Kristina DeMichele: Senior Email Content Marketing Coordinator

Name: Kristina DeMichele

Age: 27

College & Majors/Minors: BA English & Spanish, University of Dayton; MA Publishing and Writing, Emerson College

Current Location: Boston, MA

Current Form of Employment: Senior Email Content Marketing Coordinator, America’s Test Kitchen

Where do you work and what is your current position? 

I work at America’s Test Kitchen as a Senior Email Content Marketing Coordinator. America’s Test Kitchen films two cooking shows for PBS (America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country). We also publish Cook’s Illustrated magazine, Cook’s Country magazine, and many cookbooks. My role there is to manage the entire email newsletter program. I write most all of our newsletters (6 out of the 7), conduct creative tests, analyze the data, and contribute to the overall marketing strategy. I write about food every day, and I love my job!

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different). 

I went straight to graduate school after undergrad, and I interned at a few publishing companies—Da Capo Press in their marketing department, Pearson Education in their rights department (I requested rights from Stephen King/Stephen King’s people once, which was pretty cool!). Then I heard that my colleague at Emerson’s writing center (I worked as a writing tutor there) landed a job as an Editorial Assistant at America’s Test Kitchen. I love cooking and I love publishing, so this company felt like such a perfect fit for me as a workplace. I had coffee with her, and she recommended that I apply for the social media internship. I applied, and her recommendation helped me get an interview and ultimately be offered the position. On the last day of my internship, I interviewed for the position I have now, my first full-time job out of graduate school. 

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career?

Two internships come to mind that were both pivotal to my acceptance into graduate school and some of the keys to how I received my current position. In college, I was an Editorial Intern at Grupo SM in Madrid, Spain for their English language imprint, University of Dayton Publishing. I translated their texts from Spanish to English, and I did some writing for them as well. This international publishing experience made the difference for me in my graduate application and still stands out on my resume. I was also an Editorial Intern for Entangled Publishing, a remote internship where I got to read New Adult manuscripts (mostly in the genres of romance and science fiction) and write reviews of these manuscripts for the Executive Editor. My boss during my internship at America’s Test Kitchen told me that she thought this experience was so cool and unique—it’s how she remembered me.

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life? 

I was one of those kids who knew exactly what she wanted to do after college from day one. I wanted to work in publishing, ideally in Boston where my family lives, and work in the editorial field. I made sure to gain experience in the publishing industry before graduation (in Spain with Grupo SM and with Entangled Publishing). To gain experience in research, I wrote an honors thesis on international digital publishing and conducted my primary research while I worked in Madrid. Networking via LinkedIn and informational interviews over the phone allowed me to establish connections to the publishing industry and learn more about where I wanted my career to go (and where I didn’t want it to go).

““Networking is the single most important thing you can do for yourself. I would not be where I am today without my connections.” ”

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

Networking is the single most important thing you can do for yourself. I would not be where I am today without my connections. Now, I know you’ve probably heard the common phrase “It’s all about who you know.” Well, it (kind of) is. A recommendation from a professional connection is just the first step. Then, when you have an interview with a company you’re passionate about, that’s your opportunity to impress them with who you are. Your experiences matter, too! Also, don’t be afraid to stray away from an “editorial” title. I work in marketing, yes, but I get to write creatively every single day. It’s okay to go outside the box with your job search. You’d be surprised at how many jobs rely heavily on you knowing how to write well. Most importantly, find a job that brings you joy!

Click here to read an example newsletter written by Kristina, Notes from the Test Kitchen (you can sign up to receive this newsletter in your email here). Be sure to follow the rest of Kristina's writing on her food blog, If That Dish Could Talk. You can connect with Kristina on LinkedIn. 

---

Michael Key: Learning Initiatives Coordinator

Name: Michael Key

Age: 30

College & Majors/Minors: University of Dayton, M.A. in English

Current Location: Dayton, OH

Current Form of Employment: University of Dayton

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I am the Learning Initiatives Coordinator at the University of Dayton. I hire, train, and coordinate tutors for the university and supervise a developmental learning course for students on academic probation. The bulk of my job is focused on academic and professional development for student-employees and students-at-large.

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different).

