Is your career literature-related, /lit/? If not, what is your major?
It seems to be considered unwise to major in the humanities nowadays, so I'm curious on the thoughts of those going and doing it. I don't mean to make this into another STEM vs. humanities thread, but instead ask about the thoughts of those choosing the latter despite the "risks".
Not as cool as the dudes in academia, but I teach English at the high-school level. It's pretty chill. Pay's pretty bad, but I do get half the year off, so it's hard to complain.
The job is WAY harder than you think it is, though.
Accounting. Extra hours with white collars fucking sucks.
>>7389199
I'm currently studying for a major in mathematics, which is pretty damn far from literature. But I study it for three good reasons; I enjoy it, I'm good at it, and it will land me a job that'll have me set for the lit life after a year or two of hard work. If I could I'd rather live off of writing, so math is a financial stepping stone for me.
Humanities is only something you should go for if you have a burning passion for your particular field of study, otherwise you'd either end up miserable or finding yourself making up excuses for why this was the best possible choice.
>>7389206
Damn mang I'm at acrossroad right now. I am working in Brussels and I got an opening for a civil servant position : good pay, not too much working hours, even the possibility of going part time at some point.
OR going back to France to become a French teacher, Maybe part time also. Shitty pay, high possibility of being assigned to a shitty school.
I want to write most of the time tho... And I still manage to do it on the side.
How do you manage to do both while being a highschool teacher ?
>>7389206
Is it upsetting that the majority of the class has no interest on any given topic? Also, do you teach advanced classes or no? And how is it difficult?
I don't remember much of anything I learned in my high school literature classes, but a great teacher could probably do wonders.
I make $60k a year refereeing NCAA basketball games. I'm trying to get a spot reffing in either the NBA D-League or Summer League because if that leads me to the NBA I'll make between 200k and 500k to work about 2/3rds of the year plus obligations. During the offseason I focus on my writing and go to readings. If I "make it" as a writer (which isn't likely given that literary fiction authors virtually never make more than what I might make if I ever get to the NBA) I'll quit. If I give up on writing I can always do get a seasonal job for the offseason and end up with a decent enough living.
>>7389220
That sounds interesting as fuck
>>7389213
The civil servant position is obviously the best option.
Pull a Kafka.
I will start uni/college next year studying maths/economics because I've always been in good at maths and what not.
But i despise people who say Humanities is a bad major, I had on of my teachers at school tell me that the people on the highest salaries in the world tend to have a humanities degree. I don't how true that is but I don't think it's that hard to believe considering to climb the corporate ladder you just need to know people.
But seriously study what you love you don't wanna live your life in misery regretting the decisions you made.
>>7389220
How does one become a ref like you
hedge fund. only in it for the money, don't really like finance that much. it's definitely better than ibd though.
>>7390231
I reffed for the YMCA and city league in high school and played basketball in high school and for a Div 3 college (as in no scholarship, completely incidental that I was an "athlete" there). I started volunteer reffing AAU games in college during breaks. After college I reffed high school games while working in insurance because I liked it and wanted to get experience doing it. After years of that (I did an MFA for three years too) I started reffing for the Ohio Valley Conference, which is pretty much the lowest D-1 conference. Now I'm in my early 30s doing Big 12, which is nice because I came to Austin (Michener) for my MFA so I like the area. I'm one of the younger guys doing it, and almost everyone else has another job. But they have families and stuff. I just have a girlfriend. I'll try out for refereeing NBA Summer League soon. I just need to get some big tournaments under my belt.
Lawyer. I hate it, I want to quit and be a penniless author instead.
