"Critical thinking is highly underrated but highly valuable; it enables you to work smarter, not harder, and understand problems in a unique way. It makes you valuable."
When did you graduate from BYU?
BA English 2011
MA English 2016
What is your job/position? And how would you describe what you do in that job/position?
I’m a Content Writer for Aptive Environmental. I write film scripts for training videos, promo videos, sales videos, or operational content. I edit large documents. I write corporate emails. I write and edit lessons for training, design the content and learner experience, work with both graphic and instructional designers, and deliver the training from time to time. It’s a great all-around use of my skills acquired during my MA program.
Describe the path that you took from your BYU English degree to your current career, highlighting the important realizations and turning points that paved the path for you.
Initially I didn't even know what I wanted or what I was capable of. I first landed in a special ed teaching job as an 8th grade all-subject teacher. The job was fun but challenging and after two years I felt the need to pursue something more in line with my desire to write. I kept looking for opportunities but needed more experience to recommend myself. I applied for and completed a Book Publishing certificate through the university of Denver thinking I’d go more the editing route and find a job in book publishing, which sounded exciting. However, after learning that you start at the very bottom in that industry and that I preferred to be on the writing/author end rather than the editor/publishing end, I looked for any writing job. However, I still held out for some internships in publishing I was sure I could get (I did not, thankfully, as I could not live on <$30k per year). Instead, I got a content writing job through a friend from my MA program (behold the power of networking) and found myself on an excellent team doing work I loved, getting paid what I was worth (or close to it), and very happy. So, took me a bit, but now I'm excited, and I look back on the path here grateful for those experiences because I think it helped diversify my thinking.
What are the specific skills that you cultivated as an English major that you now use in your professional life? And how do you use those skills in ways that set you apart from your colleagues?
CRITICAL THINKING. Highly underrated in the sense that college majors won’t explicitly advertise that skill with pride, unlike in the English Department, but you truly learn to think critically; then you join the business world, or the tech world, or the world in general, and realize few others learned this skill. Critical thinking is highly valuable; it enables you to work smarter, not harder, and understand problems in a unique way. You become valuable.
How else has your English degree helped you in your life?
Innumerable ways. My passion for reading continues and has expanded into other art forms and expression. I write more now for personal pursuits and overall my education has kept me curious and intellectually open to ideas. I can actually hold two opposing ideas at once in my brain and believe in both of them—imagine that! Not many people can do that anymore. But it's immensely helpful when I’m trying to understand someone or something that I don’t agree with or vice versa.
As an alumnus of the BYU English department, what advice would you give to current students?
Do as many internships as you can while in school. Try the best you can to get paid. Try many different things, in different fields, different schools, careers. Try everything. You'll be amazed at how transferrable your skills are to other fields. Talk to everyone. Share your interests, ask more questions, listen, and follow up. Build a network. Count everyone that you know, no matter how weird, and cultivate that network.
Contact
johndoe@byu.edu