Marketing Your Liberal Arts Degree - Katarina O'Regan

The Career and Internship fair is almost here! This Wednesday, Wednesday, February 15th, over 100 employers will be attendance and will be waiting to meet you at the McGinley Ballroom on the Rose Hill campus. Katarina O’Regan discusses some ways she has highlighted her strengths as a Liberal Arts student.

As a liberal arts student I sometimes feel uneasy about today’s job market. With all the hype about STEM careers (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) I worry that a more diverse background might give me a well-rounded education, but not necessarily lead me to a job after graduation. Laura McMullen recognizes these issues, but she also points out that your degree should be in a field you’re actually interested in, and that in many cases liberal arts degrees can be an asset in a job search. What follows are her tips for making the most of a liberal arts degree:

1.      “Know your strengths”

Because of the diversity of our education, liberal arts students tend to be good communicators and posses critical thinking skills. These qualities are useful in every industry, and can put you ahead of someone whose specialized knowledge prevents them from thinking outside of the box.

Note: Check out the testimony from a Fordham grad, Sarah Romeo. Romeo was an English major who now works in publishing at Penguin Group and says that her Fordham education has helped her “think on her feet” and given her solid writing and negotiating skills.

2.      “Supplement your courses”

Liberal arts students should make a concerted effort to obtain internships and add industry to their resume. Not all internships have to be in a field directly related to your major: “A liberal arts major, for example, could intern at a finance company.” Expanding skills sets is what’s important here, and industry experience could help put an applicant over the top regardless of their major. Additionally, liberal arts major have “a greater number of ‘softer’ skills—such as critical thinking, reasoning, and communicating—that make them a desirable long-term hire.”

3.      “Showcase your skills”

Examples, examples, examples. When applying for a position, applicants should make sure to bring up research projects, large presentations, previous internships and leadership role. These experiences will show an employer that you have the ability to contribute to their organization and are experienced with research and the world of work.

4.      “Expand your job search”

Liberal arts educations have the benefit of preparing students for a wide variety of industries. You don’t have to go into one specific field just because that’s what you majored in. McMullen points out that “Most English majors don't go on to become novelists, and history majors don't always become history teachers.” The communication and critical thinking skills provided by a liberal arts education can lead to jobs in industries from finance to publishing to market research. As Romeo herself points out “I feel like I'm not stuck in one career path. I could do this for a little while, and maybe change paths. I can own my own business one day.”

Want more information on this subject?

This year, we surveyed all of the attending employers and asked them to specify the Fordham majors they were interested in recruiting. Based on employer preferences, we have created fliers listing employer interest in Humanities, Social Sciences, Physical Sciences and Business students.  Each of the lists contains more than 80 employers, confirming that there are opportunities for students of all majors. Check out the fliers below:

 
Humanities Majors

Social Science Majors 

Physical Science Majors

Business Majors

Want more tips? Come to one of the Career Fair Prep Workshops next week!

Career Fair Prep Workshop  - Rose Hill

February 14th, 2012

Faculty Lounge, RH

2pm-3pm & 3pm-4pm

Career Fair Prep Workshop - Lincoln Center

February 14th, 2012

South Lounge, LC

2pm-3pm & 3pm-4pm

See you at the Career Fair!

SPRING CAREER & INTERNSHIP FAIR

Wednesday, February 15th

McGinley Center Ballroom, RH

1pm – 4pm