What Jobs Are There for English Majors?

If you've chosen the less travelled path of becoming an English major or have an English degree, you might be at your wit's end trying to figure out what to do after graduation. Unlike other majors with a clearer cut career progression, English degree holders are left with a vast number of career possibilities. This same vastness of possibilities could work for you, however, if you know where your passion lies.

Teaching

Teaching the language either to first language speakers of English, or those who use it as a second language is the most obvious career choice for most English degree holders. After all, this is the one career that puts to practice all your grammar drills while you were majoring in the subject. Make sure you're clear about what kind of students you would like to teach, though, and get ample training to pass for the position. Some schools can be quite stringent with their requirements.

Publishing

If you like staying in the background, you might want to try a career in publishing. You'll be asked to read, copyedit, or edit out the writings of other people. Some may say it's a thankless job, but for an English major, publishing careers are as easy as pie. You might also want to take the "slightly" center-stage of being a writer.

Public relations

English majors know how to communicate well, and this can be put to good use if you want a career in public relations. You could even head your own department one day if you're really good at what you do. Of course, your education in PR tactics will have to be constantly updated, so don't be afraid to invest in seminars and maybe even a few post graduate courses. Some journalistic training would do you good.

Marketing coordinator

If, aside from writing, you have always been in love with the inner workings of marketing, the right job for you might be a marketing coordinator. You will have to get some training on business dealings and such. English majors are great marketing people because they're very good with communicating. They know how to use their prowess for words.

Proofreader

Very few English majors pursue this job as their first or ideal job. However, because they're so well-versed, and because they naturally love reading, English majors make for great proofreaders. Some are even able to get the job before they graduate.