. People choose their careers for different reasons. They want to get more experience, challenge themselves, or earn decent salaries. Before picking a career path or pivoting, reflecting on your interests, skills, and goals for your life can help you gain clarity.

Keep in mind that your interests and goals change with time. As a result, your career will shift throughout your working life. According to a survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, people tend to spend an average of 4 years in each job before leaving. The job market is always changing. So, it's even more reason to take time to be intentional about picking the right career path for you. Although it takes time, it's worth every ounce of effort you put into it.

Being intentional when deciding your career path, or the path to pivot to, helps inform which school to attend, the types of entry-level positions to go for, or whether or not you want to pursue additional certifications. These factors mark the beginning of your career or how to leverage the experience and skills you already possess.

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5 Ways You Can Choose a Career Option

Choosing a career shouldn’t be taken lightly. Letting the expectations or opinions of others sway your thinking can lead to frustration, misalignment, stress, and burnout. In the end, you're the only one who can advocate for your career. So, when it's time to start or make a move, spend time examining your interests, values, skills, and goals. This will help you gain the clarity needed to choose a career you'll find engaging and rewarding.

1. Know Yourself First

Developing self-awareness through purposeful self-reflection is a great way to start. Ask yourself some guiding questions. They will help you find your core interests, traits, and motivations. Here are some to help you get started:

Interests: What activities energize you? What hobbies or tasks do you look forward to and find energizing? Identifying your genuine interests can reveal clues about potential career fits. If you're looking to pivot careers, you can ask these questions about the tasks and projects you work on.

Values: What's most important to you at a deeper level? Top values could include creativity, security, integrity, autonomy, or helping others. Ensuring your career aligns with your key values leads to greater fulfillment.

Personality: Are you more introverted or extroverted? Do you thrive on variety or prefer routine? Your personality type can steer you towards complementary work environments and cultures.

Once you've gained these self-insights, you can use them to evaluate career paths. Careers that overlap with your interests, values, and personality traits are likely to be more satisfying in the long term.

2. Assess Your Skills and Strengths

Next, take an honest inventory of your skills and strengths. Make a master list of both your technical and job-specific skills as well as broader transferable soft skills like communication, problem-solving, and teamwork.

You can gain further insight by seeking input from others. Ask colleagues, managers, mentors, or loved ones to describe the talents and strengths they see in you. An outside perspective can reveal strengths you may be blind to.

The goal is to identify the skills and abilities you most want to utilize and grow in your career. This will allow you to target opportunities that are a natural fit while noting any key skills gaps to address through additional education, coaching, or training.

3. Prioritize Your Career Criteria

With a clear view of your inner drivers and existing capabilities, it's time to get grounded on the practical factors that will determine career satisfaction by establishing your priorities and non-negotiables, such as:

Income Needs: While money shouldn't be the sole motivator, earning a salary within your desired range is important for the lifestyle you want. Research roles that are either entry-level or match your current skill set and check out their salary data. Compare the long-term earnings for careers you're considering.

Work Environment: Do you prefer working collaboratively or more autonomously? Are you energized being around people or would you disengage in an overly extroverted culture? Get clear on your ideal settings.

Work-Life Balance: If work-life balance is crucial, note how factors like travel requirements, regular overtime demands or inflexible schedules could impact that for various career paths.

Location: Some roles can only be performed in certain geographic areas, while others may allow more flexibility. Determine how tied you are to a specific location.

Getting honest about your "must haves" up front will steer you towards more compatible and sustainable career paths and allow you to be more focused in your search.

Connecting with a career coach, especially if you're looking to pivot your career, will help you determine your transferrable skills and experiences and see what paths are available to you.

4. Explore Different Options

With your self-exploration complete and decision criteria defined, it's time to evaluate real-world career options. A few key areas to research:

Job Availability: Check if jobs in your top career interests will grow, shrink, or stay steady. Look at market data and hiring outlooks from individual employers.

Growth Potential: Are there clear paths to advance in your ideal career? This may matter to you. What do typical career trajectories look like?

Competition Level: Some careers are very competitive. This means you need more resilience, hustle, and strategies to land opportunities in those fields. Assess whether you're willing to go the extra mile.