I was a graduate student at the University of Dayton and made the penniless choice to forego a graduate assistantship teaching English and providing writing consultation. Instead, I worked for the Office of Learning Resources in mentoring Supplemental Instruction (SI) Leaders, developing formal office procedures by training student staff, teaching students on academic probation, and then eventually supervising all of the course sections. The director said they had given me too much information not to hire me so I went through a rigorous interview process to see if I would be the best candidate for the job. I’ve been the Learning Initiatives Coordinator for two years now and am planning on beginning my PhD in Educational Leadership in the fall.

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career?

Writing has always been a freelance ambition of mine. I was published in an anthology on Neil Gaiman’s work, Neil Gaiman in the 21st Century, while in graduate school. The opportunity actually came from a tweet I made about reviewing the first volume for a class assignment. The editor contacted me about contributing to the next edition so I used my term paper as the framework for the publication. Even now, writing is nowhere in my job description, but I recently published an article with two other colleagues about using Lean Six Sigma methodology to increase efficiency and decrease cost in providing tutoring services on campuses.

““As a first generation college student, I didn’t really have a roadmap or checklist of things to do to complete college. I also had to work in order to go to school.””

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?

As a first generation college student, I didn’t really have a roadmap or checklist of things to do to complete college. I also had to work in order to go to school. Therefore, I took every opportunity that was out there to help me learn and grow. I worked in loan collections, housing, alumni relations, the campus bookstore, the writing center, and was once a telemarketer. I also led several clubs and worked as a mentor for students interested in starting non-profit organizations of campus. I think my greatest success was bringing all of my experiences to a new job and building onto it. The snowball has built up to give me a diverse set of skills that have come in handy in jobs or projects that don’t necessarily employ those skills.

““English majors, as well as many other humanities majors, are exceptional critical thinkers. When someone makes a statement, we question why. This is a valuable skill to every organization.””

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

I do not live in a cardboard box. Jokesters of the past were wrong when they said the only thing I could do with an English degree is be unemployed or teach. English majors, as well as many other humanities majors, are exceptional critical thinkers. When someone makes a statement, we question why. This is a valuable skill to every organization. We consume information like a seven-headed boar but we synthesize it to make concise and impactful statements and reports. I’ve heard countless recruiters and managers of businesses say, “We can teach anyone business, but we can’t teach someone to communicate effectively.” Know your value and use every opportunity you are given to back it up.

You can connect with Michael on LinkedIn here. 

---

Anna Gibson: Business Analyst

Name: Anna Gibson

Age: 30

College & Majors/Minors: MA in Publishing & Writing, BA in English, minors in corporate communication, creative and professional writing

Current Location: Columbus, OH

Current Form of Employment: Full time

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I currently work for JPMorgan Chase as a business analyst within the Letters Administration team. I’m basically a project manager for letters that are sent out to customers.

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different).

My first job out of grad school was a correspondence letter editor at JPMorgan Chase, where I edited hundreds of letters and emails before they were sent to customers. I had applied to dozens of jobs in both Ohio (where I was originally from) and in Boston (where I completed my graduate program). I was looking for editorial jobs, and found the position on an online job board. I applied, and I got a call the next day for an interview, and I was hired within the following two weeks.

After a few years of editing letters and helping with internal communications, I knew I wanted to move up to a different positon. My manager was very supportive of me, and was the one who suggested I apply for an internal posting for a business analyst position. It would still be a position working within the letters world, but this time, on the back end of the letters process. I applied and got the job! I’ve now been employed as a business analyst for two years, and with the same company for five years.

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career?

I accepted a full-time editing internship at Wiley-Blackwell Publishing in my second year as a grad student at Emerson College. I was pretty much an assistant to the editorial assistant—they often hired interns, so we were trained as if we were going to eventually be hired and hit the ground running, so we were given immense responsibility for multiple different book projects. I didn’t realize then how useful that internship would be for the position I’m currently in. Learning to juggle multiple projects at a time, maintaining strict deadlines, leading meetings, and learning how to interact with different levels of people throughout the process made a huge difference when I started working full-time in the corporate world.

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?

I had various internships throughout my college years, and I feel like they all gave me a huge step up in how to be successful in a corporate role. I was incredibly lucky to find paying internships, so I could intern full-time while I went to school full-time. It also gave me an opportunity to work with different companies in different types of writing/communications/editing roles, so I could see what the best fit was for me. I did everything from a corporate communications internship with a Fortune 500 company, to an editing internship with a small academic publisher. Each of these experiences gave me a good chance to hone my skills and find out what I wanted (or didn’t want!) in a career. 

““A professor once told me that as long as I could write well, I would always be able to find a job, and that was some of the best advice I’ve received.””

