Job Alternatives for graduates with a Liberal Arts degree

By Fernando Bellomy


"Liberal arts - you've got to be joking!

What does that subject even teach you anyway?

And how are you ever going to find a job?"

If you have a major in liberal arts, you have most likely heard concerns like those.

And to add to the confusion, "liberal arts" does not consistently mean precisely the same thing to everyone.

Although some use a broad definition that usually includes mathematics, basic sciences, and economics, other people refer more specifically to the humanities and social sciences.

Majors that are normally classified as "Liberal Arts" under both definitions are history, English literature, women's studies, anthropology, foreign languages, philosophy, and international relations.

But even when you've explained what a liberal arts major is, it could be challenging to know how a liberal arts degree will lead to a fulfilling and lucrative career.

Luckily, students who study liberal arts can pursue a range of job alternatives.

For the most part this is due to the fact today's employers are in need of candidates with capabilities in subjects like communications, problem-solving and critical evaluation, as well as the capability to take initiative and work as part of a group.

These are all abilities that almost all liberal arts students typically obtain training in as part of their undergraduate and graduate studies.

That does not mean that obtaining a job when you graduate will not take effort and persistence.

A bit of outside-the-box thinking can be required to enable employers to realize the worth of your liberal arts degree.

First of all, understand that you have got lots of alternatives beyond the obvious ones.

An English degree is certainly good training to become an English teacher or a writer, but other career fields that require excellent communications abilities include public relations, advertising, and in some cases sales and marketing.

And the analytical skills of a history graduate could be used in the technical writing, journalist, or even legal assistant fields.

And geography majors are nicely suited to positions in location-based urban planning and also public policy and administration.

One more choice that will assist liberal arts students entering the workforce would be to pursue a minor or other education in a technical or business subject.

Some colleges and universities specifically provide programs that train liberal arts students in real-world skills.

For example, some universities offer instruction in art appraisal for their art or art history students, while others offer certification programs in translation and interpretation for language majors.

Lastly, many employers consider internships to be one of the most efficient approaches for discovering new staff.

Internships give liberal arts majors a hands-on opportunity to find out more about their chosen career.

And don't overlook other work training opportunities like summer jobs, part-time positions, and also volunteer positions which will help you gain the expertise and professional contacts that can give you an advantage in finding your 1st position after graduation.

To summarize, whatever job-related expertise you might get when you are attending college will certainly help you gain practical job capabilities and build a reputation as being a trusted and effective employee.

And building a solid reputation as a great worker or volunteer is helpful for jobseekers in need of references and an edge which will make their resume stand out when they are applying for job openings.




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