This career landscape data, coupled with your priorities, will allow you to weigh the pros and cons of various options. When you find a career path that feels like a total fit across all factors, you'll know you've landed on a winner.

5. Get Support And Experiential Insight

While the exploration process begins with self-reflection, remember you don't have to go it alone. There are plenty of valuable support resources to leverage:

• University or alumni career centers can connect you with counselors. They have skills assessments and networking avenues for your fields of interest.
• Networking and informational interviews with seasoned professionals in your chosen career path are great ways to learn about the industry's realities.
• Job shadowing and internships provide invaluable, hands-on experience. They let people test careers firsthand before deciding.
• Career Coaches are great to speak with. They typically help professionals in multiple roles and industries. They can fill in the gaps, sharing info about paths you might not know about.

Taking advantage of tools like these will only strengthen your clarity and confidence in mapping out your career path.

When deciding on a career, thinking pre-emptively will help you avoid worst-case scenarios and get you closer to a career that brings fulfillment both in and out of the office. In the end, remember, you will grow and change as you grow throughout your career. What might be a dream job for you today might not be a dream job for you in ten years. Being adaptable and resilient are skills you'll use in any career. Finally, the skills and experience you gain in your career path, whatever you choose, can be leveraged if you're looking to pivot. If you find yourself unfulfilled or misaligned, it's not too late to explore a path that's right for you.

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Careers in consulting guide | is consulting the right career for you.

Discover expert advice from MBA grads and industry recruiters about how to navigate a career in consulting ©

Consulting is a popular business career path, but is it right for you? Download our guide to discover what salaries and opportunities business school grads can expect

Tue May 14 2024

Inside, you’ll find a breakdown of the average salaries for both master’s and MBA grads with major companies such as McKinsey, BCG, and Bain, internship opportunities, the skills needed to enter the industry—as well as our informed take on the best modules to study in order to optimize your degree. 

Plus, we also have unmissable tips and expert advice from consulting graduates and industry recruiters on how to land your dream consulting job. 

Download Our Free Careers In Consulting Guide

5 Top Skills For A Career In Consulting

1. problem solving.

Problem solving is at the heart of everything you do as a consultant. Each project focuses on a unique client problem. Once a project is complete, it’s quickly on to the next one, often with a new client operating in a different industry. This means you’re constantly required to find new ways to solve complex issues. 

2. Analytical thinking 

Consulting projects are research-intensive. Alongside speaking with stakeholders, consultants must dig into relevant datasets to find key insights. Strong analytical skills help you drive the pace of a project as you can efficiently sift through information, find out why a client is facing an issue, and identify how it can be resolved. 

3. Fast learning

To ensure they’re providing value to their clients, consultants must quickly become subject experts when beginning a new project. This involves learning the intricacies of a company, its practices, and the industry. Foundational business knowledge is essential, which is why consultancies value the broad business acumen and transferable skills of MBA graduates. 

4. Impact thinking

Consultants can have a large impact on their client companies as they work with them to solve their problems. The ability to empathize with client needs and strive to make an impact on their performance is therefore at the heart of a consultant’s work. 

5. Communication

Last, but certainly not least, the ability to communicate effectively is integral when working with clients on demanding projects. Consultants hold meetings, present strategies, and interact with various stakeholders on a regular basis. Effective communication is key to maintaining successful working relationships.

Find out more about the skills needed to land a role in consulting, as well as job opportunities, salaries, and expert advice, by downloading our free Careers In Consulting Guide.

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‘It Feels Like I Am Screaming Into the Void With Each Application’

By Peter Coy

Opinion Writer

When I asked new college graduates last month to tell me about their job searches, I got back a ton of heartache. Unanswered applications. Lowered expectations. For some, a sense that college was a waste of time and money.

John York wrote that he was about to earn a master’s degree in mathematics from New York University. “I have submitted close to 400 applications. I have heard back from less than 40, all rejections,” he wrote. “I essentially cannot get any job, because there are no entry-level positions anywhere at all.” He has a patent, he passed the first-level exam for Chartered Financial Analysts and he’s getting his Series 3 license, another financial credential. Nevertheless, he wrote, “It is just so silent, it feels like I am screaming into the void with each application I am filling out.”

