"I can see multiple ways a piece of text could be read and cultivate it to be as clear as possible to the reader."
When did you graduate from BYU?
BA English 2017
What is your job/position? And how would you describe what you do in that job/position?
I’m a technical writer at Southwest Airlines. I edit and craft communications for pilots in technical manuals.
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 first got a job with BYU Independent Study my junior year, then did an internship at Southwest Airlines in their Communications Department as an editing intern. I got a contractor position in Southwest's Training Department editing training curriculum and finally moved over to their Central Publications Department to become a technical writer.
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?
I can see multiple ways a piece of text could be read and cultivate it to be as clear as possible to the reader. Also, I've been consistently complimented in the direct and concise manner in which I communicate through email, which has become increasingly useful in a virtual work environment.
What are some of the surprising ways in which your English degree helped you in your life?
I've learned that people are going to interpret everything in life the way that they want to. You can manipulate any piece of media or communication to imply what you want to. I find it incredibly important to understand authorial intent and go from there when dissecting a piece of writing, a speech, a movie, a song, etc. In a more and more politicized world, it has brought a balance and a discerning eye to all the media I consume.
What do you wish you had known as an English major? Is there any advice you’d like to share with current students?
If you couple what you learn in your English major with marketable skills, you'll be able to effectively communicate your aptness for a position, and you can absolutely rock interviews. So I would advise that most English majors have a minor that gives a little more direction to their career goals. Such a pairing will make students much more desirable in the job market.
Contact
tiffanie.abbott1@gmail.com