5 Things You Can Do in College to Stand Out in the Job Market as a Writer

If you’re still in college, then you’re in luck—you have the power to significantly impact your post-grad life, and a world of opportunity is at your feet! Whether you're a freshman this fall or a soon-to-be graduating senior, use this precious time to your advantage. When you graduate, there will be millions of your peers at your side, vying for the very same job positions that you so desperately desire. Often, there are hundreds of qualified, experienced people applying for the same position.

We promise we’re not trying to scare you... we just know how important it is to stay practical and plan ahead. There are things you can do NOW to stand out later.

Consider the following five things that you can do in college to increase your chances of standing out in the job market as a writer:

1. Take part in writing-related extracurricular activities and internships.

Many colleges offer a range of writing opportunities outside of the classroom, such as a school newspaper (print and online), alumni magazine, literary magazine, etc. If you can, try out a variety of roles in a couple of publications. Sign up to be a reporter, and the next semester, try out an editor position if you can. Not only are these excellent things to have on your resume, but this is also a great way to determine what kinds of positions you would like to pursue after graduation, and what topics you’re truly passionate about. Do you get bored editing the work of others? Do you enjoy in-person interviews with people? These are the kinds of questions that will help you narrow your search once you start looking for a job.

Participating in an internship program is another important component of your undergrad experience. (It may be the case that internship employers will want to see that you’re active on campus, in which case those previously mentioned activities will come in handy.) An internship will provide you with a different type of work experience that will be even more useful when it’s time to buckle down and search for a post-grad job, and it may be as close to the ‘real world’ you will get during college. It’s an excellent thing to have on your resume—it shows potential employers that you’re serious about pursuing a career in a given field.

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2. Don’t just stick to writing—participate in a wide variety of extracurriculars.

Whether it’s Greek life, Amnesty International, fencing club, Habitat for Humanity, the sailing team or belly dancing club, it’s a good idea to involve yourself in something that’s not necessarily related to writing. As you probably remember from back when you were applying to college, it’s important to be well-rounded (on your resume, but also just in, ya know, life!), and the various experiences you have as a result of being involved will absolutely help you as a writer. After all… what the heck are you going to write about if all you do is… write?

Keeping an open mind about new adventures and opportunities will also allow you to meet new people and expand your network beyond the English department. Win, win! Speaking of networking...

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3. Take the time to network.

Some people won’t touch the word “network” with a ten-foot pole—the word as we know it in the job search world conjures images of awkward small-talk and exchanges of business cards. When we refer to “network” here, we’re really just encouraging you to meet new people and make some friends. Doesn’t sound so bad, right?

Talk to that person in your geology class who is outside your normal social group, ask your professors questions during office hours, make friends with the receptionist at your internship, etc. In many cases, jobs, internships and other work opportunities happen via word-of-mouth and through personal connections and recommendations. We’re not encouraging you to be fake or to use people, but by expanding your social group, you will naturally expand your “network” and scope of opportunities.

One of the best things about going to college is meeting like-minded folks who share the same interests you do, as well as meeting new people who will help you expand your view of the world and life in general. Take advantage and make some lifelong friends!

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4. Graduate with a portfolio.

If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a writer, one of the worst things you can do as an English major is to graduate from college with NOTHING (or close to nothing) in your portfolio. Most employers who are searching to fill writing-related positions will ask for examples of your work, and may even ask to be directed to your work online. (Check out ‘Building Your Professional Website & Online Portfolio: 13 Things You Need to Know’ for tips!)

Those clips you wrote for the school newspaper, that press release you wrote for your internship, and the newsletters you made for your fraternity house will definitely come in handy! 

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5. Further your education OUTSIDE of the classroom.

Most college courses aren’t going to go over things like grammar, punctuation, and the AP Stylebook, but it’s important to review these things on your own to keep your writing fresh and professional.

But when it comes to staying up-to-date on an ever-evolving industry, your education outside of the classroom doesn’t stop there. When you start the job search, employers will mostly likely want to see that you can do more than just write. Learning about things like web design, coding, WordPress, HTML, graphic design, etc. are really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to skills outside of your English major. For more ideas on how to bulk up your skill set, check out '10 Ways to Stay Productive While You’re an Unemployed Writer.'

