| Some career possibilities: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Admissions Representative | Affirmative Action Officer | Assistant Buyer |
| Caseworker | Computer Analyst | Copywriter |
| Editorial Assistant | Employment Interviewer | Fundraiser |
| Journalist | Judicial Clerk | Legislative Assistant |
| Loan Representative | Management Trainee | Public Relations Specialist |
| Production Assistant | Public Information Officer | Researcher |
| Sales Representative | Technical Writer | Travel Agent |
Choosing a major in humanities provides you with a well-rounded education, as well as the flexibility to select from a variety of career opportunities. The humanities degree is a program that exposes students to a variety of subjects including philosophy, English, and foreign languages. Students then select electives based on individual interests and career objectives.
However, unlike majors that may provide preparation for a particular occupation, the responsibility for choosing a career direction rests solely with each humanities graduate. Only when you know what you want from this degree can you begin to arm yourself with the experience and qualifications necessary to prepare yourself for employment. For example, if your goal is a career in management, you might take some business courses, join the student business organization Phi Beta Lambda, and work as an assistant manager while in school. Obviously, you would prepare quite differently for a career in publishing.
Employers are increasingly recognizing the special skills of the humanities graduate. The requirements of a humanities degree lay the groundwork for students to gain many of the skills most valued in the workplace. Excellent writing, communication, interpersonal, and critical thinking skills are recognized as strengths associated with employees from a humanities background. One challenge for a graduate is to market these assets effectively.
Selecting a career direction is the most important task for a humanities major. Identifying your interests, abilities, and values is crucial to making effective career decisions. Understanding how your unique qualities fit into the world of work and exploring identified career areas will help you narrow your options and focus on specific goals.
Broad areas of employment are:
Business/Industry: Some of the most frequent employment opportunities are found in the areas of retail, banks, entertainment, advertising, media, and publishing. The service industry, a rapidly growing employment sector, offers opportunity in restaurants, hotels, and travel and tourism. Position titles include travel agent, assistant manager, and customer service representative. Humanities graduates may also be hired for management trainee positions, which serve as stepping stones to management careers. A career in sales ranges from selling a product or service to selling an idea, and opportunities exist in insurance, real estate, the computer industry, and investments, to name a few. Personnel, public relations, accounting, and writing careers are also common. The selection of related academic electives and work experiences is very important to reaching your goal.
Government: A wide variety of opportunities exists in every level of government, including federal, legislative, executive, and state, county, and local government agencies. Occupational areas include research, management, personnel, and social service. Public Information Officer is an example of one government job available to the humanities graduate. Work ranges from employee communications to public relations to educating the public about government issues. Other career possibilities include research assistant, special agent, and foreign service officer.
Non-Profit/Community Organizations: Non-profit agencies, or public service organizations, are one of the fastest growing segments of the U.S. labor force. Opportunities are found in hospitals, museums, homeless shelters, and drug rehabilitation centers, among other areas. Communication skills are essential, both for written tasks such as grant-writing as well as for oral presentations. Often non-profit agencies look for generalists, individuals with a variety of skills rather than one area of specialization. Examples of position titles include fundraiser, communications specialist, conference planner, and case worker.
Education: Employment possibilities in the field of education, outside that of certified teacher, are found in private and public schools, colleges and universities, technical and business institutions, training services, and churches. Research and development, administration, and student services are possible employment areas. Opportunities also exist in associations and special interest organizations that disseminate information and provide programs related to educational issues. Position titles include trainer, research analyst, and teacher's aide, among many others.
While the wealth of opportunities for humanities majors may seem overwhelming, the majority of graduates pursue positions that emphasize communication skills, rather than technical ability. Although you may be hired because of your liberal arts preparation and related work experiences, you may also receive on-the-job technical training from your employer. Taking a few business, computer, and technical courses to complement your major can increase your marketability, particularly if you know that obtaining these skills are important steps toward achieving your objective.
Humanities majors frequently take longer than technical majors to find their first job after graduation, although over time employees with a humanities education tend to advance more rapidly. To find that first entry-level position more quickly, use volunteer service, internships, and related work experience to supplement your degree. These experiences should begin early in your undergraduate program. They will provide you with valuable information about whether a particular type of work will be satisfying to you. Related experience can also help you to learn the language of your chosen field.
A humanities degree can be excellent preparation for entrance into a wide range of graduate school programs. Related experiences such as internships, summer jobs, volunteer work, and specialized course selections will enhance your graduate school application. Possible graduate programs include law, social work, and business administration. If teaching at the college level is your career goal, then pursuing a Ph.D. in your field may be a prerequisite for employment.
For further reading, consult the following books in the Career Development Center:
Brophy, P. C., & Shabecoff, A. (2001). A Guide to Careers in Community Development. Washington, D.C.: Island Press.
Camenson, B. (2002). Great Jobs for Liberal Arts Majors. Chicago, IL: VGM Career Books.
DeGalan, J., & Lambert, S. (2000). Great Jobs for English Majors. Chicago, IL: VGM Career Books.
Giangrande, G. (1998). The Liberal Arts Advantage. New York, NY: Avon Books.
Nadler, B. (1998). Liberal Arts Jobs. Princeton, NJ: Peterson's Guides.
Paradis, A. (2003). Careers for Caring People and Other Sensitive Types. Chicago, IL: VGM Career Books.