Mauricio Naranjo, who is seeking work as a graphic designer, wrote, “Over the past year, I have submitted more than 400 applications and consistently receive a response that appears to be A.I.-generated, stating that unfortunately, they have moved forward with another candidate who better fits their expectations. This is the exact phrasing every time. Very few respond, as most do not reply at all.”

“Exhausting. Utterly demoralizing,” wrote Beth Donnelly, who is graduating this month with a major in linguistics and minors in German and teaching English as a second language. “I’ve been searching since early August for full-time, part-time or internship positions after I graduate. I’ve started putting my ‘desired salary’ at $35,000 in hope that just one person will think, ‘Oh, I won’t have to pay this person a large wage, so they get a leg up in the hiring process.’”

I got some positive responses, too. Lucinda Warnke, who landed a job in journalism as a general assignment reporter, wrote: “I am optimistic and excited! I feel confident in my career trajectory and my ability to build a stable, satisfying career. The job I got out of school comes with a livable wage and benefits, so I can build savings in the event that I am laid off or have some other financially demanding emergency. I feel like I made a good investment in my education because I went to a school that was affordable and studied subjects that balanced my interests with my professional needs.”

A majority of responses were grim, though. That’s not too surprising, given that half of college graduates are underemployed a year after graduation, meaning that they are working in jobs that don’t require the degrees they earned, as I wrote in my April 29 newsletter.

There’s clearly something wrong when young graduates can’t find jobs at the same time that employers complain of not being able to find qualified workers. As of March, there were still fewer unemployed people than job openings, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In April the unemployment rate remained below average at 3.9 percent.

The responses I got aren’t a representative sample of all college graduates. It’s possible that unhappy people were more likely to write in. (I had to leave out some of the angriest and most dejected people because they didn’t want their names to appear.) Separately, my informal impression is that the people who wrote — happy or sad — were more likely to have attended a highly ranked school and to have graduated without student loans than the general student population.

Many students wrote that the jobs they were seeking or secured didn’t draw on what they learned in the classroom. “I will be using the skills I picked up in my data science minor, but nothing from my major (international relations),” Rain Orsi, a 2024 graduate, wrote. “A lot of the educational stuff could’ve been condensed to a 20-page PDF and I probably would be at the same knowledge level,” another student wrote. Jackeline Arcara wrote that if she had it to do over again, “I wouldn’t go to a four-year, fancy-pants school. I would take classes at a local college part-time and see where that takes me.”

Some students said that classroom learning was only part of what made college worthwhile to them. “College gives you four years to grow up — I have the maturity now to handle a full-time job. Before college, not so much,” wrote Caroline Lidz, who got a job in public relations after graduating in December with a degree in media studies and communications and a minor in art history.

Several said internships matter, a lot. “I wish I interned for a company outside of the school instead of being a research/lab assistant,” wrote Roger Vitek, who is graduating in June with a degree in product design and is still job hunting.

Economists have found that what you study in college is at least as important as where you study. As I wrote in my April 29 piece, there’s relatively strong demand for computer science, engineering, mathematics and math-intensive business fields such as finance and accounting.

But as I found out from the people who wrote in, that’s not always the case. Robert Vermeulen, a computer science major, wrote, “Out of the ~155 applications I haven’t had a reference on, I have gotten zero interviews.” Morgan Steckler wrote that he is looking for a software engineering or I.T. administration role paying at least $70,000 a year, but has had no luck so far. He said he’s thinking of bartending while continuing to send out applications. On the positive side, there are people like Warnke, who got a job as a reporter — not exactly a fast-growing profession.

As I read students’ responses, I had to remind myself that this is actually a relatively good year for finding a job. To a lot of members of the class of ’24, it doesn’t feel that way. Julia Brukx, who is graduating with a degree in history and art history, wrote, “I think I hit a new low just this morning when asked to write a cover letter for a retail position.”

