"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."
When did you graduate from BYU?
BA English 2016
What is your job/position? And how would you describe what you do in that job/position?
I am a Health Coach & Fitness Instructor. I help women easily incorporate wellness into their everyday
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.
I graduated from BYU without a job but luckily was able to get a job a couple of weeks after graduating. I was able to do my own research on opportunities after deciding to get a Non-Profit Management Minor in the Marriott school. Through that minor, I discovered Sports Marketing and was able to get an internship with BYU Athletics. I really enjoyed my internship experience and would highly recommend getting an internship so that you can explore various fields. After I graduated, I got a post-grad internship with the University of Minnesota where I worked with their athletics department. I enjoyed it but found that the work-life balance was nonexistent, so I started looking for other opportunities. I worked at BYU’s Academic Center during my undergrad and started exploring what that would look like. Long story short, I decided to get my master’s in Student Affairs Administration with the goal of working in an Athletics Academic Advising Office. During my time in my master’s program, I had a graduate assistantship in the Career Center. I loved meeting with students and helping them figure out what they wanted to do as I had felt lost during my undergrad experience. I graduated with my master’s and decided to pursue Career Counseling as I had seen that Athletics Advising was not for me. I got a job at Purdue University in their Career Center after I graduated. Two years into my time at Purdue I was put in charge of the marketing of the office and oversaw three interns. I enjoyed being able to put my marketing experience to use as well as learn how to manage students. I was at Purdue for 3 years before I decided I needed another change. I saw department changes, a lack of pay raises, and was bored. I decided to take the time to figure out what I had enjoyed in each of my jobs/careers and took time to reflect, interview professionals, and job shadow. I ultimately decided I still enjoyed coaching but transitioned to health coaching. I now run my own business where I coach women in learning what healthy looks like for them. I also give presentations and workshops on a variety of topics as well as am a founding instructor for a fitness company.
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?
My desire to learn. 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. An obvious one is being able to communicate clearly, both in written form and in speaking to others. I’ve used my communication skills by emailing, presenting, coaching, assisting with publishing the Purdue handbook, creating content for social media, and engaging clients online and in person.
What are some of the surprising ways in which your English degree helped you in your life?
The biggest one is being able to have an open mind and realize that my experience isn’t the only experience out there. Reading various texts from the same period helped me realize that just because I may see it one way, doesn’t mean that’s how someone else will see it. This has helped me really focus on learning and being a good teammate.
What do you wish you had known as an English major? Is there any advice you’d like to share with current students?
Get an internship and do a couple of them! I learned a ton from mine and wish I would have tried other areas out as well. I’ve learned the most from experiencing the job and talking with professionals in the field. Most people are happy to talk to you about what they do as long as you have questions prepared and have done your research.
Contact
shaina.machado@gmail.com