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Alyssa W. Christensen lives in Seattle and is the founder of Dear English Major. Her full-time freelance career consists of providing writing, editing, and marketing services to small businesses. When Alyssa isn't helping businesses improve their online presence, she enjoys exploring Seattle's culinary delights with her husband, catching up on her favorite blogs, and working on her latest craft project. 

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Brandy Bauer: Communications Manager

Name: Brandy Bauer

Age: 40

College & Majors/Minors: B.A. in Women’s Studies (Smith College) and MFA in Creative Writing (Minnesota State University, Mankato)

Current Location: Washington, DC

Current Form of Employment: Communications Manager at the National Council on Aging

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I work as Communications Manager of the Economic Security division of a national nonprofit dedicated to helping older adults age well. My job means that I have a hand in writing or editing everything that my division puts out, from e-newsletters to press releases to website content to proposals and reports. I also do a bit of public speaking, at conferences and on webinars.

I’m lucky that I get to write every single day—in fact, that’s about 70% of my work. I’m also fortunate that I don’t take work home with me, so I still have a chance to do creative writing in my spare time.

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

I got my undergraduate degree when the Internet was in its infancy, so finding a career-type job was more difficult. I bounced around a bit, working at a bookstore, as a volunteer coordinator at a museum, and in an after-school program.

When I finished my MFA, I came to a crossroads. I was offered an adjunct position teaching Composition 101 at a southern state university, and also a position as an Editorial Assistant for the Cancer Information Service. I thought the latter sounded more interesting, and had better job security, so I took it and never looked back at academia.

Fifteen years later, I’ve held a variety of editorial and writing jobs, all with a health and human services focus.

What was another job that was important in your career?

I’ve learned a lot from all of my jobs, but one of the most interesting and challenging opportunities I had was the three years I spent as a Communications Editor in Kabul, Afghanistan.

I’d always wanted to live and work abroad, but wasn’t sure how to leverage my background in writing and editing into development work. In graduate school, I had a professor who told us that there was a market for literature in translation, especially in more obscure languages. Knowing that there was a rich literary tradition in Persian, I studied that language for two years here in DC. That got my foot in the door to work at a think tank in Afghanistan (where the local language, Dari, is a dialect of Persian).

Working with people from all over the world, I learned a tremendous amount about how to convey information in clear, plain language that non-native English speakers and non-technical experts can understand.

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

I wish I could say I had a lot of foresight to prepare for post-grad life, but I didn’t! Networking really wasn’t a thing back then, or if it was, I didn’t know how to do it.

I did, however, take advantage of the resume writing classes offered by my college’s career office.

Also I tried to treat each day as a job, allotting specific blocks of time for class, studying, going to the library, and exercising/socializing. That helped a lot in transitioning to full work days and learning how to balance work with fun.

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

Just remember: Everybody gets a break. When I finished my B.A., I worried so much that I’d be working retail/food service forever. But you don’t ever meet a 40-year-old college graduate who’s never had a real job. Your first (or second or third) job may be boring or not draw on your skill sets, but eventually you’ll find a good fit.

Connect with Brandy on LinkedIn. 

Amy Braunschweiger: Web Communications Manager @ Human Rights Watch

Name: Amy Braunschweiger

Age: 39

College & Majors/Minors: English and German major/European studies minor

Current Location: NYC

Current Form of Employment: Web Communications Manager at Human Rights Watch

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I work at Human Rights Watch as their web communications manager–I basically work as their feature writer, do a lot of editing, and I’m part of a team that oversees strategy and execution for all our digital properties, including our website, social media, e-newsletters, other digital projects, etc. What I do is storytelling, often using words together with photos and video. I work with people who are lawyers and human rights experts, so a lot of what I do is translate what I’m told or what I read from political/legalese into language that allows a piece to live and breathe. The information was already there, it was just buried.

I’ve had so many writing and editing jobs I can’t even count, as I was a freelancer for ages.

