Ten Ways to Use Your English Degree

In tight economic times, it is always tough for new college graduates to find jobs. Some people blame "liberal arts" majors for studying "useless" fields. However, English is not a useless major. Here a ten ways to put your English degree to work.

1. Write. You control the means of production. As long as you have a brain and a writing implement, you can produce a salable product. Get into the habit of writing something every day. Get the "Writer's Market," read writing magazines, and find markets online and in traditional print media for your writing. Your freelance writing will result in pay, experience, and a body of work for your resume. When you find a traditional employer, you can write for your industry or professional niche and become recognized as an expert.
2. Edit. As an English major, you have written more than most people. You have also edited more papers than most people. You can put that experience to work editing written materials in the office. A business should be able to count on you to create readable e-mails and other documents.
3. Speak. If you can write well, there's a pretty good chance that you can speak well. If you are an English major, consider polishing your presentation skills through Toastmasters International. It's a good way to make connections in your local business community and pick up low cost public speaking and leadership certifications for your resume. The ability to speak well and give presentations is valued in many professions from project leaders to politicians.
4. Teach. If you have an English degree, add a teaching certificate and pursue opportunities as an educator. A teaching position can get you steady pay and benefits while you work on your great contribution to literature.
5. Go to law school. If you want to earn real money, you might consider law school. An English degree is excellent preparation for law school. You'll already have the reading abilities, writing abilities, and analytical acumen that you need to succeed as a lawyer.
6. Pursue other graduate education. When you choose a liberal arts major, you must understand that you are choosing to become literate, learned, and well-rounded as a human being. Additional schooling may be required to set yourself apart from the pack. Either drive on to earn your Ph.D. and become a professor or earn an advanced degree in something marketable.
7. Learn something technical. As an English major, I was brought into IT before the H1B visa worker became the first choice. I was able to gain technical expertise and have been relatively marketable for twenty years. The IT world is full of English majors working as business analysts, software testers, business process analysts, web designers, and data analysts.
8. Lead. An English major might make a good project manager. The volume of paper work that accompanies any business or government endeavor is staggering. An English major is well positioned to write proposals, project justifications, statements of work, requirements documents, test plans, status reports, change requests, user manuals, and lessons learned documents.
9. Adventure. English majors make the best adventurers because they can write about their exploits. So by all means sail around the world, venture to Antarctica , climb a mountain, grapple with terrorists, or journey to the bottom of the sea. Just write about your adventures when you return.
10. Make Your Own Job. English majors are about vision and creativity. Add some business acumen, stir, and start your own company. If you do, your degree will support you in writing business plans, writing advertising copy, and blogging to publicize your fledgeling company.

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