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What can I do with a Major in.... English ?
A degree in English reinforces the discipline of effective oral and written communication skills, which is the foundation for any career.
Before you begin to look at the different types of opportunities available to English majors, you must look at yourself and ask yourself a few basic questions:
What am I good at?
Understand your major strengths, skills and accomplishments. Some examples of skills and qualities employers look for are:
Ability to express ideas in writing
Command of grammar/vocabulary
Good listening skills
Analytical
Articulate
Work well under pressure
Decision making
Concentration
Attention to detail
What do I like to do?
Examine your interests. What kind of life style do I want to lead? Examine your values...is money what you're after, job security, challenging work?
If you are having trouble answering these questions, you are not alone. Make an appointment with an advisor in the Career Center. We want to help you!
POSITIONS
Once you know yourself, you are ready to decide where and how you want to apply this knowledge.
A bachelor's degree in English and the appropriate skills and/or experience can lead to positions as:
Research assistants
Reporters
Proofreaders
Editorial assistants
Market researchers
Media selection assistants
Manuscript readers
Public relations representatives
Management trainees
Sales representatives
Human resource assistants
Fund-raisers
Technical writers
Copywriters, etc...
Experience in the field or an advanced degree could lead to certain positions in:
Teaching
Management
Library Science
Speech Pathology
For information on graduate schools, consult Peterson's.
EMPLOYMENT
Typical places of employment are:
Scientific journals
Advertising agencies
Publishing companies
Book clubs
Universities/schools
Magazines
Newspapers
Public relations firms
Corporations
Government
Financial institutions
Associations
Non-profit organizations
Retail
Insurance
Real estate
LEARN MORE
To help you decide which area to pursue you must do in-depth research into each area of specialization and/or industry you have an interest in.
St. John's University Department of English
English Career and Job Resources on the Internet
Talk to people in the field, talk to your professors, write to and/or join one of the following associations:
American Newspaper Publishers Association, The Newspaper Center 11600 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA 22091 (703) 648 - 1000
Association of American Publishers 71 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10003 (202) 255 - 0200 www.publishers.org
American Association of Advertising Agencies 405 Lexington Ave. New York, NY 10174 - 1801 (212) 682 - 2500 www.aaaa.org
Places to begin
Join the Career Centers COACH Program
The Occupational Outlook Handbook
Great Jobs for English Majors, Julie DeGalan & Stephen Lambert
American Association of Higher Education, 1 Dupont Circle, Suite 360 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 293 - 6440 www.aahe.org
For additional lists of Associations consult the Encyclopedia of Associations. |