Develop Your Personal Career Mission Statement

[Monirul Islam]

Almost every major company has a mission statement. A mission statement is a short, descriptive statement of the common objective and focus of the organization. It is their purpose for existence.

In developing your personal career focus, take the time to prepare your personal career mission statement. It will help you in crystallizing your vision of who you are and where you want to go in your career. Keep your career mission statement limited to no more than two sentences and no more than thirty words. Begin your statement with the words, "My personal career mission is..." and finish with qualifying words and phrases to describe your mission. Following are some examples:

"My personal career mission is to become a world-class aeronautical engineer in the commercial aviation industry."

"My personal career mission is to gain experience in the public accounting field toward earning my CPA designation."

"My personal career mission is to master the leading Web development tools and become a best-in-class Web Developer."

Your personal mission statement should be tightly focused toward the first three to five years of your career. You can give specifics about the job type and/or industry, as appropriate. This personal career mission statement will form the foundation of your career focus and will guide you toward successful completion of your entry level job search. The material developed here will be utilized again in the development of your resume and cover letter, in interviewing, and in all future job search contacts.

A mental conception of your personal career mission statement is not enough. You must write it down on paper. Then tape it up on your wall—ideally, where you can see it every day. Or, better yet, on your bathroom mirror, so you see it and review it each morning. And if it needs to be changed or modified over time, continue to make changes. But keep your career mission statement in sharp focus in your mind. As you zero in on your larger goal, your short-term goals will also become clearer.

Source: https://collegegrad.com/jobsearch/job-search-prep/develop-your-personal-career-mission-statement