Careers for English Majors
English majors develop valuable skills!
“The Liberal Arts may ultimately prove to be the most relevant learning model. People trained in the Liberal Arts learn to tolerate ambiguity and to bring order out of apparent confusion. They have the kind of sideways thinking and cross-classifying habit of mind that comes from learning, among other things, the many different ways of looking at literary works, social systems, chemical processes, or languages.”
-- Roger Smith, former CEO of General Motors, as quoted by the American Association of Colleges & Universities in the Winter 2009 edition of “Liberal Education.”
The National Association of Colleges and Employers Job Outlook 2010 survey listed the following “Top Qualities/Skills” desired by employers, many of which are inherent in English majors:
1. Communication Skills
- Facilitated group discussions...
- Detailed accurate information...
- Delivered engaging presentations...
- Summarized plans concisely...
2. Analytical Skills
- Strategically considered options...
- Interpreted data to back up...
- Surveyed target audiences...
- Validated through trend research plans to...
3. Teamwork Skills
- Collaborated with colleagues to...
- Fostered a culture of... in the team by...
- Participated as member of...
- Built trust within team to accomplish...
4. Technical Skills
- Engineered new unit...
- Installed hardware...
- Programmed customized IT solution...
- Integrated systems...
5. Strong Work Ethic
- Businesslike
- Dependable
- Flexible/adaptable
- Productive
Career Options for English Majors
- Account Executive
- Actor/Actress
- Administrative Assistant
- Administrator
- Advertising Copywriter
- Analyst
- Artist
- Associate Editor
- Attorney
- Author – Fiction/Non-Fiction
- Bank Officer
- Biographer
- Book Critic
- Business Manager
- Circulation Assistant
- City Manager
- College Professor
- Columnist/Commentator
- Comedy Writer
- Communications Director
- Communications Manager
- Communications Specialist
- Congressional Aide
- Copy Editor
- Copywriter
- Corrective Therapist
- Creative Writer
- Critic, Art/Book
- Crossword Puzzle Journalist
- Curator
- Customer Service
- Customer Service Representative
- Desktop Publisher
- Director
- Documentation Specialist
- Editor, Film/Video
- Editor, Magazine
- Editor, News
- Editor, Newspaper
- Editor, Publications
- Editor, Writer
- Editorial Assistant
- Education & Training
- Educational Program Specialist
- Elementary School Teacher
- Entertainment Agent
- ESL Teacher
- Fashion Merchandiser
- Foreign Correspondent
- Freelance Writer/Consultant
- Fundraiser
- Greeting Card Writer
- Hearing Officer
- High School Teacher
- Hotel & Motel Manager
- Human Resource Specialist
- Human Service Practitioner
- Humorist/Comedian
- Information Abstractor
- Insurance Agent
- Interior Designer
- Interpreter & Translator
- Investment Counselor/Manager
- Labor Relations Specialist
- Lawyer
- Legal Assistant
- Legal Secretary
- Librarian
- Literary Agent
- Loan Officer
- Lobbyist
- Magazine Writer
- Management Trainee
- Managing Editor
- Manuscript Reader
- Market Research Analyst
- Marketing Coordinator
- Marketing Specialist
- Marketing Writer
- Mass Media Assistant
- Media Planner
- Medical Records
- Narrator
- Novelist
- Online Marketing Content Writer
- Paralegal Assistant
- Paralegal/Legal Assistant
- Personnel Manager
- Playwright
- Poet
- Politician
- Probation And Parole Officer
- Product Manager
- Proofreader
- Property Manager
- Public Administrator
- Public Relations Specialist
- Public Speaker
- Publications Editor
- Publicity Assistant
- Publisher
- Publishing Assistant
- Radio-TV Commentator
- Radio-TV Newscaster
- Reading Consultant
- Reporter
- Research Assistant
- Researcher/Pollster
- Retail Sales
- Sales Representative
- Sales/Service Manager
- Scientific Writer
- Script Reader
- Senior Editor
- Singer/Voice
- Social Welfare Examiner
- Social Worker
- Special Events Coordinator
- Speech Writer
- Sports Writer
- Stockbroker
- Talent Agent
- Teacher (All Levels)
- Technical Consultant
- Technical Writer
- Training Specialist
- Translator
- Underwriter
- Video Scriptwriter/Producer
- Writer