I finished high school, now I'm looking for some part time job I can spend my time with until I sign on for uni since college debt is not a thing here
I really don't know what I want to do with my life, it's hard for me to pick a major since I don't find myself enjoying anything that would make for a great career, while also not being passionate enough about anything to take a huge risk, pour all my life's energy into it and face unemployment and poor salaries
Enjoying work is something only very few people are able to experience in their lives, so that's not really what I expect or feel entitled to, but it still feels wrong to get a degree in a field I don't care for so I can eventually work at a generic company, I would end up terribly unmotivated to do my best and in all likelihood be a poor employee
It feels bad
>>7389213
Hey Brussels anon. Are you an intern or do you have a 'proper' job in one of the institutions at the moment? Where have you been offered something? I did a stagiaire in the parliament this time last year and it seems like actual openings are like hens' teeth - or rather, there's so many people vying for the few jobs available that you really need to know someone.
>>7389199
I'm not really in my career yet, since I'm only a graduate student. For now, I grade standardized tests. Which isn't literature related, just English related.
I never really saw risks to majoring in English specifically, because there are a huge number of jobs available for it outside of the field. Something like Classics might be less advisable, but English is general enough that you should never struggle to find a position.
Given, you still have to do internships, have volunteer experience and find good references and connections like any other field.
Studying Journalism.
I'm fucking ready. I don't care if I'm a peniless bum.
I've always admired Journalists. It's unfortunately a love for the fictionalized idyllic "truth chaser" who writes fire with his typewriter. The kind of journalist that isn't just a thorn in everyone's side, but drives one there. It may not happen, I don't know, but I'm going to keep researching, reporting, learning my craft, and most importantly, writing.
In my opinion, of all writing professions, journalism done right is the most noble.
Also I've been reading a lot of Transmetropolitan to put some heat in my gut. But this journalism dream came long before Spider's chair leg of truth, or his "journalism is like a gun" speech.
>>7390354
What's stopping you
English grad here.
I work for a small retailer managing their online sales and customer service. I sometimes get to write copy for the website.
>tfw I have history and gender studies grads working under me making $10/hr
Engineering student here. I think you can make a career out of anything with enough hard work. Looking back I wish I had majored in a couple of languages and then gone on to become a simultaneous interpreter.
>>7389210
>major in mathematics
>it will land me a job
Come again? Math is as useless to the job market as humanities.
What's a good career for the literary lifestyle? Time management (with regard to writing and marketing etc) isn't a problem for me as long as I stay childless for a while. I'm just wondering if there are jobs with good growth and career potential where I can, say, go on a book tour and not have to quit. It's virtually impossible to be a literary fiction author and not need a day job, so I'm trying to think of how I can balance good money and not shut down my literary ambitions (which include, for whatever vain or intertextual reasons, being somewhat widely read).
>>7389199
Taught English at the high school level for 7 years. In my first year teaching Freshman Comp. and about to leave to pursue writing and painting full-time. In my 30s now, need to live the dream. I get depressed realizing Shelley was already dead by my age after already having such a great career.
>>7390488
Journalism.
>>7390473
gr8 b8 m8 i r8 it 8/8
>>7390488
Jobs done on contract would be a good idea, like copywriting. I considered getting into it but haven't yet. You'd have to manage lots of tax shit and insurance out of pocket though.
Nope. Not related at all. (Business admin management graduate)
Pumping gas by day and writing nights and weekends. I'm more productive than most. Just took an interview with a local glass manufacturer that needs a manager. Perhaps before this year is over I can become Glasskun
>>7390494
...no really, math is useless in the job market unless you want to teach highschool math. You could go into actuarial or software if you add a shit ton more education (but anyone one in a quantitative field could do that - hell, you could go into software with an English degree if you had the mind for it), you could go into finance if you go to an ivy (but that's kinda trivial because ivies get you places based on privilege not matter what you major in), or you could maybe go into stats-ish work (but the stats majors get first dibs on those jobs).
>>7390494
No it's true. The STEM meme is a lie. Scientists and engineers are a military good for arms races but there's never actually been a shortage. Engineers are in demand, though not as much as your high school teacher said. But math? At best you'll just end up doing what a finance major does but you'll have a harder time in undergrad. Study math if you like it. But you'd be better off studying Econ, some sort of business/finance/accounting major, engineering, or really anything that you like (because you can get higher grades if you like it usually).
