how much weight does my major have in finding a career?
It's not likely that all Art History majors will become museum curators or those studying Russian will become translators for the U.N. Therefore, is it
necessary for those of us that have majored in the humanities to go to grad school to specialize in more "applicable" fields of study before being credible in the work world? It seems logical that employers are more likely to prefer job candidates that have specialized in their field...so what are those of us that have majored in Italian Renaissance literature to do?
That is important.........I make right now probably the top tier of the payscale for my field. However, it is a very stressful job, and very, very long hours.
I actually am considering taking a pay-cut and a demotion to a job with less responsibility in the next year or so after my first child is born so I can have a better quality of life.
Right now I am banking most of my paychecks so when the time comes if I need to make that kind of decision, we will be more financially able to do so.
On the flip side, it is important for us who are just starting out in the work world to choose the places we work based on shared values with the company's mission and mentors that we admire-- not just because the company is a major brand name.
A friend of mine went to see Warren Buffett (now the richest man in the world) speak recently, and that was the biggest piece of advice he gave. And when asked what the secret to happiness was, he said it has nothing to do with all the money he had made (duh..) but that happiness comes from surrounding yourself with people you love and people who love you.. and career satisfaction comes from learning from people you want to be like.
Yes, i just spoke to someone who said she doesn't believe in hiring just based on experience. What matters more to her is a trustworthy relationship. It all depends on preference, but I think if people can tell you are a competent, hard-working, reliable person from your interview, then that will make up for lack of experience.
Very good advice from Elisheva and AlliNYC.
A smart interviewer recognizes that someone with people skills and passion can quickly learn what they need to on the job. An applicant who has the "technical skills" of the job down, but who lacks "emotional intelligence" can be a nightmare.
I think it is Ritz Carlton who is know for saying, "We don't teach our people to be nice, we hire nice people." Very smart!
I agree with AlliNYC all of us have to start somewhere. I think you should first figure out what field you would want to work in, what kind of job interests you that you could combine with the studies that you have learnt.
A friend of mine got her undergrad degree in history and political science, she was debating whether or not to go to law school. So she decided to apply for a postion at a law firm to explore the field before definatly deciding to go to law school.
My advice to you is before you go to grad school explore your options in different fields of interest to you. Once you gain more experience it will be easier for you to decide which field you would want to work in and broaden your knowledge about.
Honestly, regardless of major, I think the important thing to remember is that ALL OF US start out in entry-level positions. We gain most of our experience and contacts in those roles. And I also personally wouldn't recommend applying and going to grad school until you know exactly what you want to do and if you need the Master's degree (and extra hefty price tag!) to do so.
This is a great topic which I think is of interest to everyone. While in college I earned my English Degree and after graduating wondered what in the world I could do with it! In telling people of my Degree I will often get the response, "so will you be writing the next great American novel?" When I obviously responded that I would not, the next question which usually follows is: "so, are you going to go to Grad School?"
In these tough economic times it is a wonder to me how people with just a college education can ever land a job. I was under the facade that a college degree alone would land me a wonderful, high-paying job for which I realize now I was quite mistaken.
But that's okay! I must admit I almost applied to Graduate School a few times due to the fear of feeling as though I must do something! I have to agree though with all of the previous posts that this is NEVER a good idea. Applying to Graduate School because you don't know what else to do is a waste of time and money. Find out what you really want to do and then make the choice fromt there. You don't want to wind up going for two Master's Degrees because the first one holds no value to what you wind up doing.
JanieLynn