I’m a college freshman and I’m afraid that I won’t find a job?
Question by Skittles-Dark Edition: I’m a college freshman and I’m afraid that I won’t find a job?
I’m an English major and I’m thinking about minoring in either marketing or advertising. After reading about how hard it is for an English major to get a job, I’m terrified. I can’t go six months and years after graduating without any source of income. I’d need at least 30,000 a year just to break even. I’d have loans to pay back, a sister to help get through school, and a sick mother to care for.
Any advice?
Best answer:
Answer by Kate
1. Stop freaking out, you are 3+ years away from worrying about this.
2. If you are unemployed, you can defer your student loan payments.
3. Consider teaching. Teachers always have work and it is a good use of an English degree.
4. Get a job. If you had a part-time job when you graduated, it could tide you over until you found a permanent job.
5. 30k/yr is not a high starting salary and having an English degree does not mean you will struggle to find a job. It isn’t as employable as computer science or nursing, but if you get work/intern experience and keep your GPA above 3.0 you should be fine.
What do you think? Answer below!
June 2nd, 2011 at 9:59 am
As unfortunate as the job market may be, you may consider changing majors to a field with strong hiring potential. Research jobs within healthcare as it is one of the few fields with growth potential.
Another field with groth potential is accounting. If you enjoy crunching numbers, becoming a CPA could pay you much more than the 30k per year you seek.
June 2nd, 2011 at 10:00 am
pray! and believe that you’ll be fine. If this is what you feel you need to do then do it. Consider getting a masters degree to insure better job placement.
June 2nd, 2011 at 10:50 am
First, the horror stories you read about English majors — are they ever substantiated by broad research and facts, not anecdotes? Have you ever seen a study saying “95% of English majors don’t have a job within six months”? Of course not. People pick on English degrees so much, but the reality is, they’re perfectly employable and respectable, and any professor in your department can tell you all about the many different great jobs recent graduates have gone on to hold. So stop reading the hyperbole and calm down.
Yes, the job market for everyone right now is bad, but it’s important to remember that it’s cyclical. The market might continue to be bad all while you’re in college, and then when you graduate, it might suddenly be fantastic. You never know. So panic over things you know for sure, not things you just imagine might happen.
English majors are some of the most sought-after degree-holders in fields like marketing, public relations, policy, research, analysis, editing, publishing, lobbying, public advocacy, communications, and law. Some of the skills employers look for the most are the very things English majors develop the most — literacy, critical thinking, analysis, persuasion, and so on. When I earned my Associate’s with an English focus, I got job offers in communications and research analysis right off the bat, and that was just with an Associate’s — think about how much more valuable a Bachelor’s is today!
And also look at it this way — how many people have jobs and *no* degree? I have a sister who makes $80,000 in management with nothing above a high school diploma. Yes, college education is increasingly important in the job market, but more important than that is your *skills* and what you personally can bring to the table for an employer.
Life has a way of always working out somehow, even if it requires a lot of hard work. Doing what you love is one of the main keys for continuing to move ahead. If you love English, stick with English. Would it hurt to tack on a minor? Of course not, and either marketing or advertising could possibly be great fits for you. But do what you love, don’t panic over what *might* happen, and trust in your advisers that you’re doing the right things and that you *will* get a job eventually. I can pretty much promise you that you’ll be just fine.
I completely understand the fears you have about how you’re going to be able to care for yourself and others — I went through the same thing as a college student — but again, things work out. Just give it time and keep your chin up.
June 2nd, 2011 at 10:52 am
You’re quite right to be afraid. English majors are near the end of the line for employment opportunities. This is especially true right now and for the foreseeable future.
An English Major is good education for its own sake, but you have a duty to be a productive employable citizen first — especially because you have family duties. The study of English literature can follow later, when you are economically secure.
You need to change your Major quickly, to something useful. The choice is yours, but as a start you might look at the degrees and Majors listed below. They are part Business/Management, and part some Technology of your choice.