And this is coming from an Electrical Engineering major (with no desire to work in engineering).
>>7390518
I've seen your posts before. How did you end up in that state anyway? Was it a choice? Did you have self-destructive habits that caught up with you? Go to a shit school? Fucked up on networking? What?
Like ... we all know millennials were fucked the moment they left the gate but god damn that is low
>>7390610
I mean if you want to go into finance just study finance with a minor in math and use all the time you're not spending studying to party and make connections with rich frat kids. But if you're fine with being in your 30s and making under 200k fine by me.
currently in college, undecided. Either English or poli sci. I know I'm going to go to grad school. I'll probably become an English teacher of some sort. I'm so fucking aimless it's shameful.
>>7390654
> I'm so fucking aimless it's shameful.
Dude, do you think this is still pre-2008, when all you needed was a piece of paper to be white collar. You are so beyond fucked; pic something - QUICKLY. It doesn't matter what unless you had some specific passion in mind. Seeing as you don't, just grab onto whatever branch is gonna stop your freefall.
> I know I'm going to go to grad school.
Why? That's a shitty non-answer to the problem of your future. If you go into grad school for english or poli sci you'll probably actually make yourself LESS employable, not more, and if you have to take on debt to do it then it's doubly stupid.
>>7390674
how would that make me less employable?
>>7390678
I do have a passion for both fields. it's just choosing one for my major, that's the tough part. and knowing if I'll be employable.
>>7389213
dawg civil servant will give you plenty of time to work AND it's better paid? worst case scenario you'll be able to get a teaching job afterwards. might not be able to get a cushy civil servant gig if you miss the boat this time.
>>7390640
>mathematics are a useless expertise, study something else
Really? Please, do tell me all about how well those economists optimize. Or how well versed the avarage programmer is with set-theory and graph-theory. I'm also absolutely confident that you know everything about the job market w/r/t mathematicians. Heck, you're probably an expert. So please, enlighten me.
>>7390678
Employers will often look at masters degrees in impractical subject as equivalent to a big sign that says "I'm clueless about the working world and probably think I'm better than the jobs I'm likely to get". At a bare minimum it indicates that you were willing to forgo years of income for a useless piece of paper.
Not defending that; just telling you what you're gonna hear in the majority of cases. Srsly dude, people still in school would be amazed at how brutally apathetic employers are toward humanities and social science education. Unless it ties directly into the work they do, they'll probably be laughing at you internally. I'm really not kidding; it's actually that bad.
>>7390684
>I do have a passion for both fields
Stop it asap
it's just choosing one for my major, that's the tough part
>from the perspective of employers, they're indistinguishable and both kinda useless
>knowing if I'll be employable
Network. Network. NETWORK. That's the only way you're gonna find a job with those degrees. They're useless in themselves; the only reason you're going to school right now (unless you plan on getting some more vocational experience), is to be able to meet potential employers and come off like an up and comer. That's it. That's all your tuition money is going toward. Don't waste it.
>>7390711
That's really fucked up. Just because they won't profit they'll laugh at me for not planning ahead to serve /them/?
I'll just dumpster dive at Gamestop and sell used systems on eBay. Fuck that.
I made the mistake of choosing a uni course I thought would get me a job instead of something that interested me. Did a now defunct degree (pathological sciences) and, completely without the help of my degree, I work for the NHS in a hospital lab.
Knowing my life is stuck like this is crushingly depressing. But then again, if I imagine what it would be like if I had done English lit and uni it doesn't seem much better, I just would have been slightly happier for the three years I did the course.
>>7390717
>Just because they won't profit they'll laugh at me for not planning ahead to serve /them/?
They don't give a fuck about you. Srsly. Looking back, that's probably the single biggest delusion that kids in college have about the world; that the world even cares enough about them to give them a shot. You have to cling tooth and nail to every opportunity you get - work yourself until you don't have a soul - or just accept poverty and desperation.
This is capitalism dude. The people in charge don't care if you starve to death unless they have an incentive to want to keep you alive.