Donnelly, the woman who described her job search as demoralizing, wrote: “I was told that if I was involved, active, kind, ready to learn, driven and intelligent, I would end up with a job out of college. This is evidently not true, and few older people seem to understand this.” She added, “I don’t have a backup plan besides working in the service industry.”

Elsewhere: Caps, Not Bans, for Short-Term Rentals

New York City’s Local Law 18, which was passed with the support of the hotel industry, tightens the rules on renting out rooms for less than 30 days. Supporters say renting rooms to tourists raises rents for New Yorkers. But an article published in Harvard Business Review by three scholars — one of whom used to work for Airbnb — calculates that Airbnb caused only about 1 percent of the aggregate increase in rents over the past decade or so. Hosts, guests and the businesses that serve them benefit. To keep certain neighborhoods from being overwhelmed by tourists, the authors recommend caps on how many nights per year a place may be rented out.

Quote of the Day

“The hedonistic conception of man is that of a lightning calculator of pleasures and pains who oscillates like a homogeneous globule of desire of happiness under the impulse of stimuli that shift him about the area, but leave him intact. He has neither antecedent nor consequent.”

— Thorstein Veblen, “Why Is Economics Not an Evolutionary Science?” (1898)

Peter Coy is a writer for the Opinion section of The Times, covering economics and business. Email him at [email protected] . @ petercoy

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Opponents say discipline is ‘Orwellian,’ ‘re-education’

New York University students who were arrested at a recent anti-Israel encampment must write “reflection” essays as part of their discipline, according to the campus Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine.

The university’s Office of Student Conduct issued the punishments last week for students who were arrested April 22 in connection with a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus, according to a news release .

The pro-Palestinian group referred to the disciplinary measures as “Orwellian” in the release.

One punishment, a five to six page “reflection paper,” must include “a clear, well-developed response that demonstrates that you have thought about all aspects of the issue/decision/behavior that resulted in your involvement with the Office of Student Conduct,” according to a university instructions sheet .

The instructions sheet states the paper “cannot serve to justify your actions, evaluate the actions of others, or challenge a conduct regulation.”

In the essay, students also must describe their personal values and consider how their actions affected other people, including the university and “society as a whole.” Additionally, the instructions tell students to consider what they need to do to “make things right.”

NYU is requiring other student protesters to write “dozens of writing assignments” through its Ethos Integrity Series Modules , according to the news release. The series is supposed to help students develop “moral reasoning” and “ethical decision-making skills.”

In addition to writing essays, some students were banned from campus and university activities, according to the group.

Middle Eastern studies Professor Sara Pursley, a member of the pro-Palestinian group, criticized the disciplinary measures in the news release.

“Since they can’t write anything justifying their action, students seem to be banned from writing about personal values that might be relevant here, such as a belief in freedom of expression, the responsibility to oppose genocide, or the duty of nonviolent civil disobedience under certain circumstances,” Pursley said. “This seems rather ironic in an essay on integrity.”

On X, conservative Princeton University law Professor Robert George said while he believes students should be disciplined for unlawful activities, NYU’s specific essay requirements are concerning.

“Students who engage in disruption, harassment, or other unlawful activities – no matter the cause they are seeking to advance – should be subject to disciplinary proceedings and appropriate sanctions, but they should not be subjected to thought reform or re-education,” George wrote .

Police in riot gear arrest dozens of NYU students and faculty who refused to leave a makeshift anti-Israel encampment in late April, The Fix reported .

Police said the protesters were arrested for “disorderly conduct” and unlawfully blocking traffic, according to the Washington Square News , NYU’s student newspaper.

MORE: Jewish NYU student kicked out of campus leadership post for opposing Hamas terrorism reinstated

IMAGE: Freedom News TV/YouTube

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Roger Corman: a career in pictures

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Best known for his low-budget Edgar Allan Poe adaptations, Corman also produced over 400 films and helped kickstart the careers of Jack Nicholson, Nicholas Roeg, Peter Fonda, James Cameron and Martin Scorsese

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Greg Whitmore

Sun 12 May 2024 08.59 BST Last modified on Sun 12 May 2024 22.07 BST

Photograph: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Day The World Ended, 1955

