Writing an essay on a certain career or vocation is similar to writing essays on other subjects; the only difference is that the subject of this essay will be on a certain type of career or profession. Formulating a research question or thesis statement is an important part of writing an essay of any kind.
Thesis Statement
Before beginning to draft an essay of any kind, it is important to draft a thesis statement that will guide your paper. For example, if you were writing an essay on the benefits of being a doctor, your thesis could read "Medical doctors enjoy many professional perks, but by far the best things about being a doctor are the lives you save, the people you help and the lessons you learn." This thesis statement will help you to organize your thoughts and research the given vocation and its benefits.
Research
Unless you are working in the field you are writing the essay about, you will have to conduct some research. There are several different sources that talk about various vocations so there is no lack of information. Pay particular attention to the validity of your sources. Try to use primary sources as much as possible, perhaps a current career professional or scholarly article about the vocation. Steering clear of less than stellar references, such as personal opinions in an online forum, will make your essay more credible.
Supporting Details
While your thesis statement is the skeleton that provides structure to your essay, the body paragraphs and supporting details are the flesh and sinew. Using the sources from your research, flesh out your paragraphs with relevant facts and evidence. For example, in the thesis example on doctors, the first body paragraph in your essay might be about the lives a doctor saves because this is the first detail mentioned in the thesis. Citing examples and statistics of how many lives an average doctor saves in the course of his career would be an effective supporting detail.
Conclusions
Just because you’ve clearly addressed each point of your thesis and crafted effective body paragraphs doesn’t mean you’re done. Many students skimp on conclusions and leave readers dissatisfied. Use your conclusion to wrap up any loose ends you created in your essay as well as mention any further issues raised as a result of your research.
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Writer Bio
Stacy Alleyne is a certified English teacher with a BA in English and graduate work in English, education, journalism and law. She has written numerous articles and her own dining column for the "Gazette."