As all jokes go, three friends were sitting outside on a Monday, discussing their job outlook after college.
One friend was working at a job that had nothing to do with her college degree.
Another friend was working at Banana Republic, even though he graduated with a four year degree in three years.
And one friend, with a Master’s degree, couldn’t find a paying job, so she took on an unpaid internship to bide her time.
…except there’s no punchline. Because this isn’t a joke. This is just how finding a job outside of college is going thus far.
For various reasons–whether it be location, degree, initiative, motivation, or resources–none of my friends can find a job they are happy with outside of college. We’re all over-qualified or under-qualified for positions.
This evening, I have spent hours scouring over Careerbuilder and Careerbuilder wannabes, yet none of the customer service specialist positions or ENTRY-LEVEL MANAGEMENT TRAINING FOR TARGET positions interest me.
Thus far, my degree in English feels like a gateway drug to more education, because being able to read, write, and analyze seems to be getting me nowhere.
Whoa! Look out, world! This girl can read things! I feel like I might as well have never gone to college…and I would still be qualified for my current, “high school education required,” nursing home activities assistant position.
If anyone can find a job that actually works with their major and pays, please let me know that there is still hope out there. Keywords: PAYS good money AND relates to your MAJOR.
-The Boxcar Children
I’ve got 1 out of 2 of those…
I’d rather have the money, though
“Thus far, my degree in English feels like a gateway drug to more education….” Honestly, that is just what a degree in English is. We learn the foundation of our chosen field (literature, rhetoric, linguistics, etc.) in college, but to really get anywhere, we have to go back for a MA or (in my case, later) a PhD.
I told you once what I do: I’m a writing coach (www.slcc.edu/cwc). How did I find this “part time doesn’t pay over $10/hr and requires me to have a second job, but the experience I’m gaining in teaching workshops, coaching writers on every form of written “thing” will get me seriously far in grad school” job of mine? I was looking for volunteer opportunities that related to English, editing, writing, proofing, etc.
It’s true, job outlooks for English Majors who don’t intend on teaching middle/junior/high school well…suck. But they are out there.
Monster has shown me jobs proofing/editing for ad companies, tutoring English, etc. The jobs are there. Yes, many want “x” amount of experience, but at the same time, it’s also about how you sell yourself on your resume and cover letter.
Don’t give up my Humanities major blogging friend: There is hope. While you search and pine for fulfillment, think of this:
The US has come to prefer specialization over creativity and flexibility. Just look at all the computer science majors, science majors, business majors, etc. One day the world will realize that it needs and misses the humanities major (aka YOU) and will come crawling back, begging you to help save it from itself.
Then, you and all other humanities majors shall arise and reclaim the glory that was once ours, and will lead the US into a new era of enlightened thinking, exploration, serious questioning, etc.
(PS: this is how I get myself through 4+ hours of shelving books everyday. Believe me, it works!)
Yeah, except, I’m not exactly sure that’s going to happen for the English major specifically. Maybe also if you’re a journalist, or maybe if you’re sociologist (because they can tell you very useful things such as the optimum number for a committee is 5 persons), or maybe if you’re a psychologist. But unless you’ve doubled or at least dabbled in these other fields, I think the English major will be SOL forever.