Job Options for the Liberal Arts Degree
by Peter Vogt
Monster member Lisa writes:
Hello. I'm graduating in May and I keep getting that terrible question from my relatives: "What are you going to do with a degree in English?" I always make some flippant comment about working in a fast food place, but deep down I really am worried. I have no idea what I want to do.
My minor is technical writing and I truly believe that I have gained some marketable skills in those classes. However, I still don't feel that I have found my niche in a particular field. Even saying that I am in "communications" is extremely vague.
Since I am open to just about any career possibilities, I find it very hard to know where to begin to look for a job after graduation. There are so many opportunities out there, and I feel like I'm getting lost because of my lack of a particular focus. The career office on campus hasn't been much help, and all of the recruiters that they bring in want business and computer science majors. Does anyone have suggestions on where to start a more general job search? And what can English majors do besides teach?
Monster Career Coach Peter Vogt replies:
Hi, Lisa. I think I can convince you that you have many more opportunities in the job world than you might realize, given your background!
It's tough getting that "What are you going to do with an English major?" question, though, isn't it? (My undergrad degree is in mass communications, and I got similar questions from my family and friends.) But from now on when you do get this question/comment, try to avoid the "flippant" response about working in a fast food place, etc. It may feel like a quick way to answer the question at the time, but deep down it can only hurt you -- in great part because you can start to believe it if you say it enough times, even if you're only kidding.
Contrary to popular belief, English majors (especially those with technical writing skills, like you) have many opportunities in the world of work. Think about all the things you see every day that someone had to write. There are jobs behind all of these writings.
What can an English major do besides teach? Off the top of my head, he/she can:
- Work as an editor, editorial assistant, publicity person or marketing/advertising person for a book publishing company or a magazine/newspaper publishing company.
- Work as a public relations/communications coordinator for a nonprofit organization. (Someone has to write all those "save the whales" brochures, newsletters, and web site materials. Is there a cause you believe in strongly? If so, maybe there's a nonprofit organization behind that cause that could use someone like you for its communications efforts.)
- Become a writer for any of the growing number of content-oriented Web sites out there focusing on specific products, services or issues. (Check out Monster.ca's job listings using terms like "writer" and "editor" to see what some of these jobs are about.)
- Write technical materials for computer software and hardware companies and other companies that develop technically oriented products and services. (Goodness knows there are enough poorly written "help" manuals out there -- an English major could write manuals that are readable and, more importantly, actually helpful!)
- Write marketing/advertising copy for a company's products and/or services. Someone has to write the copy for the ads you see on TV and in print. Someone has to write the copy for each of the ads in the Yellow Pages.
Wherever you see words, there are opportunities for writers like you.
In defense of the career services office at your school, you should understand that at most schools, business and computer science majors dominate the on-campus recruiting schedules. Does this mean that companies don't want other majors, like English majors? Emphatically, no!
It simply means that when it comes to filling positions in computer-related fields and business fields like finance, accounting, etc., it's just more cost-effective for companies to use on-campus recruiting. They use different methods for filling other positions -- like those that would appeal to you and your fellow English majors.
So even if you don't get much out of on-campus interviewing, see if the career services office can help you in other ways -- perhaps by including you in its "referral program," which will allow the office to "refer" you to employers that say they're looking for English majors for certain positions.
In a nutshell, Lisa, you've got some exploring to do -- which can be scary and fun at the same time. Just remember that there are many opportunities out there for you, if you look for them. Simply follow the words you see in your everyday life -- because behind all of them are jobs for people like you.
I hope this helps. Write again if you have other questions. Good luck!