Photograph: Alamy

The Undead, 1957

Photograph: The Kobal Collection

Not Of This Earth and Attack Of The Crab Monsters, both 1957

Composite: Movie Poster Image Art/ Getty Images

Attack of the Crab Monsters, 1957

Teenage Doll, 1957

Photograph: Everett/REX Shutterstock

The Wasp Woman, 1959

Photograph: Moviestore/REX Shutterstock

The Fall of the House of Usher, 1960

The Little Shop of Horrors, 1960

The Pit and the Pendulum, 1961

X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes, 1963

Photograph: Public Domain

Tomb of Ligeia, 1964

The Masque of the Red Death, 1964

Composite: BFI

The Wild Angels, 1966

Photograph: Ronald Grant Archive

The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, 1967

Composite: REX Shutterstock/Alamy

The Trip, 1967

Photograph: Movie Poster Image Art/Getty Images

Bloody Mama, 1970

Composite: REX/Ronald Grant Archive

Photograph: Getty Images

Frankenstein Unbound, 1990

Composite: REX Shutterstock

Photograph: Michael Yada/Getty Images

Photograph: Victoria Will/Invision/AP

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What is ChatGPT? Here's everything you need to know about ChatGPT, the chatbot everyone's still talking about

• ChatGPT is getting a futuristic human update. 
• ChatGPT has drawn users at a feverish pace and spurred Big Tech to release other AI chatbots.
• Here's how ChatGPT works — and what's coming next.

OpenAI's blockbuster chatbot ChatGPT is getting a new update. 

On Monday, OpenAI unveiled GPT-4o for ChatGPT, a new version of the bot that can hold conversations with users in a very human tone. The new version of the chatbot will also have vision abilities.

The futuristic reveal quickly prompted jokes about parallels to the movie "Her," with some calling the chatbot's new voice " cringe ."

The move is a big step for the future of AI-powered virtual assistants, which tech companies have been racing to develop.

Since its release in 2022, hundreds of millions of people have experimented with the tool, which is already changing how the internet looks and feels to users.

Users have flocked to ChatGPT to improve their personal lives and boost productivity . Some workers have used the AI chatbot to develop code , write real estate listings , and create lesson plans, while others have made teaching the best ways to use ChatGPT a career all to itself.

ChatGPT offers dozens of plug-ins to those who subscribe to ChatGPT Plus subscription. An Expedia one can help you book a trip, while an OpenTable one will get nab you a dinner reservation. And last month, OpenAI launched Code Interpreter, a version of ChatGPT that can code and analyze data .

While the personal tone of conversations with an AI bot like ChatGPT can evoke the experience of chatting with a human, the technology, which runs on " large language model tools, " doesn't speak with sentience and doesn't "think" the way people do. 

That means that even though ChatGPT can explain quantum physics or write a poem on command, a full AI takeover isn't exactly imminent , according to experts.

"There's a saying that an infinite number of monkeys will eventually give you Shakespeare," said Matthew Sag, a law professor at Emory University who studies copyright implications for training and using large language models like ChatGPT.

"There's a large number of monkeys here, giving you things that are impressive — but there is intrinsically a difference between the way that humans produce language, and the way that large language models do it," he said. 

Chatbots like ChatGPT are powered by large amounts of data and computing techniques to make predictions to string words together in a meaningful way. They not only tap into a vast amount of vocabulary and information, but also understand words in context. This helps them mimic speech patterns while dispatching an encyclopedic knowledge. 

Other tech companies like Google and Meta have developed their own large language model tools, which use programs that take in human prompts and devise sophisticated responses.

Despite the AI's impressive capabilities, some have called out OpenAI's chatbot for spewing misinformation , stealing personal data for training purposes , and even encouraging students to cheat and plagiarize on their assignments. 

Some recent efforts to use chatbots for real-world services have proved troubling. In 2023, the mental health company Koko came under fire after its founder wrote about how the company used GPT-3 in an experiment to reply to users. 

Koko cofounder Rob Morris hastened to clarify on Twitter that users weren't speaking directly to a chatbot, but that AI was used to "help craft" responses. 

