Career Advice for English Majors

As an English major, you need to think about career options to be fully prepared to seek a job or professional study upon graduation. The study of English involves training in reading, writing, research, and critical reasoning, but as a liberal arts degree English does not lead directly to a specific occupation. To make a degree in English translate into an occupation, you need to acquire additional skills and experience. The early exploration of career options allows you the opportunity to participate in experiential learning opportunities, such as internships, that let you "try out" career areas while acquiring practical experiences. Early exploration of career areas also helps you to identify and to develop specific skills necessary to the fields that interest you. Computer skills, for example, are essential in the world of work today, and an English major with foresight will take computer classes. Students interested in pursuing careers in business should take business-related courses and should consider taking business writing to practice the genres of writing peculiar to business.

The primary key to increasing the marketability of an English degree is to plan for your career well in advance of graduation. Knowing what career area you want to pursue and focusing your attention on acquiring the skills and experiences needed for that career will increase the marketability of your degree in English. This web page is intended to guide you to the resources you need to help you think about your career options and begin preparing a plan of action.

Career Advice   |   Graduate School Advice  |  For English Graduate Students

Career Advice for English Majors
What can I do with an English major? Lots of things. Students preparing for careers in teaching, law, business, management, museum administration, public relations, advertising, sales, research, government service, technical writing, professional writing, and editing have found English studies very beneficial.

Resources  |  Possible Careers  |  General Advice  |  Societies and Organizations  |  Job Search Links

Resources
There are a number of great career resources on the web.

America's Job Bank lists over one million jobs in all categories. This is a great resource not only for job seekers but for those thinking about career choices.

Occupational Outlook Handbook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, this handbook is updated every two years and offers current descriptions and projections for a number of careers. It's worth perusing not only for salary estimates but for the variety of careers it describes.

The Princeton Review: Careers offers wonderful articles and links describing the different careers that might interest English majors and how you should prepare for them while you are in school.

Advice for English Majors
A number of schools across the country have put together useful advice for English majors.

"Careers in English and Writing Arts" from SUNY Oswego

"Famous English Majors," by Mississippi State University's Department of English

Societies and Organizations

American Journalism Review

Investigative Reporters and Editors

Public Relations Society of America

STC

Job Search Links
The following web sites are a great place to start if you are looking for a job right now.

Advertising and Media Jobs Page of NationJob Network

American Journalism Review JobLink for Journalists

Authorlink Writing Jobs and Market Tips

The IRE Job Center for investigative reporters and journalists

Jobs in Journalism from Louisiana Tech

Northgate Journalism Job Bank

Graduate School Advice for English Majors
Many students graduating with a B.A. in English choose to pursue graduate studies. But what subject should they study and where should they go to school? Here are some useful links to help you decide.

English  |  Technical Writing  |  Composition  |  Professional Schools

Graduate School in English
Should I go to graduate school in English? The short answer is, "look before you leap!" The job market in English is quite troubling.

The English Job Market

"The Crisis in the Academic Job Market," by David Sherwin & Katherine Perry, offers a stark view of why the academic job market is not likely to improve any time soon.

"English Ph.D.s find jobs scarce," By Molly S. Delano from The Daily Hampshire Gazette (11/9/99)

The MLA Committee on Professional Employment by Sandra Gilbert, et al., was released in 1997 but its findings are still valid.

For English Garduate Students
Though this site is intended mostly for undergraduates, we include here links to advice for graduate students.

http://publish.uwo.ca/~mjones/ACCUTEGrad.html

"Academic Job Application Checklist," by Mary Corbin Sies

"Academic Job Interview Advice" by Mary Corbin Sies

"Before the Job Market: Building Those Credentials," by Dennis Allen offers advice to people pursuing the PhD in English on how best to prepare for the rigors of the market.

The Chronicle of Higher Education Career Network for English

J. Hillis Miller, "Studying English Literature in the Transnational University," Surfaces (Vol. 6. 204: 01/12/1996)

"The MLA Job Information List: Guidelines and Advice for Job Candidates" from the MLA

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