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

A professor once told me that as long as I could write well, I would always be able to find a job, and that was some of the best advice I’ve received. I have two English-major related degrees, and I have always been employed full-time. I believe that is in large part because of my ability to write and articulate clearly and professionally in any setting. I wouldn’t have gained any of those skills without an English degree that focused on writing and communication. Don’t take those skills for granted!

You can connect with Anna on LinkedIn here. 

---

Aíne Norris: Senior Communications Administrator

Name: Aíne ("AAN-yuh") Norris

Age: 30

College & Majors/Minors: M.A. in English (research concentration), Virginia Commonwealth University; B.A. in English (minor in Religious Studies), Virginia Commonwealth University

Current Location: Richmond, Virginia

Current Form of Employment: Senior Communications Administrator, Virginia Commonwealth University

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I’m currently a Senior Communications Administrator at Virginia Commonwealth University in downtown Richmond, VA. My role specializes in academic and faculty communications, and I’m responsible for the strategy, content, social media, and maintenance of a variety of university websites within that area. My role also includes writing, design, and project coordination.

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different).

After receiving my B.A. (2008) I continued working full time for Apple Retail, specializing in business sales for corporate or large-business customers. At that point in my life I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my English degree, and found it safest to stay put at my current job. Apple was a fantastic employer and I learned a lot about technology, consumer trends, customer service, and how people use technology. This knowledge prepared me for the day in 2011 when one of my clients, the co-owner of an integrated communications agency, hired me as an Account Manager.

Working at an agency offered the opportunity to learn a variety of new skills, but was also the first job where my English degree was needed and sought after. Copywriting, editing, concept brainstorming, proofing advertisements, and website development all require a firm grasp on effective communication and language, as well as attention to detail and linguistics.

““Today my work requires a variety of skills, but the strongest and most useful is the ability to write and communicate in an effective way for different audiences.””

In 2013 I began work at my alma mater, Virginia Commonwealth University, working in communications and using a lot of the skills I cultivated at both previous jobs. Today my work requires a variety of skills, but the strongest and most useful is the ability to write and communicate in an effective way for different audiences.

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career?

I’ve freelanced for Richmond GRID magazine and worked as a website content writer for Elevation Fitness, a workout software company, amongst others. I always encourage recent graduates to pursue freelance writing gigs (even unpaid ones!) in addition to their full-time work. A successful English writing portfolio doesn’t have to rely solely on Chaucer or Fitzgerald; writing about current events, local news, or niche topics helps cultivate your communications voice in a way that isn’t quite as formal as a university paper. Freelance writing keeps your writing sharp and offers opportunity to experiment with different styles to find what works. Get hard copies of your articles (or use screenshot software), print them out, and put them in a portfolio to show prospective employers.

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?

The term “post-grad” is tricky for me, because I ended up going back to university part-time for my master’s degree in 2014, graduating in December 2016. I’m actually considering more graduate work to potentially switch gears and focus on research and teaching in the near future.

However, both my undergraduate and graduate work have taught me not to turn down opportunities to use or fine-tune your English reading, writing, and editing skills. If you have an opportunity to learn something new that can be added to a resumé or CV, take it. Want to work on a newspaper or in journalism? Learn AP style. Want to specialize in website content? Learn about SEO and keywords. See an interesting corporate-level writing job? Take a course in technical writing. We live in a world where everyone has the power to communicate via social media, but only select individuals have the power to craft words that are truly powerful.

““English majors are detail-oriented, granular thinkers with the capability to read, write, and edit. Many fields need minds like this, so don’t sell yourself short.””

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

Don’t put yourself in a career box based on preconceptions of what it means to be an English major. There are very few jobs where effective written communication isn’t important, but it’s all about having the right skill set. English majors are detail-oriented, granular thinkers with the capability to read, write, and edit. Many fields need minds like this, so don’t sell yourself short. Attend departmental alumni gatherings (or organize one, if it isn’t offered from your university) and learn what other English majors are doing.

More than anything, my advice is to keep learning, formally or informally. New jobs and uses for the English language are born daily (just think: 10 years ago we didn’t even have social media directors writing and scheduling Twitter/Facebook/Instagram posts for companies!) and if you stay current and keep learning, you’ll always find a job that needs an English major.

To learn more about Aine, click here. You can also connect with Aine on LinkedIn and follow her on Twitter. 

