Do you know the top 10 English degree careers? You might be surprised to find out how many industries can benefit from this skill!
It’s no secret that over the past years, the need for English degree holders in various markets has been subjected to many debates. Many believe that being able to write or understand Shakespeare has nothing to do with bringing food to the table. Others claim that they cannot pay the bills. But truth be told, many employers are looking for English degree holders to take on demanding business roles.
Read on and discover the things you can do aside from being an English teacher.
Top Skills English Majors Usually Learn from their Course
Pursuing an English degree doesn’t seem to sound promising at first. But while it’s true that it isn’t the number 1 job-ready profession in the world, you might be surprised to find out that this course allows a student to learn workplace-vital skills along the process. These skills are applicable to various industries, making English major a versatile addition to any company.
First of all, English degree holders have excellent oral and written communication skills. During their time in English degree careers. the university, they have been exposed to a wide range of subjects related to English literature. The programs usually require students to read and analyze novels, poetry, plays, and even short stories. Along the way, BA in English-related courses can also enhance their skills in rhetoric and critical thinking.
Of course, it is a requirement for them to write well. From proper grammar to punctuation, sentence structure, and more, one has to learn to write effective and engaging content. Not only does this requirement hones the written skills but as well as the verbal aspects. And when it comes to business, we all know that the ability to create and understand quality writing can make all the difference.
The Most Promising Entry-Level English Degree Careers
After college graduation, it’s both exciting and challenging to find a job that pays well. But with a lot of options out there, you can easily get overwhelmed. If you want to narrow down your options without compromising the job benefits, we invite you to take a look at the top 10 English degree careers.
Freelance Writer
If you are not yet sure what road to take and on what place you want to settle after graduation, working as a freelance writer would be one of your most lucrative options. Currently, there are millions of Americans and Asians making a living through freelance writing. If you choose this profession, you are in total control of your hours and assignments. With discipline and commitment while you are working at your own pace might even shock you at how could this job be a money-making machine. According to Pay Scale, freelance writers earn around $50 000 per year on average.
News Reporter
If you are an English major, you would find it easy to get jobs related to information media. Whether it’s on newspapers, radio, or television, your task would likely be related to researching information and delivering them to the audience in the most appropriate way. As a newbie, you might be assigned to fieldwork before eventually spending time in the newsroom or studio. The average annual salary ranges between $40 000 to $60 000. In metro areas, it can notably get bigger within a short time.
Public Relations Manager
Public relations is one of the many lucrative English degree careers available to English majors. As a public relations manager, you’ll be communicating with people, preparing press releases, and building a reputation through high-quality content in which your written and verbal skills in the universal language would surely be put into use. What’s more amazing is that even if you are an amateur, the job can help you land a cool $200, 000 every year!
Technical Writer
Today, there are many complex technologies and machines that businesses use. How on Earth will common consumers figure them out? That’s where technical writing come into the picture. You will have to prepare documents and writings that aim to make this complex information understandable to ordinary readers. This job is not an easy one but it can give you around $70,000 annually if you’re a beginner. If you’re that good, your salary can balloon to a hundred thousand dollars after a year or two.
Librarian
Even if you think everything is digital now, librarians are still highly in-demand. As this industry dramatically embraces changes and innovations, you can take the role of developing databases for the library’s collection and even help in finding entries that would significantly enhance the existing collection. The average salary of a librarian ranges from $50 000 to $90 000 every year.
Editor
If you don’t want to be a full-time writer, you can still use your skills in English grammar. You can review personal and professional documents for spelling and grammar mistakes, rewrite the content if necessary or come up with topics for writers. You can also lead a team of aspiring content writers and use your knowledge to enhance their submissions. The good thing is, you can probably get a hefty $80 000 salary which could go up to over a hundred after a few years.
Paralegal
You might probably think of going after a legal profession but changed your mind because of the years and resources you have to invest to get a legal-related degree. As an English major, you can still help legal workers perform their job more effectively. You can be a researcher or a document organizer. You can also help lawyers review the documents and prepare reports for trials. If you’re a newbie, you can get around $50 000 a year which could go up to $80 000 based on your performance.
Translator/Interpreter
For this job, you’re going to need fluency in other languages such as Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, or Spanish. But as an English degree holder, you obviously have an edge over other candidates because of your understanding of the universal language. You can work on transcripts and improve yourself as an effective communicator during the process. Moreover, you can use modern tools and apps that can help you enhance your knowledge in other languages, ultimately making you a reliable translator or interpreter without going to universities again. For this job, you are looking at an average of $46 000 per year.
Virtual Assistant
As the world continues to go digital, the demand for virtual assistants soars as well. Regardless of where you are located, businessmen who are looking for digital help often use the English language. You can be a content writer or a copywriter or simply an administrative task assistant. As you go along and meet different clients, you can also widen your skills in other aspects of digital marketing. And here’s the catch. This job can give you an average of $60 000 in your first year.
High school Teacher
If you want a challenging and rewarding career, you can consider applying as a high school teacher. Even if you are an English major, you can still provide lessons on different subjects, including writing and understanding the universal language. As of 2020, the average salary for a high school teacher is $60 000, which can go as high as $100 000 per year.
Successful Future: What Will You Choose from the Top 10 English Degree Careers
As an English degree holder, you possessed full awareness of the power of the universal language. This skill will take you far in life if you know what you can do and what you can give to your employers, workmates, students, and others. Whenever you were feeling down and frustrated just because you’re jobless or barely earning enough, please keep the following things in mind.
Your degree in the English language has given you excellent vocabulary style, advanced comprehension, and critical thinking abilities, distinctive written and verbal capabilities, language precision, originality and clarity at whatever you do, and historical and technical knowledge, to name a few. These qualities are all yours, and they are just waiting to be unleashed. So, trust yourself. Start choosing from the Top 10 English degree careers and get ready to enjoy a brighter future.