"There is a need for qualified professionals who write well. You can find a company with benefits, opportunities for growth and management, interesting subject matter, and great colleagues."
When did you graduate from BYU?
BA English 2018
What is your job/position? And how would you describe what you do in that job/position?
I’m a technical writer. I write articles on how to use company software and assist in creating courses for customers on how to effectively use our products to solve their problems.
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 worked as a research assistant and teaching assistant to a professor in the English Department, which gave me good experience to begin as a technical writer eleven months after graduation. In that position, I discovered I enjoy working with engineers to create quality documentation and with other education professionals to create engaging materials and experiences for all types of learners. I left my first “real” job after two and a half years and tried out a more technical position where I worked shoulder to shoulder with developers. That was a great learning experience, but my niche is in the education side, while still interacting often with individuals on product.
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?
Not taking things for granted and asking questions. I have to be able to read something an engineer sends me closely and ask the questions no one on the company side has thought of so I can advocate effectively for the user.
What are some of the surprising ways in which your English degree helped you in your life?
I have a lot of interest in different things, so I have pursued lots of different opportunities, including teaching yoga and storytelling. English encouraged me to find beauty and meaning all over.
What do you wish you had known as an English major? Is there any advice you’d like to share with current students?
There is a need for qualified professionals who write well. You can find a company with benefits, opportunities for growth and management, interesting subject matter, and great colleagues.
Contact
Julianadawn.avery@gmail.com