---

James M. Van Wyck: Postdoctoral Fellow

Name: James M. Van Wyck

Age: 34

College & Majors/Minors: William Paterson (BA); SUNY Buffalo (MA); Fordham University (PhD)

Current Location: New York, New York

Current Form of Employment: Postdoctoral Fellow

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I'm a postdoctoral teaching fellow at Fordham University. I teach at the Lincoln Center campus in the heart of Manhattan.

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career?

Every single job I've ever had has been writing-related. And that's not because most of them have been in the academy. I've worked in a corporate environment, and currently serve on several non-profit boards. I'm often called upon to craft the documents that make these institutions what they are (mission statements and the like) and the advancement letters that help bring in money to support these missions.

““At each stage of my professional life I have tried to look ahead at the accomplishments of others, and then figure out the steps they took to get where they are.””

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?

At each stage of my professional life I have tried to look ahead at the accomplishments of others, and then figure out the steps they took to get where they are. I mimicked the behaviors of peers/recent graduates whose work I respected. I looked at the CVs and resumes of scholars I looked up to, and reverse engineered the processes that led to their success. Then I broke those steps into manageable tasks and plotted them on my Google calendar. I also became a shameless networker, which has led to a lot of opportunities.

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

Own it. Don't ever apologize for your major. And forget the white noise about employability: the kinds of employers for whom you want to work value humanities education. I had dinner last month with a Raleigh-based CEO in NYC to secure funding for upcoming projects. He told me in no uncertain terms that the college major of an applicant to his company was almost always besides the point. What matters, he said, are communications skills and the ability to learn new processes. He used keywords like flexibility, adaptability, and teachability. His major? Religious studies. (It would have been the perfect anecdote had he been an English major!)

Another key point: make sure you take on an internship or some experience that allows you to acquire and demonstrate that you can work as part of a team, that you can communicate with a wide variety of audiences, and so on. 

To read more career and graduate school advice from James, click here. You can also connect with James on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter. 

---

Cassie Armstrong: Freelance Editor

Name: Cassie Armstrong

Age:

College & Majors/Minors: BA in English literature with a minor in history; MA in English with an emphasis in folklore

Current Location: Colorado Springs

Current Form of Employment: Freelance editor who owns her own business

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I'm the owner of MorningStar Editing LLC. I'm an editor.

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different).

My first job out of college was a cashier in a college bookstore. My husband and I had moved to Flagstaff so he could go to grad school at Northern Arizona University. I saw a notice that said "now hiring" and applied to be one of the cashiers. Eleven years ago I quit teaching to be available to take care of my infant grandson. After taking care of him for a few years I decided I needed something else to do in my "spare" time. I had been a college English teacher and thought that I could be an editor. I acted on that thought and picked up the phone and called a few local publishers. From there, I started my freelance editing business. I love working with words and can't imagine doing anything else.

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career?

Teaching. I was a substitute teacher, an adjunct for three community colleges in three different states, a staff reporter for a business journal, and a university college English teacher who taught freshman comp and research to sophomore English students. Writing has always been an important part of my career.

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?

While I was in college, I only wanted to be a teacher. That was my focus and goal. But I didn't take education classes. Instead, I took classes in ethnic studies, ethnic literature, and folklore even before those classes were cool. Those classes instilled in me a love of different cultures. They also helped me appreciate differences. This has been invaluable for every job I've had since college. This also comes in handy when I edit cookbooks, craft books, or other types of nonfiction and fiction.

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

Don't listen when your family asks you what you're going to do with a degree in English after you graduate. Appreciate your communication skills and your ability to analyze. Think about your interests and abilities. Find something you love and pursue it.

To learn more about Morningstar Editing, visit www.morningstarediting.com. You can also follow Morningstar Editing on Facebook, connect with Cassie on LinkedIn and follow her on Twitter. 

---

Sarah Hierl: Legal Assistant

Name: Sarah Hierl

Age: 22

College & Majors/Minors: University of South Florida St. Petersburg, Bachelor’s in English Literature and Cultural Studies

Current Location: Clearwater, Florida

Current Form of Employment: Legal Assistant for an Insurance Defense Law Firm

Where do you work and what is your current position?

At the moment I work at Cole, Scott & Kissane, P.A., as a sort of assistant to the legal assistants. I help a team of around twenty people with any overflow work that they come across (which tends to be a lot, as our firm is one of the largest in Florida). I do quite a few things, such as drafting and serving pleadings and subpoenas, tasking trial orders to ensure the attorneys have accurate deadlines to follow for trial, as well as transcribing billing and correspondence for about three of the firm’s managing partners. It is quite a big job that takes a lot of time management to avoid getting overwhelmed.

