Why English Majors Can Conquer the Business World

Image Credit: “Such superior dancing is not often seen, Pride and Prejudice” by Hugh Thomson, Wikimedia Commons, public domain

When I was in college, I had this conversation over and over again:

“So, what are you studying in school?”

“I’m an English major.”

“Oh, so are you going to be a teacher?”

NO.

Stop.

Stop right there!

I bet you’ve had this conversation. I bet you’ve had this conversation many times. And I even bet that you hear it echoing in your mind as you stare at your resume, thinking to yourself “Do I have any skills that are valuable to employers? What am I even doing? I can’t learn things like Excel – I haven’t taken a math class in years!”

Do Not Panic – English Degrees Are Valuable

In a blog post for the Huffington Post, USA Today columnist and best-selling author Steve Strauss said that, when given his pick, “English majors are my employees of choice.”  Echoing that sentiment, Bracken Darrell, CEO of Logitech, also said that English majors are an “endangered species” with incredible value to the business world.

So What’s the Benefit of an English Degree?

There are lots! Let me tell you…

– English majors are strong communicators.

As an English major, your whole life is conveying your message and conveying it well.  Whether you had thirty pages or three hundred words, you have been trained to make your writing count. And that is huge for employers.  In a survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers ranked communication skills as three of the top ten most important skills for new hires.

– English majors are research experts.

Remember that first ten-page paper you ever wrote? In all likeliness, you didn’t just sit at your computer and type ten pages through divine inspiration. You sat in the library, night after night (okay, one very long night) and surveyed books, articles, blogs, and websites until you had found all the information you needed. The skills involved in researching mean that you can proactively answer your own questions, learn new skills, and discover solutions to problems. (Hey, you found this blog, right?) In other words, you can be counted to independently bring new ideas and value to any team you’re working on. Sounds like a good employee to me.

– English majors can learn to do anything.  And quickly.

Think about all of the subject areas you became an expert on in just a few weeks.  Post-Civil War American literature?  No problem.  Victorian novels?  Got it covered.  Modern literary theory?  All over it. English majors have a track record of immersing themselves in new things, just to come out the other side an expert. And in a job market where technology, resources, and success metrics are constantly evolving, this adaptability is a critical trait for success.

In Conclusion? English Majors Can Conquer Anything

And this includes Excel. Yes, the thing with the spreadsheets and the numbers. No, I’m not kidding.

Look at it this way – Excel is a computer program. Children use computer programs – you used computer programs as a child.

Learning how to communicate effectively, pursue knowledge, and learn on the job? That’s the hard part. That’s what your degree has prepared you for. Learning how to use the programs that businesses are run on – programs like Excel? That’s the easy part. We’ll work through it together.

Picture Elizabeth Bennet.

But don’t picture Victorian England Elizabeth Bennet – with ribbons and petticoats and all that.  Picture the essence of Elizabeth Bennet.  Elizabeth Bennet was smart, likeable, and got things done.

Elizabeth Bennet was a badass.

Now imagine that person today.  Elizabeth Bennet was definitely an English major in college.  And despite her handsome, rich beau, Elizabeth Bennet doesn’t need anyone to take care of her.  Because Elizabeth Bennet can take care of herself.

Elizabeth Bennet wouldn’t have been scared of any interview.  Elizabeth Bennet would have walked in there with her head held high, and she would have landed that job.  Because Elizabeth Bennet was smart with strong communication skills.  And Elizabeth Bennet definitely would have learned Excel.

Are you ready to awaken your inner Elizabeth Bennet? Get ready to subscribe – it’s time to learn Excel.

Image Credit: “Chapter 32, Pride and Prejudice” by Hugh Thomson, Wikimedia Commons, public domain