What You Can Do With An English Major

 A career in English is ideal for a liberal-arts student with problem-solving, creative thinking, management, and communication skills. These functional transferable skills combined with specific content knowledge in an area of specialization are extremely marketable in today's market.

Contents: Writing/Editing/Journalism Library Publishing Education Public Relations More Information
"We do keep looking ahead to things as if they'd finish something, but when we get TO them, they don't finish anything. They're just part of going on."      ~Booth Tarkington, Alice Adams

Writing/Editing/Journalism

Job Titles: Freelance Writer Editor Journalist Reporter Technical Writer Critic
Potential Employers: Newspapers Magazines Publishing Houses Periodicals
Strategies: Gain writing experience with on-campus publications Develop a portfolio of writing samples Intern at a newspaper or magazine Strengthen writing and communication skills

Library

Job Titles: Librarian Information Specialist Document Analyst
Potential Employers: Historical Societies Schools Public Libraries Law Firms Businesses Churches
Strategies: Pursue a graduate program in library and information science Volunteer at a local library to familiarize yourself with programs and databases Consider a minor in history Work part-time in a library to gain experiece

Publishing

Job Titles: Publisher Editorial Assistant Circulation Specialist Advertising/Publicity Coordinator
Potential Employers: Publishing Houses Newspapers
Strategies: Gain experience on campus with print production Intern at a publishing house or newspaper Show written communication skills by creating a portfolio Consider minor in business

Education

Job Titles: Teacher Professor
Potential Employers: Public/Private Schools Universities ESL Centers
Strategies: Gain Licensure for your state (k-12) Pursue a graduate program in an area of interest Work as a TA for a professor to learn more about teaching

Public Relations

Job Titles: Trainer Publicity Coordinator Advertising Agent Media Liaison Speechwriter Interviewer Translator Press Representative Convention Coordinator
Potential Employers: Businesses & Corporations Government Agencies Political Groups
Strategies: Consider a Minor in Communications or Media Communications Obtain an internship in the area of your choice Conduct an informational interview to learn more about working in public relations.

More Information

English Employment Web Sites General Career Exploration Website: http://online.onetcenter.org For current employment websites, try keywords like "journalism employment" in an online search engine.
Professional Associations The Authors Guild Writer's Guild of America Modern Language Association Modern Humanities Research Association Society for the History of Authorship, Reading and Publishing Association of American Publishers National Press Club National Federation of Paralegal Associations

 For more information or assistance with an internship, graduate school, choosing a major or the job search process, an appointment with a Career Counselor in the Office of Career Services can be made by calling (651) 638-6460, or by stopping by CC322.