Taxi Confidential: Life, Death and 3 a.m. Revelations in New York City Cabs

By Amy Braunschweiger

• Author: Wrote the book Taxi Confidential: Life, Death and 3 a.m. Revelations in New York City Cabs.
• Freelance article writer: Had fun, fabulous articles published in awesome places like the New York Times, New York magazine, Worth, etc. At the Village Voice I lead a team of writers to create 3,000 or so nightlife listings/reviews.
• Freelance less-sexy writer: Had less fun but also sometimes interesting pieces published in steady-paying places like trade magazines for financial professionals, nonprofit newsletters, for investment banks, random financial sites, etc.
• Ghost writer: Helped ghost write an encyclopedia of American food and wine. (It was never published as the head writer entered something of a downward spiral.)
• Other odd jobs/gigs that my writing and reporting skills lead to as a freelancer: Had a gig doing background checks on corporate executives (reporting skills); Market research for an arm of Morgan Stanley (interviewing skills); researching how to build schools in Vietnam for a nonprofit (research skills).
• My only other fulltime job: Was a financial reporter at Dow Jones writing mostly breaking news stories. My feature stories (3% of the job) often made it into the Wall Street Journal. 
• Stringer at Ohio’s Toledo City Paper: Wrote about nightlife, culture and fun.
• International: I’ve also had a few fellowships that have allowed me to live in Germany and work at German-language publications. I’m not a native speaker, just lucky and strong-willed.

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

I was in my early 20s when I came home to Toledo, Ohio, from a fellowship I had in Germany. I didn’t consider myself a journalist, but I really enjoyed participating in, and writing about, nightlife and the arts (at my college paper, at my internship as an MTV stringer covering Cincinnati’s music scene, at my fellowship in Leipzig, Germany where I worked at their city magazine). But I thought that I was now an adult, and adults wrote about politics and finance, so I should get a job writing about one of those two things. So I lived with my folks, waitressed, drove my mom’s car and spent months applying to “serious” jobs. Somewhere in there, I got dumped, too. It was not a happy time.

My first real full-time job was at Dow Jones Newswires, and getting hired there was crazy. I applied for it, and then called me, did a phone interview, and then asked me if I’d take a 4-hour test in their Detroit Wall Street Journal bureau (Dow Jones also owns the WSJ). I asked them for any tips, and they said brush up on your math, know how to calculate percentages. I did, drove the hour to Detroit, and took the test. It took me an extra hour, but it really wasn’t that bad. They were mostly trying to judge how logical you were—do you compare apples to apples if we give you apples, oranges and bananas? That type of thing. I easily calculated all the answers in the math section, but had I not asked about what to study ahead of time, I would have winged that entire section, and the results could have been grim. Math was never my best subject (understatement). Just as an fyi.

Then Dow Jones let me know that I passed the test and asked me to come in for a 3-day work trial in Jersey City, where they were based. I had to spring for my own plane ticket and lodgings there. Might I add I had zero money? My folks said “No way!” but I went for it anyway, buying a plane ticket and staying with my friend’s parents in a nearby suburb. There, people who were surprisingly young, fun and interesting trained me in financial newswire writing for three days–how to report on earnings, retail sales, airline figures, mergers, etc. Afterwards they had me take yet another five-hour test to see how well you absorbed the training.

You know what? I totally bombed that test. Awfully. But they still hired me. After the fact, one of my editors told me that they liked my international experience, I was smart enough, and–wait for it–I fit into the newsroom personality-wise.  

My take-away: sometimes you just have to go for it, buy your own plane ticket, and go out of your way to get something. Even if the hiring process is ridiculous.

My other take away: I came to embrace what I call the lunchroom rule. You have to have the skills to get in the door, but people really want to hire a co-worker that they can sit down and talk with over lunch with. I bombed that second test and got hired anyway. Why? The lunchroom rule. When I applied to a long-term freelance position at the Village Voice, my resume was plucked out of already short-listed bunch because of the lunchroom rule (the editor was fascinated with Berlin, and I’d lived there), and at Human Rights Watch I was hired over someone more qualified than me because they just liked me better. I’ve seen this play out over and over again both with friends and with myself.

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

Freelancing! It taught me how to write differently for different publications, how to change my tone of voice. I learned how to read publications from Elle Magazine to Inc. critically, to figure out what editors wanted or would more likely buy. I learned how to pitch myself and the articles I wanted to write—you need to be able to sell editors your ideas and yourself as an author. After I went quickly broke, I was forced to begin treating writing like a business—you do have to pay rent after all. So while I kept up the fun, fabulous articles that inspired me, I also began picking up more boring, financial work that paid much better and took much less time to write. For me, and for many freelancers, money worries will suck away your creativity and you’ll stop having fun with your writing, and I was constantly balancing my creative work with the better-paying kind. I also learned how to be flexible and mold your skills to various opportunities in ways that others can’t see. Doing corporate background checks? No problem, it’s really just reporting under a different name.

