Real World Writing Prompts

📄 Professional & Practical Writing Prompts

1. Write a Professional Email
   Prompt: Email your academic advisor or a college admissions rep to ask questions about a program you're interested in. Include a subject line, greeting, and signature.
   
   

2. Create a Resume
   Prompt: Write a one-page resume highlighting your education, work/volunteer experience, skills, and interests. Tailor it to a specific job or internship you're interested in.
   
   

3. Compose a Cover Letter
   Prompt: Write a cover letter for a part-time job or entry-level position related to your career interest. Explain why you’re a good fit and what makes you excited about the opportunity.
   
   

4. Write a Thank-You Note
   Prompt: After a mock or real interview, write a thank-you email or letter to the interviewer. Be specific about what you appreciated.
   
   

✏️ Reflective Writing Prompts

5. Why This Career?
   Prompt: What drew you to this career? What are you excited about, and what worries you? How does this career match your personality, strengths, and values?
   
   

6. A Letter to My Future Self
   Prompt: Write a letter to yourself five years from now. Where are you? What have you accomplished? What challenges did you overcome?
   
   

7. What I Learned from My Budget
   Prompt: After building your budget, write a short reflection. What was hardest to plan for? What did you have to sacrifice? What did you learn about yourself?
   
   

8. The Job I Didn’t Pick
   Prompt: Choose a second career you researched but didn’t choose. Explain why it wasn’t the right fit for you, and what still appealed to you about it.
   
   

🗣️ Persuasive or Argumentative Writing Prompts

9. Should Everyone Go to College?
   Prompt: Write an argument for or against the idea that all high school students should go to college right after graduation. Use real-life examples.
   
   

10. Is a Gap Year a Good Idea?
    Prompt: Should students take a year off before starting college or a career? What are the pros and cons?
    
    

11. Trade School vs. 4-Year College
    Prompt: Compare two paths to the same career—one via trade school, one via traditional college—and argue for which is the better fit for you and why.
    
    

🧠 Creative or Scenario-Based Writing Prompts

12. A Day in the Life
    Prompt: Imagine it’s 10 years from now. Write a journal entry or narrative describing a typical workday in your chosen career. Include your routine, tasks, and how you feel.
    
    

13. Job Interview Role-Play
    Prompt: Write out a Q&A style script between you and a job interviewer. Include 5 common interview questions and your answers.
    
    

14. Career Change Reflection
    Prompt: It’s five years into your career and you’re considering a change. Write a personal journal entry or email to a mentor about why you’re thinking of switching paths.