Are you worried that your college major will hold you back after you graduate? Here’s one thing I’ve learned from my research on recent grads who’ve succeeded in the job market: You can choose any humanities or social sciences major you want, as long as you minor in “job search.”
Even though plenty of experienced hiring managers will extol the long-term value of humanities and social science degrees, majoring in psychology, English, art history, or political science is likely to make the start of your career much more challenging. So what should you do?
This story of a University of Wisconsin-Madison junior’s decision to change her major reflects the benefits and disadvantages of choosing a liberal arts major today. It can make school much more interesting, but it also creates serious hurdles you must plan for.
Choosing a “Dangerous” Major
I came to UW from a small Wisconsin farm town, expecting to major in microbiology. I also had a passion for reading and writing, but whenever I told somebody that, they said, “You’ll never get a job!”
I did pretty well for two years, but organic chemistry did me in. I also did an internship in a lab. I liked the people, but the work was very boring. I realized I liked analyzing the gray areas. So sophomore year I switched my major to English, and I’m learning a million more things now.
Being an English major teaches you to think more critically, how to write and develop persuasive arguments. It lets me explore the gray areas. I’m much more open to things I don’t know.
Sometimes faculty bring up self-development questions in class, like “What would you do in this situation?” But when they talk about anything career-related it’s always about their research, or the crummy bookstore they worked in as a grad student.
We need more awareness of the career opportunities out there. For one thing, I wish they could make the career fairs less intimidating. They’re such high-stress events. You have at least 2,000 kids in that giant auditorium and nobody knows what to do. Are you supposed to give them a business card, or a resume? What’s the proper etiquette? Am I supposed to shake the recruiter’s hand if they’re sitting down?
Yet I love the other students in my major, and I have some awesome professors! And I still get a lot of questions about why I’m majoring in something more dangerous. But Madison is a different campus for me now and I love it!
The point is any major is fine, as long as you’re minoring in job search along the way. But don’t kid yourself. This means considerable extra work. Think of it as taking an extra course each semester to make your degree pay off.
What does a “job search” minor look like?
Sophomore year: you’re paying serious attention to the internships you’re getting, as well as beginning to develop professional skills through summer jobs and other volunteer activities.
Junior year: you’re conducting informational interviews regularly to learn about different fields where you might apply the skills you have been acquiring. These meetings will begin to build your future job search network. Also, carefully consider elective courses or workshops you might take during your last two years that will enhance your professional skill set. For example, courses in website design, social media marketing or professional writing are all good bets. Get advice from your career center on electives that would add real value on your resume.
Senior year: you’re pursuing informational interviews virtually every week to learn about fields you might want to go into, particular companies to target and specific job opportunities. If you’re a senior humanities major now and you haven’t been “minoring in job search” already, it’s not too late. Get going on those informational interviews. If you don’t know how to get started, contact your school’s career center or go on line for a tutorial.
Relax if you’re thinking you’ve got one of those “dangerous” liberal arts majors. Just start minoring in job search today! And for more resources check out my recent book “Graduate to a Great Job: Make Your College Degree Pay Off in Today’s Market.”