These prompts for writing on careers will surely provide you and your students with a starting point for all of your work-related expository essays. Most students have a dream of what they’d like to be when they grow up – so use that dream to get your middle school and high school students writing about careers and work!
→ Writing Prompt 1: You always knew you were going to be an attorney when you grew up. Both of your parents are lawyers as well as two of your uncles. You’ve spent years training for what you thought was your dream job. And lucky you, right after graduation you landed a pretty good job with excellent pay, which is good because you have student loans to pay off. But guess what? Now that you’ve actually started working at a law office, you hate it. You hate getting up each day to go to work. What do you do?
→ Writing Prompt 2: What do you think would be better for you in a career? To be well-known or well-liked? Do you think it makes a difference depending on the type of career?
→ Writing Prompt 3: A hundred years ago, there were no auto mechanics, but there were plenty of blacksmiths to make horseshoes. Now there is less of a need for blacksmiths and a great need for auto mechanics. Can you think of another job that will probably be virtually obsolete in a hundred years? What type of jobs do you think there might be in the future that don’t exist now?
→ Writing Prompt 4: Think of the ideal job for you when you grow up. Now think of reasons why this would be a good job for you. Write an essay to explain why this is your ideal job.
→ Writing Prompt 5: You have a chance to pick one among these four career choices: Kindergarten Teacher, Athletic Trainer, Veterinarian, or Landscape Architect. Pick the one you feel would be best suited for you and write an essay explaining why.
→ Writing Prompt 6: It’s “Career Day” at your school, and your classmates want to know about different occupations. Choose a job that interests you and write a report about it.
Prompts for Writing on
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Prompt 7: You saw a help wanted ad for a job that is perfect for you. Write a letter to the hiring manager explaining why you are right for the job.
→ Writing Prompt 8: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average person has ten different jobs before age forty. Yet when you start college, you are expected to know with certainty what career you will choose. Which do you think is better? Should you go to college knowing what you want to do without a doubt, or should you work a variety of jobs until you find one that suits you best and then take courses for that career; even if it means delaying college for a while?
→ Writing Prompt 9: Human Resource Managers are employed in nearly every industry. Among other things, they typically oversee the recruiting, interviewing and hiring of new staff. Write a letter to a company that is seeking to hire a Human Resource Manager explaining why you would be an ideal candidate for this position.
→ Writing Prompt 10: You have the chance to be the first student astronaut to explore another planet. Would you accept the job? Give reasons why or why not.
→ Writing Prompt 11: You got a summer job working for your neighbor, but after three days he fires you! Was it because of something you did? Are you embarrassed or relieved? What will you tell your parents? Write a short story about being fired from a job.
→ Writing Prompt 12: There are some careers that are dangerous. Believe it or not, fishing workers and loggers have a statistically more dangerous job than firefighters or police officers. Yet any one of those jobs could lead to death in the wrong circumstances. What do you think compels someone to work in a dangerous job? Do you think it’s for money, prestige, or perhaps the thrill of cheating death on a daily basis? Write an essay explaining your point of view.
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→ Writing Prompt 13: Think of a career which would be an asset to your school, your community, or society as a whole. Write an essay explaining why the work is important and why it would be beneficial.
→ Writing Prompt 14: Some people enjoy solitary jobs, like being a medical researcher or a writer. Others like to work in jobs where there is a more social setting, such as teachers and office workers. Which would you prefer and why? Write an essay explaining your choice and back up your decision with examples of why the job would work best for you.
→ Writing Prompt 15: You’ve always liked insects. You find them endlessly fascinating. Write an essay on the type of career you mind find if you want to work with bugs!
→ Writing Prompt 16: You must decide on a future career right now. Your choices are either a job where you will make a lot of money, but will never be happy in your work, or a job that pays very little, but brings you great joy and satisfaction. Which job would you take and why?
→ Writing Prompt 17: Do you have a favorite hobby? Is there a job related to the type of hobby you enjoy? Is there a career related to the hobby that you enjoy that you’d like to do?
→ Writing Prompt 18: Close your eyes and think of what your ideal job would look like. Would it involve travel? Or do you see yourself working in an office environment with colleagues? Or are you someone who thinks you’d do better working alone? Write an essay describing the idea job for you.
→ Writing Prompt 19: Write about five careers you know you would dislike.
→ Writing Prompt 20: Write about five careers that would bring you joy.
→ Writing Prompt 21: List three skills that you have. How can these skills help you in the career you would to have?
→ Writing Prompt 22: Most young people think of traditional jobs when they think of career opportunities. But there are a lot of careers that are not traditional (such as Park Ranger, Wedding Planner, Zookeeper, Makeup Artist, Social Media Manager, Acupuncturist) that can be satisfying. Do you think you are one of those people who would like an unusual job? If so, what type of job appeals to you?
→ Writing Prompt 23: People who work in forestry are called foresters. Among other things, they grow and harvest trees for their wood and play an important role in conservation efforts to protect our ecosystem. Write an essay explaining why you would be well suited for this job.
→ Writing Prompt 24: Aeronautical engineers help design vehicles that fly within the Earth’s atmosphere, such as airplanes, helicopters, gliders, etc. Astronautical engineers, on the other hand, work on projects that involve space exploration, such as rockets and satellites. Choose between one of these two career paths and write an essay explaining your choice.
→ Writing Prompt 25: You are in charge of promoting a jobs fair that your local town is sponsoring. Write an essay describing the marketing and promotional methods you would use to attract candidates. Be as creative as you’d like.
