English majors what do you do now?

[Anonymous]

Communications director at a nonprofit. I love my job, and I truly believe in our mission. Pay is $125,000 with good benefits.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone taught English classes as an adjunct? I have a master's in English but a different career and think I would enjoy teaching like 1 class a semester.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a communications director at a large university.

I didn't expect a degree to get me a job. I hustled and was the managing editor of my student paper and wrote freelance articles for magazines, wire services and newspapers while in college. I got a newspaper fellowship and apent a summer working for a major paper.

When I got to DC, I got a job as the assistant editor of an alumni magazine based on the quality of my writing clips. I continued to freelance and to tutor in English to save money. Working at a university, I got tuition benefit for my master's degree. I stayed in universities, but did not stagnate in one job; I moved through units and changed institutions when I needed to.

I never thought for one minute that degree = job. I have always made it about gaining experience after experience and making connections.

What an unimaginative and self-congratulatory approach to career path with an English degree.

[Anonymous]

Unnecessarily gotchu p.p.

[Anonymous]

Husband is a high school English teacher in DC; best friend is a librarian.

[Anonymous]

Run a property management firm.

[Anonymous]

Photography

[Anonymous]

Lawyer

[Anonymous]

Hedge fund.

[Anonymous]

Double major - English and political science - I do policy analysis as a Fed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:English BA from a big state school. First: technical writer. Then later: a great job as a software tester and software support rep. Much later: law school and became an attorney. I have relied on my English degree in every position as a result of the critical thinking skills, analysis and writing abilities, and language knowledge that the degree provided.

OH dear Lord. All of the English major attorneys I know are the worst. None of them have a sense for business or practicalities of the real world. If you want to be a con law professor, cool, but stay away from counseling clients.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone taught English classes as an adjunct? I have a master's in English but a different career and think I would enjoy teaching like 1 class a semester.

Yes. I did that 15 years ago. Pay is beyond awful. You would make more as a waitress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Librarian. I'll never be rich but I have good job stability, reasonable workload, and have a sense of accomplishment for helping people each day. Requires a Master's degree but it's not as onerous or expensive as many graduate degrees.

This is so important and nourishing.

--Fellow librarian

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:English BA from a big state school. First: technical writer. Then later: a great job as a software tester and software support rep. Much later: law school and became an attorney. I have relied on my English degree in every position as a result of the critical thinking skills, analysis and writing abilities, and language knowledge that the degree provided.

OH dear Lord. All of the English major attorneys I know are the worst. None of them have a sense for business or practicalities of the real world. If you want to be a con law professor, cool, but stay away from counseling clients.

No one cares about your useless anecdotes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Librarian. I'll never be rich but I have good job stability, reasonable workload, and have a sense of accomplishment for helping people each day. Requires a Master's degree but it's not as onerous or expensive as many graduate degrees.

This is so important and nourishing.


--Fellow librarian

+1 from another librarian, who was a business major of all things!