So, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about the future . . . and I'm trying not to drive myself and others nuts by spouting off a bunch of "what ifs". But here's the thing.
I've been thinking about jobs. Jobs are important, but they're not careers. I already have a career goal (to be a published author), but I'm reevaluating the job goal. The main reason for this is that *ahem* I don't make much money where I'm at. Granted, it's a lot more money than I've made previously, but if I ever want to buy a house or have kids, I'm going to need to be bringing in a tad more to live comfortably.
So, on to job search. And I start humming "What can you do with a B.A. in English?" Answer: nothing. Actually, the answer that usually pops up is SALES. If I'd wanted to be a salesperson I would have gone to school for it, mmkay? I honestly loathe trying to sell people things (even if I am good at it--I was a successful tele-marketer at one time). Plus, I REALLY want to do something with my degree. That's why I got it, people!
So what do you do with a B.A. in English? Go back to school and get an MAT (Masters of Art in Teaching). This thought actually makes me panic a little. Why? Number 1: Graduate school is HARD. Number 2: Graduate school is EXPENSIVE. Number 3: Graduate school is TIME CONSUMING.
1 and 2 I can deal with, but it's the time consuming part that I'm worried about. Sometimes I feel like there's never enough time in a day to do everything I want, so if I heaped a pile of school work on top of that . . .I probably wouldn't get to sleep. And I like to sleep. Really.
And then, there is no way I could quit my job and still afford the bills. Even if I worked part time somewhere else. I could always just go to school part time, but I've heard that part time in Grad School is the same as full time.
Sigh. The scales are pretty even right now, though. It's not tipping one way or the other. I shall marinate on this (and other worrisome details in my life) for a while. :)
Oh, man. I wrote an enormous response and it got eaten. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteOkay. Short version. I have an English Lit degree as well. I've worked as a proofreader, copy editor, newsletter writer, website quality assurance analyst, and a web analytics analyst. I got my start in the marketing field, which I recommend, particularly if you have any interest in copywriting. Check out your local marketing firms to see if they have a need for proofreaders on staff. It's a good place to start, but be aware that it might not be the most secure. I found out the hard way that proofreaders tend to be the first to get laid off.
Second, I would recommend web writing as a focus. Websites are HUGE business (we all know this, right?) and most larger companies have dedicated web teams. Another good place to check. You don't need to have a technical background to write for the web; you just need to be willing to learn web writing best practices.
Third, think about an analytical kind of job. English Lit degrees teach you how to think critically, which is a skill I put to use in my current role as a web analytics analyst. I analyze website usage data and try to figure out why users are doing what they're doing. It's challenging and fun, and I really enjoy it. It's not for everyone, but a job that uses similar skills might be a good fit (like a business analyst, or an information analyst, something like that).
Good luck with figuring this out, Brandi! Now's the time to do it, that's for sure.
I'd like to say it'll all work out, and you made the right choice, but...
ReplyDeleteI'll call it a "different" perspective. Most call me a pessimist--or a jerk--but I know a lot of people with English degrees working in factories. And the problem with factory jobs besides the mind numbing tedium and feelings of worthlessness from pushing the same button or the rest of your life) is that they're pretty much gone in this country. I worked one a long time ago that paid well, and the set schedule was nice. But those eight hours S-U-C-K-E-D.
Jenn's been able to put her degree to good use, so her suggestions would be a good starting point. Though she's intelligent and analytical enough on her own merits; not sure the degree necessarily helped her that much.
I had so many people tell me how talented a writer and speaker I was all through my school years. I'd be a hell of a salesman, at the very least. Went to a business college and tons of sales courses. Now I'm the world's scariest looking secretary.
Lol. Thank you guys for your advice. I'm still trying to figure this out, but it's on the back burners. The MAT is looking pretty good with the whole summer vacation and snow days and all that...ah, snow days. Those used to be so fun. When you work for a newspaper, they don't exist. (Get to work or ELSE.) Makes me sad.
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