English Alumni Stories
20 results found
"It still surprises me how much learning to interpret text helps me to analyze symptoms, and make diagnoses."
"A big part of my job is taking someone else's vision and hammering it down into something that makes sense for the brand and team, and breaking it down into actionable steps. The process is messy and takes some organizational skills and finesse, but the English major absolutely prepped me for this kind of work."
"I took for granted the ability to write coherently and in an organized way. It's not a skill that most people have, and I feel like I was really able to hone that skill in my English classes."
"[My English degree has] helped me a lot when it comes to my HR career; I can be very diplomatic due to a lot of the skills I learned as an English major."
"You will be surprised to discover how bad most people are at writing. It’s a skill you probably take for granted, but is actually very valuable and will be attractive to future employers."
"Written and verbal communication are key skills to a successful career. Many people in the corporate world lack these two skills. Someone who can master these skills has a significant advantage over others."
"I have learned that writing is probably one of the most marketable skills there is. Businesses are always looking for good writers because, believe it or not, they are few and far between!"
"With an English degree, you really can do anything. Don’t apologize for having an English degree—play up the benefits!"
"I realized one of the things that drew me to an English degree is that I loved hearing people's stories, understanding diversity considerations in people's lives, and have face-to-face meaningful conversations with other people."
"Strong writing is in serious demand in most companies. It goes far beyond writing-specific roles like those of copywriters or PR specialists."
"Good writers and editors are needed in almost every industry, so find yours and make a place for yourself."
"Communication—specifically written communication—is super important, especially in reading and understanding law documents."
"So many people I work with are very logical thinkers, but they struggle to communicate the nuances of writing, rewriting, and editing."
"I use data to tell stories. This often requires looking outside the box, thinking critically about the subject matter at hand, and exercising a lot of creativity to shape points of data into a compelling narrative."
"As an English major, I loved being able to see the different perspectives that you can find and how a story can be told in so many ways. I’m very grateful that I learned that as it has helped me keep an open mind and be able to work well with people of various backgrounds."
"Being able to read, think critically, write, and edit are the keystones to any successful position."
"I never thought the way I was trained to write an essay would impact work. I can clearly articulate arguments and am open to different philosophies."
"An English degree doesn’t make you a different person. However, the study of literature and rhetoric does create a space to practice empathy, critical thinking, and kindness."
"Concise and clear documentation is essential in medicine, and my English major prepared me well for that. As I'm developing research, I also find that persuasive writing is critical."
"More than anything, my critical thinking skills have set me apart from colleagues and made me successful. I feel like my English degree set me up well."