12th
Forget an MBA. Here's Why You Should Get an English Degree
For the past decade, I’ve regretted getting two degrees in English for a couple reasons:
1) the massive student debt I racked up, and
2) the jobs available to English majors usually consisted of editorial assistant jobs paying $24K per year, teaching jobs paying $24K per year, or writer jobs paying $24K per year.
Depressing, right? Especially when my student loan payments were exactly half of my take-home pay.
But times are changing though (duh).
What was true in 1998 is no longer true for 2008. And I’m now super grateful that I spent six years studying the literary stuff that I did.
What happened to make things change so radically?
The freaking web happened. And Google happened.
It’s like someone (I like to imagine Atlas) came and shook the world like a snow globe, and all the old rules of information distribution and creation are up in the air. Which means that business rules are now up in the air.
(It may sound insignificant and cliched by now, but as a person who’s intently studied the history of publishing and communication technology, Google is our postmodern-day Gutenberg.
I truly believe that, and have since the first time I used Google, back in 1998 as a graduate research assistant: the top of my head felt like it was lifting off, and the words, “HOLY FUCKING SHIT” came involuntarily out of my mouth.)
With all this crazy-uncertainty and fast change, if you’re an undergraduate, you’re probably scared about declaring your major. If you’re a young person wondering what degree you should pursue, and the sciences don’t suit you, I’d like to offer something for your consideration: get an undergraduate degree in English.
(By an “English” degree, I’m talking about a degree that focuses on language nuances, symbolism, story-telling, abstract theory, history, culture, and effective communication practices. This could mean getting a degree in “Japanese” or “Spanish” or “Chinese”, etc.)
Here are 5 reasons you should get an “English” degree:
1) Studying difficult pieces of classic literature and literary theory trains you to think “big picture” and find important patterns and themes that help you uncover meaning. Learning to “uncover meaning” by identifying patterns is the most important thing I’ve learned, by far, in business and in life, especially with all the fragmentation and media overload happening now. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat in a business meeting thinking, “This is just like when Odysseus…”
2) Reading books strengthens your attention span. And people with long attention spans are going to be rare in the coming years. People with long attention spans tend to be really good listeners, and the best sales people, the best marketing folks, the best CEOs out there are the ones who know how to listen and ask questions before coming up with solutions, and have conversations rather than monologues. (You’ll also be a sought-after dinner party guest!)
3) Knowing how to write, knowing how to effectively present and communicate your ideas through written language (and increasingly video and audio, so get a “theater” degree, too), is very, very valuable. This doesn’t mean having perfect grammar or spelling, it means conveying ideas, tone, and humor well — really, being a storyteller. With so much corporate communication happening via email and intranet, knowing how to package information so others can easily find and understand it will make you a total hero.
4) When you study literature, you end up learning about history, law, culture, science and technology. It makes you a well-rounded researcher. For example, when I was in grad school, I studied the history of the novel and women’s literary culture in the 18th century, and ended up learning about copyright law, paper-making techniques, and women’s socio-economic strictures. Fun stuff. And completely applicable to all the debates going on right now about authorship, intellectual property, and recycling!
5) Progressive companies like Google need well-rounded employees; people who are passionate and interested in the interconnectedness of life. I think business degrees and MBAs are valuable, but if you have a wide liberal-arts base, and can put P&L into a larger context than what it means just for the company at this very moment, you’re a much more valuable employee and citizen, because you understand what you do impacts much more than what’s immediately in front of you.
So, please consider your languishing English department. It may be more valuable than you think.
Google ended up changing my life in more ways than that HOLY SHIT moment in ‘98.
Back in 2003 when I got the call for my first interview at Google I was doing odd jobs — writing, doing keyword SEO for small businesses, working part-time in a backpack factory cutting nylon piping — anything to pay the bills and pay my student loans. No “traditional” companies in Denver that I sent my resume to would even call me back.
But Google did. And I now don’t regret getting two degrees in English.
(I work for Google, but don’t speak for “Google” [hi legal! you guys rock!])
