{"id":15810,"date":"2019-02-12T15:30:33","date_gmt":"2019-02-12T20:30:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bsu.edu\/english\/?p=15810"},"modified":"2019-05-18T10:46:59","modified_gmt":"2019-05-18T14:46:59","slug":"bsuenglishworks-whats-in-a-degree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bsu.edu\/english\/blog\/2019\/02\/12\/bsuenglishworks-whats-in-a-degree\/","title":{"rendered":"#bsuenglishworks: What’s in a Degree?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Marisa Sloan<\/p><\/div>\n

By Marisa Sloan<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Welcome<\/a>\u00a0back to our careers class, English majors!<\/p>\n

So now that we\u2019ve established that you need to find what you<\/em> want from a career rather than mold yourself into one, it\u2019s time to address the obstacles to finding that fulfillment.<\/p>\n

There is no linear path<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n

Whether you\u2019re relatively early in your college career or graduating soon, it has probably struck you that English, like many degrees in the humanities, does not provide a linear career path. Our job title is not in the name of the degree like it is in, say, criminal justice or computer science. This ostensible lack of direct application creates an extra challenge in selling ourselves to employers, who want an immediate articulation of what candidates can do (and how those skills benefit those who are hiring).<\/p>\n

STEM majors get spared a lot of discouragement. After all, if you went to medical school you would probably never have an interviewer skeptically ask why you majored in biology. You also wouldn\u2019t have to deal with grimacing relatives trying to caution you against becoming a starving novelist (hint: you won’t be<\/a>), or pursuing a \u201cuseless\u201d degree.<\/p>\n

Before everyone starts phoning their academic advisor, chew on this: 75% of people with STEM degrees do not work in a STEM profession<\/a>. Why is that?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s because your degree does not define you. Your personality and skillset are much better indicators of how you will be successful in your profession. Let\u2019s examine some of the reasons why such a reality goes unacknowledged.<\/p>\n

The abstract and the practical<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n

As abstract thinkers, we find it hard to distill our degree down to specific business objectives. If an employer is looking to hire a data analyst experienced in financial systems, they might not be moved by the value of your literature studies in which you consider the ethical concerns of intersecting technology and finance in Western culture. Granted, you could respond in turn that English majors are among the best researchers with a demonstrated ability to think analytically.<\/p>\n

But the point is that sometimes you have to work harder than a STEM major to market your skills, despite having vibrant stories to tell.<\/p>\n

As an English major, your practical skills are contained within high-level thinking. Consider the following personal and professional qualities:<\/p>\n