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

Not much, to be honest. I had fun, made good friends, drank a lot of beer, etc. I took a couple journalism classes, but didn’t find them interesting or useful. I didn’t even declare a major until I was a junior, and my GPA was a 3.2 or something. I rowed crew for the joy of it for a year or two but quit because those 5 a.m. practices killed me.

OK, wait, now that I think harder, I did do some things. My journalism professor basically forced me to get a job at the student newspaper because “I’d never get a job” if I didn’t. I found the newspaper so boring, and I just couldn’t stomach the fact of covering city council meetings, so I did layout and design for them, which was actually fun. And it paid. I did a bit of entertainment writing for them—bands, DJs.

I did take some other summer internships, but I really only worked at them 5 hours a week or so—I was a full-time waitress in the summers, as I needed to earn money for college. So I squeezed in an internship at a tiny suburban newspaper.

This is important: My junior year I spent a summer working in a bakery in Berlin and I studied for a semester in Luxembourg. How I got to Berlin: A professor was interviewing students to work there, my friend from a German class wanted to go, she didn’t want to do the interview alone, I went to support her, and ended up being offered a job. Since I would already be living in Europe, I decided to study at Miami University’s branch campus in Luxembourg, as it cost the same as my in-state tuition.

Full disclosure—I didn’t this to gain any international experience. I did it because it sounded like a blast and I have an adventurous streak. But it changed everything for me.

I fell in love with Germany, the language, the culture and became obsessed with really learning and experiencing it all. And in learning about what an amazing place Germany is, I realized that every other country in the world could be exactly as amazing and interesting if I were open to it. Despite growing up in an area that really wasn’t very diverse, I fell in love with all things international. I went back (for the love of it) and really learned German. I cannot tell you how many doors this experience has opened up for me, both personally and professionally.

Take away: If you want to live abroad and learn a language, do it. No regrets.

OK, back to college. Senior year, something amazing happened. I was looking for a fall internship on our listservs, scrolling past opportunities to cover city hall and PTA meetings in small town Ohio (I love small town Ohio, but no way), when I saw an internship to be a stringer for MTV online. I applied to cover the music scene in nearby Cincinnati, and to my amazement, landed it. It was unpaid, but I was living the free-concert-ticket dream. It was amazing. I had a blast. And I won a writing award reserved for their top seven stringers across the U.S. (they had 100, I think).

My take away from that internship: You can get work doing what you love to do. Not always, and it won’t work out the way you foresee, but it happens. Next step: getting paid for it.

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

You may hate your first job. I sure did. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t learning a lot there. And you’ll learn what you don’t want to do/deal with in your next job. I spent four years at Dow Jones Newswires, and only enjoyed six months of it. It was years after I left that job that I realized how strong a financial reporter I had become. And that job opened up so many doors, too, through connections I made, because most people couldn’t write about finance and I could, and because people automatically took you a bit more seriously—even people at glossy women’s magazines. Who knew? So even if you’re hating it, keep learning.

Take big risks if you have the stomach for it. (Say, when I quit Dow Jones to go freelnace when I had no idea how I would make anything happen). Just also make sure you can stomach the consequences if the worst happens—which for me would have been moving back in with my folks (it didn’t happen).

Figure out what you’re passionate about and stick with it, at least in part. You’re always going to do better at what excites you, and you’ll feed off the energy of it. Just prioritize it. It may not be a full-time job or even a part-time job, but it’ll make you feel good.

Keep talking to people. People, for me, are key. People sometimes know things you don’t know and have opportunities you don’t know about. Are you stuck on your novel? Do some research by talking to people who may be similar to your character, either in job or personality. Are you a journalist out of story ideas? Just start talking to people at a bar, at a party, on a plane—especially talk to people different from you—and listen to them. Story ideas will just appear.

Follow Amy on twitter!

Ashley Sapp: Freelance Writer/Editor & Administrative Coordinator

Name: Ashley Sapp

Age: 26

College & Majors/Minors: B.A. in English Language and Literature, cognate in Linguistics from University of South Carolina

Current Location: Columbia, SC

Current Form of Employment: Freelance Writer/Editor and Administrative Coordinator

Where do you work and what is your current position? 