Read Insider's coverage on ChatGPT and some of the strange new ways that both people and companies are using chat bots: 

The tech world's reception to ChatGPT:

Microsoft is chill with employees using ChatGPT — just don't share 'sensitive data' with it.

Microsoft's investment into ChatGPT's creator may be the smartest $1 billion ever spent

ChatGPT and generative AI look like tech's next boom. They could be the next bubble.

The ChatGPT and generative-AI 'gold rush' has founders flocking to San Francisco's 'Cerebral Valley'

Insider's experiments: 

I asked ChatGPT to do my work and write an Insider article for me. It quickly generated an alarmingly convincing article filled with misinformation.

I asked ChatGPT and a human matchmaker to redo my Hinge and Bumble profiles. They helped show me what works.

I asked ChatGPT to reply to my Hinge matches. No one responded.

I used ChatGPT to write a resignation letter. A lawyer said it made one crucial error that could have invalidated the whole thing .

Read ChatGPT's 'insulting' and 'garbage' 'Succession' finale script

An Iowa school district asked ChatGPT if a list of books contains sex scenes, and banned them if it said yes. We put the system to the test and found a bunch of problems.

Developments in detecting ChatGPT: 

Teachers rejoice! ChatGPT creators have released a tool to help detect AI-generated writing

A Princeton student built an app which can detect if ChatGPT wrote an essay to combat AI-based plagiarism

Professors want to 'ChatGPT-proof' assignments, and are returning to paper exams and requesting editing history to curb AI cheating

ChatGPT in society: 

BuzzFeed writers react with a mix of disappointment and excitement at news that AI-generated content is coming to the website

ChatGPT is testing a paid version — here's what that means for free users

A top UK private school is changing its approach to homework amid the rise of ChatGPT, as educators around the world adapt to AI

Princeton computer science professor says don't panic over 'bullshit generator' ChatGPT

DoNotPay's CEO says threat of 'jail for 6 months' means plan to debut AI 'robot lawyer' in courtroom is on ice

It might be possible to fight a traffic ticket with an AI 'robot lawyer' secretly feeding you lines to your AirPods, but it could go off the rails

Online mental health company uses ChatGPT to help respond to users in experiment — raising ethical concerns around healthcare and AI technology

What public figures think about ChatGPT and other AI tools:

What Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and 12 other business leaders think about AI tools like ChatGPT

Elon Musk was reportedly 'furious' at ChatGPT's popularity after he left the company behind it, OpenAI, years ago

CEO of ChatGPT maker responds to schools' plagiarism concerns: 'We adapted to calculators and changed what we tested in math class'

A theoretical physicist says AI is just a 'glorified tape recorder' and people's fears about it are overblown

'The most stunning demo I've ever seen in my life': ChatGPT impressed Bill Gates

Ashton Kutcher says your company will probably be 'out of business' if you're 'sleeping' on AI

ChatGPT's impact on jobs: 

AI systems like ChatGPT could impact 300 million full-time jobs worldwide, with administrative and legal roles some of the most at risk, Goldman Sachs report says

Jobs are now requiring experience with ChatGPT — and they'll pay as much as $800,000 a year for the skill

Related stories

ChatGPT may be coming for our jobs. Here are the 10 roles that AI is most likely to replace.

AI is going to eliminate way more jobs than anyone realizes

It's not AI that is going to take your job, but someone who knows how to use AI might, economist says

4 careers where workers will have to change jobs by 2030 due to AI and shifts in how we shop, a McKinsey study says

Companies like Amazon, Netflix, and Meta are paying salaries as high as $900,000 to attract generative AI talent

How AI tools like ChatGPT are changing the workforce:

10 ways artificial intelligence is changing the workplace, from writing performance reviews to making the 4-day workweek possible

Managers who use AI will replace managers who don't, says an IBM exec

How ChatGPT is shaping industries: 

ChatGPT is coming for classrooms, hospitals, marketing departments, and everything else as the next great startup boom emerges

Marketing teams are using AI to generate content, boost SEO, and develop branding to help save time and money, study finds

AI is coming for Hollywood. 'It's amazing to see the sophistication of the images,' one of Christopher Nolan's VFX guy says.

