An article about where an English Major can take you

(Excerpts from Linwood, E. Orange, English, The Preprofessional Major, 4th ed. 1986. Compiled by Professor Barrett Fisher)

It should be of considerable comfort to English professors to know that the emphasis they place on written and oral accuracy, on clear and logical organization in shorter compositions, on the gathering of information through research on the careful organization and documentation of written reports, on comprehending, interpreting and analyzing literary material, and on rewriting to achieve more effective expression is hardly misplaced and numerous letters and notes supplementing the above information underscored this point. Typical of these are the remarks of William Austin, president of Gaffers and Sattle, Incorporated, a subsidiary of Magic Chef:

To sum up, a successful executive should be able effectively to analyze and interpret information. . . and most important, be able to communicate effectively. A solid background in English grammar, composition, and literature is a great help in developing these abilities.

Nor is the type of student who makes A's and B's not only in literature but in all college courses merely an academic drudge; rather, it is this student who has the intellectual capacity, the mental discipline, and the interest catholicity that big business especially prizes. And the reason is obvious. Few college graduates are adequately trained for their jobs when companies first risk hiring them. Unless the employees have the capacity to learn to be trained, they are of no use; further, unless they can adapt themselves to changing situations such as transfers from one phase of a company's operation to another, their hopes of future promotion are badly jeopardized and the likelihood of their joining the ranks of the "floaters" greatly increased.

Looking beyond these attributes, a number of business executives observed that the study of literature contributes something else that not only enables English majors to compete with business administration majors for managerial positions but gives them a distinct advanage: a basic understanding of human nature, essential in making sound management decisions. Richard Hankinson, personnel director of Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Iowa, wrote at length on this point, astutely observing that

Understanding is convertible to action and understanding requires almost "gut" level feeling. How do you teach this to managers? I think that one answer lies within literature, for literature is the only vicarious source of the feeling and understanding that comes through identification and introspection.

And he added this intriguing note:

Sometime, in the not too distant future, we are going to experiment with a course in management development based on literature. I can't help feeling that any individual who is capable of dealing with Anderson's concept of the "grotesque" in Winesburg, Ohio or who is capable of understanding the source of desperation in Willie Loman and the course of his ultimate destruction will be more effective. Too many times our managers understand only the theoretical basis of behavior without understanding the way it may affect the individual. I think the study of literature may overcome some of this handicap.

Similarly, Harris Shane, vice-president of Pullman, Incorporated, commented:

The study of literature is the study of human behavior. One can look upon some novels as case studies. I recall pondering at some length on the question raised in Arrival and Departure of whether motivation should be evaluated in judging a person who has behaved superbly. The English major has probably done more thinking about why people act as they do than a major in any other subject.