If we ask you to name your favorite writers from the classic literature era, you will come up with many names, with Shakespeare at the top. The stories we read, the blogs we surf, or our favorite novels all have the same language, i.e., English. It is one of the standards and official language in many countries, no matter what native language you speak. The books we study as part of our curriculum are in English. Imagine the book in a language that you cannot read? You will soon get tired and look for a book that you can read.
English as a language has a different impact, but as a subject, it is known worldwide. In some countries, it is a necessary subject while others learn it as a foreign language. We all have studied English, but none of us thought to pursue it further as a professional degree except those who developed a keen interest. Taking English as a major will often get you raised eyebrows. The common perception of the English major is that you will not find many jobs like other study domains.
Many students inspired by the great authors often ask, how to become a writer? Majoring in English can help them to explore their writing niche. With a little bit of teaching and practice, they can unfold the realms of their imagination. A writer is not the only job that you can have with English as your major. Having a degree in English equips you with skills that can get you into a career that is not only highly paid but a perfect match to your expertise. With excellent written and oral communication skills, you can pave your way in any field you choose.
If you are exploring the career opportunities, the following are the highly paid career domains you can try.
Contents
1Advertising Manager
From the product description to the catchy taglines we see on the hoardings, they all depict the creativity and imagination of the person. With digital marketing in trend, companies rely on their marketing and advertising managers to increase their marketing campaigns through exciting content and compelling messages. A graduate with an English major knows how to twist the write-up towards a reader’s interest and catch their attention. They can develop strategic content to attract customers and increase sales of a company or a product. Many companies look for advertising managers to write a copy in a captivating tone and convince them to visit the page or make a purchase. The median salary of an advertising manager ranges up to $132,620 per year.
2Journalism Or News Reporter
If you plan to utilize your writing skills up the journalism route, a degree in English is optimal for this job. As a news reporter, you will have to investigate the stories, find the intriguing aspect, write about it, and present it to the readers. Having some knowledge about journalism with an English major is a plus. Your job revolves around writing exciting news and articles to keep the readers engaged and increase the content reach. An entry-level employee earns around $40,000, and the higher positions can enjoy up to $70,000 of annual median salary.
3Digital Copywriter
A digital copywriter job requires you to understand your target audience and generate content that is engaging and persuasive. Digital copywriters liaise with clients and keep the communication through phone or emails and develop content as per their instructions. They also carry out the project scoping with a short brief to understand the client’s requirements clearly. They also serve as an editor for their and others’ content and upload it into the client’s software if needed. As a digital copywriter, the median salary ranges up to $50,000 per year.
4Social Media Manager
Many companies rely on their social media managers that possess the creativity to design strategies and content to promote their organization. Individuals with an English degree are the best fit for the kind of creativity punch companies look for their social media outlets. These managers often develop written proposals for the staff and clients to understand the requirements. They also review the work of content writers and assess it with the requirements social media pages and make necessary changes according to their criteria. The annual salary of these managers is $50,273.
5Public Relations Manager
If you are an English graduate, you do not have to worry about your communication skills. Students with English majors have a good grasp of written and oral communication as they spend their academic years debating and presenting dialogues. A public relations manager’s job revolves around effective communication, socializing, and public dealing. They are also responsible for managing the fundraising and enhancing the image of a client or a company. A PR manager can also get their company more recognition in the press and tackle sensitive issues like a customer backlash through their written skills. The annual median salary of a PR manager is $114,800.
6Technical Writer
If you are a wordsmith with an English major, you can be an excellent asset for companies looking for technical writers for their webpages and manuals. A technical writer turns the difficult concepts into easily understandable information for instruction manuals, how-to guides, and journal articles. They also review the reports and make them more reader-friendly. The field of a technical writer has a job growth rate of 7% in the next ten years—their median salary rangers up to $71,850 annually.
7Grant Writer
Grant writers play a crucial role in explaining it to the investors about their project and why they shall grant funds. They also convince the funding agents through their writing skills that how they plan to put their resources to use positively. The also edit, review and modify the submissions by scientists or faculty members as a part of the grant development process. English graduates with excellent researching skills make up for the potential candidacy of a grant writer. Their annual salary is $51,395 per year.
Conclusion
English major is a rewarding degree with many career opportunities. Due to the rapid growth in STEM degrees, there was a recession in English majors a few years back. But they are returning in action as many industries and companies are looking for writers that can enhance their marketing campaigns. People are recently writing fiction, and those with English majors can brush up their skills and get their work published. The communication abilities, both oral and written, that an individual receives through a degree in English can benefit various industries.