My current position is as an administrative coordinator within the Cardiovascular Translational Research Center at USC School of Medicine. I handle a variety of tasks depending on what our team’s Director needs that day, but a large portion of my job involves manuscript management, as he is on the editorial board of numerous peer-review journals. Further, he is quite the writer himself with many publications under his belt, so I help with the proofreading, editing, and formatting of those before the submission process. This particular task set extends into the writing of his grants, as well. Thankfully, there are calculators for the number portion of that because words are about as skilled as I get. Outside of USC, I do freelance work as a writer, blogger, and occasional editor.

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

My first job after college was at a small medical practice of orthopedic surgeons. A friend of mine was working with a physician there, and when she learned that the Research Director needed someone to help with manuscript writing and editing, she passed along my name. It was a part-time gig, but I learned quickly that I enjoyed medical editing. I had always figured my life would contain words, but it was not until my first job that I realized I quite enjoyed reading other people’s work and providing insight where I could. It then becomes a team effort in creating something worthwhile, and that was a rewarding experience for me.

Later, I found myself in a retail position since I needed something that paid more while recovering from a spinal surgery. In the process, I eventually lost sight of what I truly wanted my career to look like. Getting back on my feet both metaphorically and literally meant taking strides in changing where I was. It was slow going for a while because I felt I was chasing a pipe dream—I was questioning my choices, and I found myself believing that I was facing a dead-end before the age of 25. I was on disability from my retail job while recovering from the surgery, paying student loans for a degree I was not using, and spending my sudden plethora of free time in bed thinking about how I haven’t written anything in ages but still feeling too afraid to pick up a pen. I was in pain, physically and mentally, and thus felt drained and defeated.

Towards the end of my disability leave, I dreaded returning to a job I knew was not truly for me. It was a bit of a wake-up call, a moment of clarity after having spent so much time alone with my thoughts and self-doubt. If I wanted my life to change, I had to start somewhere, and I alone had to make it happen. Thus, I began looking into jobs at my university and within my town for anything to do with publishing or writing. I began applying for internships as well because I figured I could continue with a retail position if I was at least building experience in something I enjoyed and went to school for. Many resumes and applications later, I accepted the position I have now. The search began with me asking myself, “What do I want?” and “How am I going to get it?”

How do you find your freelance gigs?

I recently filled out profiles on sites like Elance and really started to apply for offered jobs through them. I have done a lot of guest blogging and guest articles for various online sites as well, which has helped in getting my name out there as a credible source. Sometimes I am asked to proofread or write for others and thus the opportunity comes to me on its own, but most of the time, at least at the stage I am currently in, I have to reach out whether by submitting a proposal for a job or showcasing my portfolio.

Particularly for my writing, blogging has become a major part of networking with other companies and writers. In fact, through blogging is how I met the ladies who run The Indie Chicks; thus, I had my first print article published in the second issue of their magazine, Indie Chick. I have gotten the chance to collaborate with many talented and inspiring people because I started blogging, reading, and commenting on other people’s work. Eventually, they began to do the same for me and suddenly it started to feel as though I had something worthwhile to say (who knew?). So we write, discuss, and share our love for the craft while simultaneously building our expertise. Without really realizing it, blogging and guest blogging became an experience-building way of writing for me. I have to lend credit to the blogosphere quite a bit for aiding me in taking myself seriously as a writer and also providing so many opportunities I never knew had existed before I created my first Wordpress site.

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

In some ways, there is not a complete way to prepare for post-grad life as the experience can vary from one individual to the next. But we all have to start somewhere, and very often, that somewhere involves a bit of flailing in the beginning. What proved to be helpful for me was getting to know what opportunities existed in my town and what I could do to better prepare myself for them.

Post-grads often get stuck in this limbo of being a novice with a degree whereas employers are seeking people with a degree but with experience. I worked on my university’s literary magazine in order to help build towards a better understanding of the way publications work, as one example. Though it was not actual job experience, it was experience nonetheless–something the employers I interviewed with seemed to take notice of. My current boss commented, “You’re green but dedicated.” Taking the time to research your interests, to teach yourself the things you're unfamiliar with, and to put in the effort for both your life and career not only demonstrates passion within your interviews with potential employers, but it also helps to ease your way into post-grad life in general.

One of Ashley's poems.

