What is An English Major to Do?

The first question you’re likely to get when you tell anyone you are studying English is: “What are you going to do with that?”

While you might respond defensively, listing all the skills you are gaining and the careers that utilize them, underneath all the bluster, you know the truth: You have absolutely no clue what you are going to do with your English degree.

Fortunately, you’re in luck as it’s true that English majors have plenty of opportunities in the job market. In fact, many employers are eager for English majors, familiar as they are with the importance of soft skills. If you aren’t so certain where you will go after you graduate, consider the following top career paths for English majors.

Writing

Considering that writing is roughly half of what you do in an English undergraduate program, you should graduate with exceedingly well-developed writing abilities. In truth, good writing can be applied in any career; most employers are eager for workers who have a strong grasp of written communication.

However, if you want writing to be the beginning, middle and end of your job, here are a few career options for you:

Journalist

Though print publications are languishing, journalism continues to thrive online. Though journalistic writing style is slightly different to the academic style you learned in undergrad, you can still apply your writing and research skills to this career.

Book Editors

Book editors are often the most popular choice for English majors because they help produce the great works of fiction and non-fiction that graduates study in school. There are at least nine types of editors working in publishing houses, from editors-in-chief who determine what types of books an imprint will publish to proofreaders who look for last-minute mistakes before printing.

Teaching

Whether due to the proliferation of technology or mismanaged education, American children aren’t learning to read and write as well as they used to.

The field of teaching is as large and varied as writing and editing, so you can experiment to find the exact field for you. You might enjoy teaching elementary levels, teens in high school or young adults in college; you might prefer to teach subjects besides English, like history, psychology or speech.

You might even want to devote your attention to students hoping to learn English as a second language. You might need additional training and licensing to follow these paths — for example, for the latter career, you should look into TESOL master’s programs — but if you are attracted to a teaching career, this effort will be worthwhile.

Practicing Law

Most careers in the legal field rely heavily on skills gained in English degree programs. Lawyers and paralegals spend most of their time researching and writing, which is what English majors do every semester. The only difference is the material: While English majors generally toil inside works of literature, legal professionals work with legal documents, which are notably different in structure and content. Fortunately, training for this field will help you translate your skills; you only need to choose what legal career path is right for you:

Legal Assistant

Legal assistants assist lawyers and other professionals within a law firm. Often, their duties include organizing and obtaining important documents, collecting information from clients and scheduling meetings, depositions and similar events. Though legal assistants do not require any formal training, most have familiarity with the legal field through shadowing and internships.

Paralegal

Paralegals are almost like junior lawyers. By law, paralegals are not allowed to give legal advice to clients, but they can prepare documents and develop legal strategies alongside attorneys. Often, paralegals are paid more for their unique skill.

Lawyer

English majors are some of the most common applicants to law schools because their skills translate so well into the legal profession. English majors also tend to score highest on the LSAT, the law school admissions exam, and out- perform other attorneys in their chosen fields. While you attend law school, you should consider which path in law is right for you, so you can hit the ground running after you get your juris doctorate (J.D.)— the degree necessary to practice law.

See also: Writing Your Dissertation | Soft SkillsCritical Thinking Skills | The Skills Gap

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