What do I type into Monster.com?!?

By Stephanie Grebe

A Liberal Arts major has a strong competitive advantage in today’s economy. We are jacks-of-all-trades with skills that can be applied to a variety of career paths. While our majors do not directly translate into careers, we have a broad education that exposes us to language, communication, history, culture, diversity, math, and science. The versatility of this education allows us to be adaptable and experienced in as a professional, instead of specializing in one particular field.

While this is a powerful benefit, I have found this freedom and versatility can be incredibly frustrating when it comes to searching for a job. I cannot type “communication” into a search box at monster.com. I cannot type “political science” or “English” the way an engineer can just enter their major. Where do I focus?

What I have found is that, while a Liberal Arts major does not always translate directly into a career, it helps us develop a wide range of transferable skills that are applicable to a variety of careers. So when searching for positions, I personally can search for “Public Relations and advertising and event planning and external relations and social media and global and international…” The list of my passions and experiences are endless, making me qualify for a variety of positions.

Liberal Artists must really focus on their strengths and passions, but also be willing to embrace their broad education. Don’t be afraid to highlight what makes you unique and use a Liberal Arts degree to your fullest advantage.