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different).

Well, my first job ever was as a Kids Zone Employee at Brighthouse Networks Field, a baseball field near my house where the Philadelphia Phillies had their spring training. I found the job through a friend I was in a volunteer club with, which launched me into my first ever work experience! I was responsible for attending the playground and various games in the kids zone, such as our batting game and bounce house. Although, the most challenging part was babysitting some of the tipsy adults trying to use the bounce house.

I found my current job through my sister, who is actually a client of our firm. She is an adjuster and has many connections with different attorneys in different firms. I was looking for a firm that would work with my college class schedule, and CSK just happened to work out perfectly for that. As I worked here longer my responsibilities have grown and I’ve learned many valuable new skills as well. I am currently looking to move outside of the legal field to a career which offers more room for growth without requiring additional degrees, as that isn’t something I can afford right now.

““Knowledge of spelling and grammar is super important in the legal field, since one mistake on a pleading could cost the firm or client millions of dollars, or even cause a legal malpractice case (definitely no bueno).””

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career?

I would say that the first law firm I worked for, Vernis & Bowling of the Gulf Coast, P.A., really gave me a leg-up in the way of proving my skills in order to be successful in a career. I had always been told that an English degree was going to be useless unless I went into teaching, but the managing partner of the branch would introduce me to guests as “the resident English major,” which always gave me a lot of pride in what I chose to do. Knowledge of spelling and grammar is super important in the legal field, since one mistake on a pleading could cost the firm or client millions of dollars, or even cause a legal malpractice case (definitely no bueno).

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?

I was fortunate to have professors that stressed preparing a portfolio for future applications. Though I was often stressed and cursing the time I spent on carefully compiling one of each document I wrote for every single class, I now appreciate the results of that hard work. I was also taught how to prepare a resume, something that I feel isn’t often adequately stressed to college students, but which makes a MASSIVE difference once you graduate. Jobs don’t even look at you if your resume is sloppy or has poor spelling. It was a huge bonus that my teachers cared about giving us tips that would help in the real world.

““Also, if you graduate and end up stuck as to where to apply, start with administrative positions. Most start with a decent pay rate of 10-15 dollars an hour, and you can always find the ones that have room for upward mobility. There is no shame in starting from the bottom and working your way toward success, as cliche as that sounds.””

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

Don’t listen to the people who tell you that an English degree is useless. It may be more of a niche job rather than finding a Fortune 500 company to work for, but there will always be work for you. We all know how bad Microsoft Word is at grammar checks and spelling, so having a human with the skills to edit and write properly is invaluable to a lot of companies right now. Also, if you graduate and end up stuck as to where to apply, start with administrative positions. Most start with a decent pay rate of 10-15 dollars an hour, and you can always find the ones that have room for upward mobility. There is no shame in starting from the bottom and working your way toward success, as cliche as that sounds. I had many times where I wanted to give up, but one thing that we young people have is a lot of drive, and that has kept me going. Not to mention, who knows how far it will take me? I still have a lot of time to find out!

---

Tabitha Cornwell: Project Manager

Name: Tabitha Cornwell

Age: 30

College & Majors/Minors: Arizona State, BA in English; University of Phoenix, MS in Psychology

Current Location: Phoenix, AZ

Current Form of Employment: Full-time, higher ed administration

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I work at the University of Phoenix as a project manager of learning content. My department handles the acquisition and management of all the types of materials that may go into a course—textbooks, educational technology, internally-developed tools and multimedia, open-source or free web content, and anything else the instructional design teams throw at us. As a core (and relatively small) team in the middle of a huge institution, we maintain a working knowledge of products we currently offer, pending requests coming down the pipeline, industry norms and trends, as well as the legal and contractual obligations associated with each of these product types. It's my job to maintain close and productive relationships with our internal customers (primarily college staff) as well as external vendors and suppliers.

A typical day might involve presenting a training surrounding our processes to staff in production before going back to my desk and calling my publisher rep to find out why an eBook file isn't rendering properly. I also work with vendors to establish and maintain QC processes that ensure we're providing consistent eBook experiences for students. It's essential for me to be able to translate between academic requirements, technical specifications, and high-level snapshots expected by executives.

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different).