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

There are a lot of people out there who believe an English degree is useless for a number of reasons. I suppose it is because there is this stereotype that all we do is cuddle with said degree, comforting ourselves while clutching it tightly, repeating to ourselves lines of Jane Austen or Shakespeare or a Bronte sister, while sitting alone in our parents’ basement with no job offer in sight. Sure, a love of literature is often involved in our choice of degree, but anyone who truly thinks an English degree is impractical has not really thought about language itself: any set or system of symbols used in a more or less uniform fashion by a number of people, who are thus enabled to communicate intelligibly with one another. Without that, where would any of us be? So my advice to those of you facing naysayers (including yourself at times) is to continue believing in your path and your abilities because without you, without someone who has a love and understanding of words, communication would begin to break down. Whether you decide to teach and pass along how we use this beautiful thing called language, or you dive into publishing, or you help others write, or perhaps you write yourself, or you understand how to deploy words into advertising, into journalism, into whatever the case may be – you are making a statement and an impact on how the rest of the world, through time or space, will understand us. I’d say that is worthwhile.

My last piece of advice would be to not give up, which sounds easy but usually is not. Post-grad life can be pretty grim, regardless of the degree you end up with, but some of that has nothing to do with what you spent your time in college studying. What you can do in the meantime, however, is hone your skills, remind yourself why you chose this path, and create work for yourself. When I initially worked retail, I would come home and journal because it kept the fire going in the pit of my stomach, the burn to wake up each day with the belief I would get to do what I love. Because sometimes it did not feel that way—sometimes life and employment and choices were all disheartening—but as long as I kept writing, kept reading, kept exploring, I was also giving myself another chance at another day.

Even after college is over, you can continue learning. A friend of mine sent me a quote that resonated with me by T.H. White:

“You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then—to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting.”

I think it says quite a bit about us when we refuse to let fear or apathy or failure stop us from moving forward. We are naturally reluctant at times, fear the unknown, and yet once the change occurs – once we are falling and seem as though we are meeting our demise – we adapt rather quickly, develop wings, and rise again.

Ashley's blog of usings and creative writings can be found at www.chaosandwords.com, and she is also a contributing writer for sites such as Chelsea Krost and The IndieChicks. Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn.

Summer Fanous: Freelance Writer

Name: Summer Fanous

Age: 27

College & Majors/Minors: Northeastern Illinois University – Majored in English, Minored in Sociology

Current Location: Toronto, Canada

Current Form of Employment: Freelance Writer

Where do you work and what is your current position?

As a freelance writer, I have the luxury of working anywhere with my MacBook and an Internet connection. Nevertheless, I write out of the comfort of my home office (oftentimes in my pjs). I am currently working on projects for a number of clients in a variety of sectors, but I specialize in creating content for professionals in the real estate industry.

One of the main jobs I am focused on now is helping to build a comprehensive website which provides information on all of the new and recently completed condo/townhouse developments across Canada. I also create, edit and manage news articles, which are also featured on the site. The goal of this website is to be a one stop destination for potential homebuyers to access all the information they need to make an educated decision.

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

I didn’t really “find” my first job; I was enlisted to help out in the family business, Top Value Auto Repair in Chicago. No, I wasn’t changing spark plugs or rotating tires, though my dad has been doing so longer than I’ve been alive. I worked in the office, answering phones, ordering parts, talking to customers, creating fliers, etc.

This experience ultimately helped me get a job working as an administrative assistant at two prestigious Chicago real estate firms. Subsequently, I learned a lot about the industry but it’d be a while before I got to take advantage of all that knowledge.

What was another job that was important in your career?

Once I moved to Canada I started writing for a number of websites including Searching Toronto for free so that I could gain some more experience and build my writing portfolio. This was very important to my career, as it is how I earned my stripes.

Thanks to this, I became introduced to SkyViewSuites, the first furnished rental company that hired me to blog for them. It wasn’t long before I actively sought out similar companies to write for. Today, I manage numerous blogs for apartment rental companies and provide copy for a multitude of clients in various professions.

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

Honestly, I wasn’t really prepared for college going in, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to be when I “grew up.” I started my academic career in community college and transferred to university after I obtained my associates degree. Initially, I’d planned on getting a business degree with the hopes of becoming an entrepreneur. However, it just didn’t work out that way—life has a way of pushing and pulling you around, and the trick is to move with the forces, not against them.

I’ve always loved reading literature, writing poetry and thought becoming an English teacher would allow me to be close to what I loved. Plans changed, however and I decided to continue on with my courses, but dropped the teaching idea. I figured I could do plenty with an English degree and if I changed my mind back to becoming a teacher, all I’d need to do was become certified.