AI is going to offer every student a personalized tutor, founder of Khan Academy says

A law firm was fined $5,000 after one of its lawyers used ChatGPT to write a court brief riddled with fake case references

How workers are using ChatGPT to boost productivity:  

CheatGPT: The hidden wave of employees using AI on the sly

I used ChatGPT to talk to my boss for a week and she didn't notice. Here are the other ways I use it daily to get work done.

I'm a high school math and science teacher who uses ChatGPT, and it's made my job much easier

Amazon employees are already using ChatGPT for software coding. They also found the AI chatbot can answer tricky AWS customer questions and write cloud training materials.

How 6 workers are using ChatGPT to make their jobs easier

I'm a freelance editor who's embraced working with AI content. Here's how I do it and what I charge.

How people are using ChatGPT to make money:

How ChatGPT and other AI tools are helping workers make more money

Here are 5 ways ChatGPT helps me make money and complete time-consuming tasks for my business

ChatGPT course instruction is the newest side hustle on the market. Meet the teachers making thousands from the lucrative gig.

People are using ChatGPT and other AI bots to work side hustles and earn thousands of dollars — check out these 8 freelancing gigs

A guy tried using ChatGPT to turn $100 into a business making 'as much money as possible.' Here are the first 4 steps the AI chatbot gave him

We used ChatGPT to build a 7-figure newsletter. Here's how it makes our jobs easier.

I use ChatGPT and it's like having a 24/7 personal assistant for $20 a month. Here are 5 ways it's helping me make more money.

A worker who uses AI for a $670 monthly side hustle says ChatGPT has 'cut her research time in half'

How companies are navigating ChatGPT: 

From Salesforce to Air India, here are the companies that are using ChatGPT

Amazon, Apple, and 12 other major companies that have restricted employees from using ChatGPT

A consultant used ChatGPT to free up time so she could focus on pitching clients. She landed $128,000 worth of new contracts in just 3 months.

Luminary, an AI-generated pop-up restaurant, just opened in Australia. Here's what's on the menu, from bioluminescent calamari to chocolate mousse.

A CEO is spending more than $2,000 a month on ChatGPT Plus accounts for all of his employees, and he says it's saving 'hours' of time

How people are using ChatGPT in their personal lives:

ChatGPT planned a family vacation to Costa Rica. A travel adviser found 3 glaring reasons why AI won't replace experts anytime soon.

A man who hated cardio asked ChatGPT to get him into running. Now, he's hooked — and he's lost 26 pounds.

A computer engineering student is using ChatGPT to overcome learning challenges linked to her dyslexia

How a coder used ChatGPT to find an apartment in Berlin in 2 weeks after struggling for months

Food blogger Nisha Vora tried ChatGPT to create a curry recipe. She says it's clear the instructions lacked a human touch — here's how.

Men are using AI to land more dates with better profiles and personalized messages, study finds

Lawsuits against OpenAI:

OpenAI could face a plagiarism lawsuit from The New York Times as tense negotiations threaten to boil over, report says

This is why comedian Sarah Silverman is suing OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT

2 authors say OpenAI 'ingested' their books to train ChatGPT. Now they're suing, and a 'wave' of similar court cases may follow.

A lawsuit claims OpenAI stole 'massive amounts of personal data,' including medical records and information about children, to train ChatGPT

A radio host is suing OpenAI for defamation, alleging that ChatGPT created a false legal document that accused him of 'defrauding and embezzling funds'

Tips on how to write better ChatGPT prompts:

7 ways to use ChatGPT at work to boost your productivity, make your job easier, and save a ton of time

I'm an AI prompt engineer. Here are 3 ways I use ChatGPT to get the best results.

12 ways to get better at using ChatGPT: Comprehensive prompt guide

Here's 9 ways to turn ChatGPT Plus into your personal data analyst with the new Code Interpreter plug-in

OpenAI's ChatGPT can write impressive code. Here are the prompts you should use for the best results, experts say.

Axel Springer, Business Insider's parent company, has a global deal to allow OpenAI to train its models on its media brands' reporting.

Watch: What is ChatGPT, and should we be afraid of AI chatbots?

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