Jobs for English Majors

... but words aren't words any more. Yeah, you might not be able to top surgeons and anesthesiologists minting over $200,000 a year, but then, an English major is happier putting words to life page by page, rather than arguing about the chronic pain conditions of a patient - not that ensuring a patient doesn't feel pain throughout the surgery isn't a pursuit worthy enough. Those having read Shakespeare and William Wordsworth know the importance of reading comprehension skills, and have attained enviable scores in global competitive exams. Today, don't ask, what can I do with English Majors. Ask, what skills and talents do I have. That will work for you. Swear. So, whether you dream of becoming the next Paulo Coelho, or see yourself working in a multinational company as a technical writer, this article does instigate you to do something with your life. There isn't a scarceness of good career options for English majors. Here's proof.

Best Jobs for English Majors

Every job does require some focused study, training, and classes. Well, so do the following. Explore the best careers meant for those pursuing a major in English, and grab them with both hands. All you require is the skills, talent, and lots of determination. Take a look.

Paralegal/Legal Assistant
Now you'll wonder how does being an English major make you a successful paralegal? Well, as is known, English majors are exposed to a wide range of literary formats and styles that makes them, well, quite creative in their research techniques, analysis of situations, and most importantly, written and communication skills. Now, it's time to bring these skills into use in supporting attorneys, by reading legal texts, and then, preparing legal documents and reports required for assessment. English majors outperform many professionals in the field of law because of the enhanced sense of detail they possess while they're preparing important documents. Well, a great pay scale is an obvious thing.

Advertising and Public Relations
So, what does an advertiser do when things go wrong? He employs a critical thinker who turns the tables by his wise words and builds better public relations again. On the other hand, in a world where words play such an important role in advertising a product, there isn't an individual better than an English major who not only writes well, but conveys the message perfectly too. Mass communication and advertising just look for a single opportunity to hire creative thinkers who add life to every product by making it work with their super choice of words. Advertising and Public Relations are fields that pay enormously to those who work according to their company's whims and fancies, and satisfy them.

Technical Writing
There's a reason I didn't list writing first. The reason was just to get you acquainted with fields that focus more on critical thinking than on grammar and punctuations (gleams). Well, technical writing seems to be the field for English Majors, considering the growing need for manuals, installation guides, scripts, facts, and pieces of writing that a consumer is easily able to understand. Not only this, a technical writer may work for giant MNCs by producing reports, documents, white-papers for records. Sectors such as construction, health care, finance, and travel hire technical writers in large numbers.

Creative Writing and Publishing
Bending Ben Franklin's words just a bit, I'd take pride in saying that creative writers either write something worth reading, or do something that's worth writing. It's astonishing how creative writing can make you an excellent rewriter (wink!). Well, if you've always fancied being on Page 3, if not by your celebrity status, then by your writing, creative writing is the field for you. English majors can choose to write for newspapers, magazines, or become an editor of the same, knocking out wrong spelling and grammar. If writing a book is your ultimate aim, a job as a creative writer or editor will at least help you get your foot in the door.

Not what you were looking for? Perhaps the following are. To put your English major degree into the best use, you could think of working as one of the following:

• Search Engine Optimizer
• Business Consultant
• Freelance Writer and Researcher
• Customer Service Representative
• Managing Editor
• Research Analyst
• Teacher (well, yes, this too)

Communication skills are the key to every job enlisted above. If you have always excelled in your studies as an English major, there's no doubt you will earn more. The trick is to find your niche, and get going. An English major makes a great speaker, a great writer, and definitely a great influence. Told you, there ain't a scarcity of career options for English majors.