Essay About Career Goals

It’s hard for me to come up with specific examples for why I choose to get a doctoral degree. In all honesty, it’s hard for me to come up with a reason that I went to college at all. I am the only member of my mom’s family to graduate high school. College was never talked about. When I graduated highschool, I went into the military. I knew I wanted something more than to take over my mother used car business, but I had no idea on what I wanted to do. I was medically discharged from the Navy, and then had to figure out what I wanted to do. I went to film school and didn’t like it. I then tried a semester in business, but it didn’t seem to fit my personality. I remembered a time when I tutored inner city kids in Chicago. I felt like that I was making a difference, so I decided to go to school for education. I walked into my first practicum, and haven’t looked back since. But, the question was “why am i pursuing this advanced degree?” Well it didn’t hit me until I was going for my masters degree. I was doing the work and it all seemed wrong. It seemed like what I was learning was going to hurt education, not help it. I decided then, that I would go further and try to change the trend. That technology is supposed to be a tool, not the end all. That if we make kids relient on technology it was going to kill their problem solving skills, their coping skills, and their personal relation skills. I also want to educate teacher on how to use technology to enrich

I had to figure out what I wanted to do with my career, because I do not want to work as a certified nursing assistant for the rest of my life. I remembered that my best friend is attending classes in social work. So, I decided to ask her more about that field. As she was telling me all the great benefits of being a social worker, I grew more interested in wanting to take classes. So, this is where I am at now. I started taking social work classes during fall semester of 2016. As I learned more about what I can do in this profession, I grew to love it even more. I learned that I will have all of my classes done by next spring, and I can move on to a bachelors program at another

Working in the social services field was always my dream. Whether working with children, family, adults, elderly etc. this career path is so broad it instills the hope of a career opportunity. My first year working in this field was in 2010 when I interned as an intake specialist in an outpatient drug treatment facility, while completing my bachelor’s degree in human services. Thereafter, I was able to branch off in various areas such as a case manager at a domestic violence shelter, housing specialist, substance abuse counselor and now a family services specialist.

One of the greatest pieces of advice that I have received is that if you do something that you love, you will never work a day in your life. It took me changing my major three times to find what I am truly passionate about. After I changed my major to child and family studies I enjoyed learning everyday and applying what I learned from class into the real world. The knowledge that I obtained through my classes assisted me through my experiences as a nanny, a student worker for the department of child and family studies at Tarleton, and lastly through my internship at Gladney Center for Adoption this past summer. I had thought about pursuing a MSW since I switched to child and family studies. The few social work classes I was enrolled in have been some of my favorite material. Ultimately my internship through Gladney and my passion for adoption led to my final decision to pursue a masters in social work.

I can say that being a social worker was never in my plans. I started from Liberal Arts, because I wasn’t decided on my career choice. I took almost all courses, when I got an advice from one of my friends to try Health Information Technology. I gave it a chance and I didn’t realize how time flied by and I graduated. My dream always was to work with children. When I graduated and took my internship, that was the time, when I understood that I made the wrong choice. I needed to search for another career, because I understood, that it would not be what I meant. My father is physical therapist and he gave me and advice to think and to do some research about Social Worker. This time, I did the most research that I could, in order to not repeat my mistake again. I instantly knew, that this what I needed. All over the world, there is and will always be abuse. That’s the reality of it, but now I’m studying for Social Worker here at Lehman College, because I would like to be working toward changing a child’s reality one day, I am changing my knowledge every time I come to class, and changing my life one step at a time. I believe that it all starts with me, and while I may not be able to save the whole world, I will be able to save and help at least small part of it. I currently work in the family practice as a receptionist. My best days are those when I able to help people and provide them with all the information needed. Every day is different.

Of the many classes that I chose to take, my two favorites were an English course and Health course. I may want to be a K-9 Officer, and these have few things in common with that career goal, but they were my favorite courses because of the professors who taught the course. Janice (Meredith) Privott for the English course, and Matthew Harpold for the Health course. These two teachers helped push me to better myself in almost every way. Mrs.Privott helped me on a personal level with stress and trauma; from her support she made me a much stronger person. Mr.Harpold helped me with my self-esteem, he took the time to help me when I needed it, even when I wasn’t in his class, just as Mrs.Privott did.

Majoring in Human Services/Social Work has always been a dream of mine. I have always wanted to help people who are in need. Life can definitely be rough, and can throw anything at any time, even when you aren’t expecting it. Whether it be financial problems, emotional problems, or mental problems, life can begin to take a toll on people. In particular, I am leaning towards working with children or adults who have mental health issues or have problems with substance abuse. With the possibility of possibly helping people who come from broken families or homes.