As a teenager, I volunteered for the local library system for five years, since I practically lived there anyway. That hands-on community work introduced me to the world of networking, opening doors to several jobs funded by local government grants. As president of a library branch's "teen council," I met with corporate sponsors and participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony while still in braces (and a terrible haircut, thanks Mom!). At thirteen, I was part of a group teaching senior citizens basic computer and internet skills, and by sixteen, I had revamped and updated the curriculum as the sole instructor. 

"I'm the one in the fuchsia top looking up." -Tabitha

With the grant extinguished, I began working for a program sponsored by the Arizona Science Center that introduced middle school and younger students to scientific concepts in hands-on workshops (think CSI lab in which one of the instructors is the culprit). Looking back, these classes were a precursor to the current STEM wave in education. 

Because my mom worked in computer networking for my school district, I was usually taking apart computers or running CAT-5 cables under desks. I dabbled in web design, taught myself some coding skills and ran a small website for a genealogical society my family belonged to. I saved every penny from these early jobs and eventually bought myself a Blue Dalmatian iMac named Spot. (Spot still lives in my home office, though his fan needs a thorough cleaning. I'm thinking about converting him into a fishtank.)

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career?

Despite entering with a slew of AP credits, ASU still required me to take ENG/102 as a freshman. Within the first week, I was essentially running daily tutoring sessions in the back of the class. Looking back, the professor could have been really grouchy about my co-opting her students, but instead, she referred me to the director of the on-campus Writing Center for a job. Within another semester, I was the student coordinator. In my earlier teaching work, I had realized I have a knack for analogies, and meeting students at their level of understanding. Over time, I began to realize that ability was one of my most unique, transferable skills.

A few months after I'd graduated, a friend forwarded me a few postings for admin, entry-level positions at UOP, where she worked. I immediately gravitated to one in their online tutoring center—for math (yikes!). After poring over the job description a few million times, I realized they weren't actually looking for a math expert, but someone to keep the center organized. I also guessed that fewer people might apply because of the scary "math" word in the title, and I was right—the position only had about 20 applicants. In the interviews, I pitched myself as someone who could add perspective of a student who needed math tutoring, because I'd been in that position myself. It worked! Though it was a pretty basic admin job, scheduling shifts and managing payroll for about 50 faculty tutors, I really enjoyed working with a group of intelligent, thoughtful academics coming from a wide range of experiences and industries. I'm still close with several of these awesome individuals.

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?

The problem with being interested in everything is that it's impossible to settle on a major! I enjoyed my Writing Center work more than any of my classwork—in fact, when I look back, it's still my all-time favorite job. Somehow, I was too stubborn to see the obvious choice (Dear English Major would have been sooooo helpful). I found myself nearing the end of my four-year scholarship with credits all over the map and no degree in sight. I was juggling four jobs and trying to complete five courses per semester. My body couldn't take the stress, and a bad cold turned into pneumonia. I broke up with my boyfriend, moved back home, transferred campuses (and writing centers!) and met with the umpteenth (and final) advisor to review my credits. Suddenly, the answer was obvious, and those AP credits finally came in handy.

““I resisted the English major for years because it seemed like the easy way out, and because it didn’t represent a clear path to a career. No longer ignoring the obvious degree choice forced me to confront those preconceived notions, and suddenly, I was passionate about my coursework, engaged in every class discussion, and stretching my brain with every assignment.””

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

If there's one thing I wish I could go back and tell myself, it's that struggling does not equal learning, and that you don't have to fight for something in order to consider it an accomplishment. I resisted the English major for years because it seemed like the easy way out, and because it didn't represent a clear path to a career. No longer ignoring the obvious degree choice forced me to confront those preconceived notions, and suddenly, I was passionate about my coursework, engaged in every class discussion, and stretching my brain with every assignment. I developed rich relationships with my professors and am happy to say I still keep in touch with some of them.

If something doesn't come naturally to you, there's no shame in finding a better fit. Especially in creative fields, people take their own talents for granted because they've always had them, and they lack the context and experience necessary to really understand that uniqueness. It's the same reason we have such a tough time pricing freelance creative work. Remember that learning what you don't enjoy is just as important as learning what you do. The world will be hard enough on you—be kind to yourself! This strengths-focused approach has been tremendously useful in making staffing recommendations, conducting trainings, and performing interviews.

You can connect with Tabitha on LinkedIn and follow her on Twitter and Instagram. 

---