All of the classes that were required for a major in English really did help me out after graduation. Not only did I learn how to be a better reader and writer, but also how to work efficiently and effectively with others. I was focused on graduating and didn’t take advantage of all of the resources that are available to students.

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

Before you graduate with a degree in English, make sure you learn about all of the resources offered at your particular school. Talk to your advisor, don’t be afraid or ashamed of asking for help if you need it, that’s what they’re there for.

If you’re a poet, go out there and read your pieces in front of people, it’ll give you a rush and help boost your confidence. Submit your work—be it short stories, prose, whatever—to as many publications as you can. It's unlikely that it’ll be accepted everywhere, so don’t stress out if you’re work wasn’t chosen.

If you’re on a high horse, come down. There will always be someone out there who has more connections, knows more about your field of expertise, or is just “luckier” than you. There’s no need to kick yourself about it, just keep trying different things and something is bound to work.

Create strong friendships with your peers and professors and keep in touch with them even after you graduate. The more people you know, the better chance you have that one of them will consider you when an opportunity you might be suited for arises. Likewise, network as much as you can at job fairs, industry parties, whatever.

Finally, there are so many graduates out there who are either unemployed, or working in a completely different field, so don’t expect to get a job that pays $100k right after graduation. You might have to work for free for a while. Volunteering is an excellent way to gain experience, meet new people and it looks great on your resume.

Whatever it is that you want to do, put it in your mind and it will happen.

Visit Summer at SummerFanous.com and connect with her on LinkedIn!

Paris Close: Contributing Writer @ Crushable

Name: Paris Close

Age: 22

College & Maj/Min: English Literature (major)/ Writing/Journalism (double-minor)

Current Location: Pontiac, Michigan

Current Form of Employment: Contributing Writer

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I currently work as a Contributing Writer for Crushable, an awesome celebrity and entertainment website that feeds my daily giggle quota.

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

If we're talking actual firsts, then my first job came about during freshman year as a Barista at Aquinas College (AQ) in Grand Rapids, MI. I got a ton of closing shifts which were really popular with the "jocks," who, luckily for them, were way out of my league. But I earned my first writing job sophomore year when I worked as a reporter for the school's newspaper The Saint (or as I like to call it, the proving grounds). Before landing a spot on the Crushable team, I worked diligently with the paper, eventually earning titles like Culture Editor and Editor-in-Chief by graduation, and also interned for emcBlue and University101 during school as well. It's all been one stepping-stone journey.

"The Sampler is Aquinas' annual literary magazine in which selected works from Aquinas College students are published for the mag. I was so lucky enough to have been published three times, and these are the issues my work has been featured in."

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

Other than the internships I've held, I'd have to say my entire college experience was vital to the writing I do now. I mean, I am an English major, so I've written more than my share of articles and essays. If anything, I'd say having taken on so many creative writing courses as an undergrad was totally helpful to the work I do now. Not very often do college professors imagine an English major wanting to one day work for Us Weekly or write about the Justin Biebers of our generation. But here I am!

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

A wise woman once said, "Great readers make for even greater writers." And that woman is one of my most beloved mentors, Professor Vicki McMillan. I took those words to heart, mainly because it felt like a sin to dislike reading considering my major but there was something pleasant and Care Bear-like to McMillan's nature that inspired me. Not too long after, I was reading all of the time, mainly the work of Anne Sexton (my poetic warrioress) but also Annie Proulx's Close Range (which I'm currently re-reading because why not?). I was also taking a great interest in poetry and writing for the paper as well. So I'd say a combination of reading and writing has best prepped me for my writing career.

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

Three things:

1. First, recover those last four or five years of sleep you've lost cramming those essays in before your 9 a.m. but take no longer than a month to do so. Sleep long, sleep well.
2. Second, take on internships (paid or not) both before and maybe even after graduation. Internships are a great way to establish your brand and reputation as an aspiring writer, so take on a few but don't overwhelm yourself.
3. Lastly, be patient and give yourself time. We English majors have all been told at least once in our lives that finding work will be more than just "difficult," more like a tedious waiting period. But don't fret! Busy yourself doing something fun: start a blog, create a LinkedIn profile, and read and write everyday! Write on? Right on!

Check out Paris Close's work on Crushable, and connect with him on LinkedIn.

Grammatical Art Giveaway

"Whom" doesn't love some awesome grammar-inspired fashion?! We're excited to be partnering with the Grammatical Art Etsy shop for a giveaway!

