ENGLISH
WHO CAN I CONTACT FOR HELP?
For career and job-related information:
Kate Whetman
Career Services Counselor
kwhetman@sa.utah.edu
801-585-5032
350 Student Services Building
Make an appointment with me to talk about pursuing jobs, fine-tuning your resume, perfecting your interviewing skills, and negotiating the best possible salary.
Academic advising is available through Janet Hough, 3500 LNCO, 581-6168, janet.hough@english.utah.edu
WHAT CAN I DO WITH ENGLISH?
- What Can I Do With This Major? (Information)
- What Can I Do With This Major? (Links)
- Who Hires Our Grads?
TYPICAL CAREER PATHS:
- It is a myth that English majors can only teach, so only choose teaching if you love it. English on the secondary level is a very “safe” job, because no matter how tight budgets become, in high school everyone has to take English every year!
- Where business owners used to refuse to interview English majors, they now often seek them out. The communication skills, both verbal and written, that you acquire as an English major are a tremendous asset to any organization. There is actually evidence to show that liberal arts and/or humanities majors climb the corporate ladder faster than business majors. Why? Because the liberal arts education teaches flexibility, willingness to try new things and embrace change as a positive force…essential, really, in today’s business world.
- Writing for a living can be very rewarding, and depending on the employer, and what you are writing, lucrative as well. Technical writing jobs run the gamut from part time, low pay to full time and substantial pay. This is a field where you need the patience to take it slow and demonstrate what you can do, while climbing the ladder.
- Publishing covers a lot of territory: books, magazines, newspapers, web, etc. Plan to study up on all these areas and the nuances within each area. Publishing fiction is very different than publishing text books. There’s also a big difference between working for Gibbs Smith Publisher and Random House. Similarly, there’s a big difference between Salt Lake Magazine and City Weekly. Consider an internship (probably unpaid) to get an insider’s view of what these jobs are really like.
READ:
Writing is a very solitary business. Ironic, really, when you consider that most of us read to know we’re not alone. Immerse yourself in the works of good writers who share their own triumphs and tragedies of the writing experience. Here are just a few of my favorite authors who write on the writing experience.
- Natalie Goldberg
- Anne Lamott
- Brenda Ueland
FAQs:
I don’t have much writing experience. How can I beef up my resume?
- Consider asking a nonprofit organization if you can prepare a brochure or newsletter for them. This is a win-win situation; they get something useful and you get practice and a resume item that can be listed as both a writing project and a volunteer experience.
What unique challenges do I face in my job search?
- Although English majors have the skills for a wide variety of jobs, it can sometimes be a challenge to convince an employer who hasn’t thought about including English on the list of qualified majors. This is where a good cover letter can be invaluable. Here you can get very specific in showing the links between the job description and your skills.
What is the difference between a resume and a curriculum vitae (CV)?
- A resume is a one-page overview of your skills and accomplishments. Short, incomplete sentences (throw out everything you know about sentence structure!) are used to convey essential points without going into great detail. Because of the brevity of the resume, each word must pack a punch. Utilizing good design tools is essential here to keep your reader’s eye moving down the page. Resume readers generally give a resume 20 seconds (!) to draw them in.
- A CV is easier to write because you are encouraged to include everything and in great detail. Particular emphasis is given to academic accomplishments, research publications, presentations, and affiliations. A CV is typically required only for applying to graduate programs and/or seeking jobs in academia or research.
What about graduate school?
- A bachelor degree in English is a great stepping stone to graduate school. The polished communication skills you acquire with this degree are wonderful assets. A clear, concise writing style is very important to selection committees. They know how much research, note taking and writing is involved with any graduate program. They will be looking at your personal statement for style as well as content.
How do I choose a graduate program?
- The Career Services Library has one entire bookcase devoted to information on graduate programs. We have study guides for the GMAT, GRE and LSAT tests. For an overview of every accredited graduate program in the nation, check into the 6-volume Peterson’s Guide to Graduate Programs. Whether you are considering an MBA or law school, the career library is an excellent resource.
- Here is a short list of opportunities (fellowships, etc.) for gifted writers:
National Endowment for the Arts
Literary Arts, Inc.
University of Iowa’s Writers’ Workshop
Fine Arts Work Center, Provincetown, MA
Bunting Fellowship, Mary Ingrahm Bunting Institute, Radcliffe College
Guggenheim Fellowship
Are there student or professional associations where I should be getting involved?
- Directory of Writer’s Associations
- University of Utah English department Student Advisory Committe
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE AND INTERNSHIPS:
- Offer your services up free of charge and there’s no end of opportunity! Like internships, volunteerism can offer you a true hands-on, close-up view of what a specific job is like. Volunteering need not be a huge time commitment to be a great resume item. If you could benefit from upper division elective credit, read all about our internship program to see if it’s right for you.
RESUMES:
- There are two basic formats for resumes. The more traditional is the chronological, which lists your education and work experience (with job duties outlined) in reverse chronology. With liberal arts majors (that’s you!) there tends to be such an eclectic mix of experience and interests that an employer reading such a resume says, “Wow! Great stuff…but where do I fit in?”
- For this reason, I often recommend the functional/targeted format. This allows you to focus on certain skills and accomplishments while de-emphasizing or ignoring items that do not relate to this particular job search. Check out these sample resumes and then come see me so we can fine tune your resume to make sure it shows you in the best possible light. Sample resume for English majors
TIMELINE CONSIDERATIONS:
Freshman
- Sign up with UCareerLink at http://careers.utah.edu. This will give you access to both student and career job listings and put you in the loop for occasional emails.
- Attend student employment fairs to connect with employers hiring part time.
- Come see me! We can talk about future plans and academic emphasis.
Sophomore
- Consider taking the Career & Life Planning class (Ed Psych 2610).
- Start considering your first internship.
- Attend career fairs to get a broader picture of employers who hire our students.
- Join student groups and volunteer (great resume items!)
Junior
- Start in-depth career exploration and do information interviewing.
- Continue to attend fall and spring career fairs.
- Do your first internship for credit.
- Start working on your resume.
Senior
- Consider a second internship.
- If you are interested in business positions, start interviewing here in our office with both local and national employers. They often hire up to a full academic year before graduation.
- Let me know the minute you secure your job! Our goal is to turn you into a statistic.
LINKS:
SEE ALSO:
- Our home page is spilling over with invaluable information. Just a few topics to consider: information interviewing, cover letters, interviewing preparation and thank you letters.
“The writer’s way is rough and lonely, and who would choose it when there are vacancies in more gracious professions, such as, say, cleaning out ferryboats?”
~Dorothy Parker
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