My passion for social work originated in my senior year of undergraduate school. During my senior, year my single, adoptive mother had passed. A couple of months following her death, I found myself homeless. I had just turned 18 and I was a jobless high school student sleeping from couch to couch. During this time of my life there was one individual who supported me. The high school social worker was a strong support for me. I didn’t have any family support and thus fell on hard times. A college professor once told me that people who choose social work as a major do it because that had someone in their life who influenced them to become a social worker. If that person wasn’t in my life, my personal growth would have differed completely. It was at this point that I realized it only takes one caring individual to hugely impact someone 's life for the better. To be that person to someone else is my highest aspiration in life.

The decision to pursue my education in social work at Dalhousie University was not an easy one. While I was growing up, my career choice changed all of them time, but I always knew that I wanted to do something fulfilling, in which I could “help” and support people. My mom was a nurse and always loved helping people; I always figured I would follow in her footsteps, however I learned at an early age that sciences do not come easy to me. Unfortunately, my mom lost her battle to breast cancer when I was eight years old, so I hope that by me helping people socially, rather than medically like she did, will continue her legacy.

Social work is a career that finds and chooses you, rather than you selecting it. Social work has always been an immense portion of my life even when I had no recollection of what social work entailed. My life revolved around so many situations that had a social worker stepped in, my life would be totally different than it is today. Many individuals and agencies lack the compassion and empathy for oppressed people. Having been in many circumstances, has given me the experience and background that influenced me to go into social work, as well as the understanding of my role and responsibilities that I will assume as a professional social worker, and my reasons for selecting the program at ASU School of Social Work and thoughts on how the Mission Statement addresses my career goals.

As I continue with social work, I developed an interest working with children and youth in a school setting. Eventually, I switched my major and was probably the toughest decision I had to make. Studying social work as an undergrad at Humboldt State helped me find who I am and what I want to become. I found a sense of belonging by developing a perspective of my own struggles while growing up. I realize how common systemic oppression affects not only me, but everyone around me. Understanding systemic issues, knowing the barriers that people face first hand, encourages me to want to work hard to fight against inequality.

So where to start? What drives you to do what you do? I like to start by picking an interest of mine, googling it to find the true meaning of the thing I am interested in and then going from there. About a year and a half ago I was reading a book called A Piece of Cake: A Memoir by Cupcake Brown. I was truly moved by this book and the struggles this woman went through from being put in foster care, joining a gang, selling drugs, her ins and outs of rehab centers. Through all this she eventually worked out her troubles and became a successful lawyer. It amazes me to this day is by far one of my favorite books. After reading how the social workers really helped her turn her life around I looked up what one was and saw all the different areas of study they could be in. I looked for days researching all the fields there were and the job opportunities available. I looked at all the schools close by to see who had a social work programs and who didn’t. I knew this was what I wanted to do but I wasn’t sure I could do it. Finally, I took a leap and made an appointment with an adviser. We talked through a plan and I applied for the school that night. After writing an appeal I got in and have done extremely well since. What I researched a year ago, has stuck true even through the personality and interest assessments I have taken for this class and others.

My purpose for seeking to pursue a doctorate degree is to enhance my knowledge of theories, research methods and assessment as it relates to psychology. More specifically, I would like to fine tune my skill set of executing varying concepts and techniques derived from theoretical discourses applicable to my work as a Psychologist and in so doing, obtain credibility within the field and among colleagues. I also believe, like Abraham Maslow in his theory of Human motivation, in becoming a lifelong learner and achieving intellectual self-actualization. I felt like my esteem needs were met through completion of a Master’s degree and am now compelled to aspire towards higher study; thus doctoral pursuit. Through my journey in completing a Master’s degree in Counseling psychology, I acquired internship experience and continue to obtain a wealth of firsthand experience within the human services field from years of working with students with behavioral, emotional, and social problems.

In this essay I will identify the reason I want to continue my education through Spring Arbor University. I am currently a registered nurse in an emergency department and have been for almost 6 years. I have been in charge of the unit many times and have enjoyed teaching others. I would like to advance my degree for multiple reasons. The primary reason is that a Master’s degree is distinguishable and shows commitment to the field of nursing. Furthermore, it shows dedication and motivation of an individual to complete a degree that only about ten percent of nurses are able to accomplish.

Also, in my past there has been instances that have drawn me to the field of social work. I have had a few family members who have had several different issues dealing with drugs, abuse, and their children being placed in foster care. In one case I took one of the children into my home and my parents took three children into their home. Every family has some different situations, but these incidents have opened my eyes to many new things. This is one of the reasons I feel social work would be a good fit for me. I enjoy helping others build themselves up and make a better life for them and their families. It is a blessing to be part of a team who helps families, children, and groups in need. Helping children get out of bad situations is one of the most rewarding jobs you could ever have in life.