Prize: The winner will be able to choose a Grammatical Art owl shirt (pictured above) in any of the sizes and color choices available from the Grammatical Art Etsy shop. 

It's pretty simple to enter:

• Fill out the handy form below, which includes following Grammatical Art on Facebook to enter.
• All entries must be received by Saturday, August 2, 2014 at midnight PST.
• The winner will be chosen at random using Rafflecopter. 
• If we don't hear back from the winner by Saturday, August 9, 2014 at midnight PST, another winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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A note from Grammatical Art:

Saving the English language one print at a time.

I'm excited to be working with Dear English Major because quite a few English majors changed my life and were ultimately great inspirations for my business. Whether you're destined to be a teacher, an editor, a writer, or something completely different, what you do is important and impacts many people around you.

I am a stickler when it comes to proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. I also love to design. One day, I decided that it would be a great idea to combine the two; the end result was Grammatical Art.

I love creating new (and hopefully funny) designs. I want someone to have one of my prints in their home, classroom, or office and just smile when they see it. If it educates a passerby, even better.

I have a passion for grammar, chemistry, and physics. I love depicting each subject in my work. I hope you enjoy my prints half as much as I do!

-Natalie

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Katie Woodzick: External Relations Manager @ Hedgebrook

Photo by Samantha O'Brochta.

Name: Katie Woodzick

Age: 28 

College & Majors/Minors: Theatre/Dance Major, Minors in English and French 

Current Location: Whidbey Island, Washington

Current Form of Employment: External Relations Manager 

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I work for Hedgebrook, which is a non-profit retreat for women writers. We have six cottages on 48 acres and award writers fully-funded residencies of 2-6 weeks in addition to offering professional development programs and public readings. I serve the organization as one of two External Relations Managers. We manage marketing, fundraising and communications campaigns. My favorite aspect of my job is managing our social media networks and analyzing data. I can totally geek out on identifying trends in data and using them to better communicate our programs and mission.

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

My first job was a work study placement working janitorial in my college's Biology wing. It was terrifying to clean the labs alone at 6 AM being watched by glass cases filled with stuffed animals. Luckily, I transferred into the Interlibrary Loan Department halfway through my first semester.

I found my current job through strategically choosing my practicum placement for graduate school. I studied for a year in Seattle University's MFA in Arts Leadership program. Each quarter, we were required to set up a 3-5 hour a week practicum with a local arts organization. I chose Hedgebrook and after two quarters, it led to a part-time position as a Development Associate, which later led to a promotion to External Relations Manager.

@ AWP.

What was another job that was important in your career?

I toured with a children's theatre production of Jack and the Beanstalk for a summer. There were two actors and a bunch of set pieces and costumes in the back of our pickup truck. We traveled to a different town each week and taught the show to up to 100 kids. It was a magnificent opportunity to hone both my interpersonal and leadership skills.

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

Honestly, I didn't do that much. I mainly focused on my acting, directing and writing, while enjoying the social aspects of college. I participated in a general audition which landed me the Jack and the Beanstalk gig. After that I didn't know what to do with my life, so I applied to a dozen different AmeriCorps placements all over the country. Whidbey Island was the first place to offer me a position. I drove from Minnesota to Washington state in two days. I think that AmeriCorps is a great program with which you can ease into post-graduate life. It allowed me to try out working with non-profit organizations, which I now love. And there are so many different kinds of programs! I highly recommend AmeriCorps.

Celebrating the release of the 2014 VIDA count.

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

Don't let anyone tell you that your degree is impractical. I was asked many times: "So, what are you going to do with a theatre degree?" 

What is impractical is to study subjects for which you have no passion. Writing is an incredibly valuable skill that will serve you well in many professions. In this digital age, we have lost the essence of thoughtful communication. We need people who take the time to study literature, reflect on it and attempt to draw meaning from it. 

Don't be afraid of applying for positions if you don't have every single qualification listed on the job posting. Use your killer writing skills to write around any gaps in your work experience. Plus, the first thing any future employer is likely to read is your cover letter. Give yourself permission to wow them with an unforgettable first impression on the page.

Also, never stop writing. Whether it's keeping a personal journal, submitting to contests and publications, or attending a local poetry slam, it's imperative that you keep writing. You never know the impact of what you write and put out into the world. It has the potential to inspire, enlighten, and possibly even save a life.

Check out Katie's professional website and visit her blog!

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