Careers advice for English Literature students

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What can I do with an English Literature degree?

There are few jobs where the subject matter of your English Literature degree is essential - secondary teaching or an academic career being the main ones which spring to mind.

However, the skills you develop through the study of English Literature (effective written and verbal communication, time-management, organisational skills, team-work, independent study and research, developing persuasive arguments …to name but a few), are marketable in a wide variety of professional areas.

At least 50% of graduate jobs do not specify a degree discipline. Some areas which have traditionally attracted English Literature graduates include advertising, marketing and PR work, arts administration, library and information management, the legal profession, editing and publishing, journalism and other areas of the media.

The Careers Service

It’s important to start thinking about your interests, what you have to offer, and what you want to get out of your career, when researching your career options.

Try the Careers Service webpages to get you started, plus consult the Orange folder on Starting your Career Planning for English Literature students, and the Green folders covering all the different career areas you can enter, in the Careers Information Centre.

The Careers Service can help you:

• find out what previous English Literature graduates have gone on to do
• get ideas about the sort of options open to you with an English Literature degree
• think about the types of career you are suited to
• find out about further study in the UK or overseas
• find part-time, vacation or voluntary work
• prepare your CV and give advice on interviews
• get started on job-hunting