So What Are You Going to do With THAT Major?

By: Maureen Corbett

If someone would give me a nickel for every time I've heard the questions, "You're studying Public Relations? Why are you at Purdue then, only engineers go there. What kind of job will you even get with a degree like that?" then I could probably quit school and retire right now. The fact of the matter is that if you are a Liberal Arts student, you are going to have to battle typical stereotypes such as:
     1. No one hires Liberal Arts Students.
     2. Liberal Arts students don't make money.
     3. Liberal Arts students don't have any useful skills.

I am here today to tell you that everyone single one of these stereotypes in a complete myth. So relax, and read on. I promise that anyone, whether they are an art, education, theater, english, or philosophy major, as long as you market your skills correctly and play the game right, the sky is the limit when it comes to success.

Liberal Arts Students Get More Promotions
It's true, according to a New York Times article written by Edwin Koc:

"A longitudinal study conducted several years ago by the National Center for Educational Statistics found that the wage differentials that existed between career-oriented majors and academically oriented majors were all but eliminated within 10 years after graduation. Liberal arts graduates frequently catch or surpass graduates with career-oriented majors in both job quality and compensation."

This should be reassuring to every Liberal Arts student out there. If money is an important factor in your decision to pursue a specific major, this statistic shows that Liberal Arts degrees provide students with the opportunity to surpass their counterparts in science and engineering. "How?" you might ask. The following section will explain why.

Liberal Arts Students Have Better Skills
Here is an infograph with data taken from a University of Phoenix study that shows the top most marketable traits that employers today are looking for in new graduates.

All these skills are easily obtained by any Liberal Arts student because these are the skills your professors are instilling in you in the classroom. When a company is looking to hire a new leader, they want a well-rounded, determined individual who can work well in teams and has the capacity to think critically and solve problems. Skills such as these are incredibly marketable in today's society because more and more employers are recognizing all the capabilities Liberal Arts students have to offer. The more diverse and adaptable you can be, the more opportunities will be available to you with a major everyone else thought was a waste of time. 

Take all this information to heart and think how you can use it to land your dream job. With evidence and statistics like these, you won't even bat your eye the next time someone tells you that your major won't allow you to be successful. With the tools to market your strongly-desired skills, the possibilities for your future career is endless!