...btw I suppose I should add that I'm referring to the society in the US. If you're from Europe or something it's prolly a bit more kid gloves-ish.
>>7390698
Please explain to me your career path by which you can realistically make 200k in base salary by your 30s.
>>7390727
Math undergrad
Quant/algorithm trading or hedge fund
2 years as analyst
2 years as associate
Move jobs once or twice
You're making 300 by the time you're 26 -28
So easym
>>7390725
I am from the US.
>that the world even cares enough about them to give them a shot.
Well, it's not about feeling too special as an individual, it's about considering human life enough both mentally and physically to not be a completely greedy dickwad, which isn't hard to do at all.
I know all about capitalism and how the big guys think and feel (read: they don't feel).
>>7390541
In Australia we have a significant oversupply of engineers, because of too many low rank institutions offering drastically easy, watered down. Outside of medicine, no degree guarantees you a job.
>>7390742
This. An EE degree from Florida State is shit, but go somewhere in the top 10 (not necessarily Ivy, Georgia Tech and UT are ranked over Harcard and Yale for engineering, for example) and a job shouldn't be hard to come by.
>>7390737
> it's about considering human life enough both mentally and physically to not be a completely greedy dickwad, which isn't hard to do at all.
You'd think so.
>I know all about capitalism and how the big guys think and feel
Do you? Cause you're gonna need to put their cock in your mouth for the next 40 years unless you got something really clever up your sleeve. Your decisions suggest that you aren't accommodating this fact.
(Btw just want to add that I'm left af and not defending this. Just telling you what it actually feels like to be an adult. College is such a fucking hug box that no one will be brutal enough with you irl as to tell you the truth, so I feel morally obligated to tell college students this whenever I have a chance.)
>>7390753
Oh btw the reason why no one pounds the brutality of real life into your brain is because they don't have your back. Colleges don't tell you this because they have their hand in your pocket. If your parents don't, it's probably because they're deluded by parental pride (which is to say narcissism), unaware of what it's like to try to survive as a millennial, or just not paying as much attention as you'd hope they were. If your peers aren't telling you this it's because they're deluded also.
Basically look out for yourself; no one has your back.
>>7390742
Aussies ought to return back to England then. There's a shortage here all right.
I intend to do Politics at University, and possibly minor in geography. After that, I guess a career in logistics or publishing would do for now, and failing that, the armed forces is generally where the failures go to regenerate. My ultimate goal won't be achieved in the short term, that's sure.
Major in what you like. Outside of medicine, teaching and a few other things, nothing guarantees a job, and if you want to do STEM, don't go to university, do an apprenticeship. You're supposed to enjoy university and enhance your knowledge. That is why I am going to study Politics. I don't intend to get a damned job after it. Anybody who expects a direct job from a humanities degree shouldn't attend anyway. You'll just become terribly depressed upon realising you did nothing to get one.
Published my first book. Got 30k in advance, and sales are looking nice so far. Work as an editor at cracked btw
>>7390753
Knowing these things and constructing your life's plans around them are different things, though it is likely you're going to plan your future around the things you know. I just haven't decided yet what exactly I'm going to do.
But I'll be honest with you. I absolutely SUCK at anything STEM. I just suck at it. I don't know how to get better.
So I'm left with going into something within the humanities. I love the humanities, I really really do. It's one of the only things I can really do well.
So idk what to do. I feel stuck.
>>7390778
>I absolutely SUCK at anything STEM
Doesn't matter. The STEM thing actually is a meme in the US. Just look at the jobs numbers; a large majority of STEM graduates don't even work in STEM, including a large percent of engineering grads (i.e. the ones that actually got practical degrees). If you don't already know you'll be great at STEM then there's no point in trying now.
>Knowing these things and constructing your life's plans around them are different things
You're gonna either shape your future around the way the economy works now on a relatively even playing field, or do it later when the field gets tipped dramatically against your favor - your choice man.
>So idk what to do. I feel stuck.
Network. That's it. Plenty of humanities grads get jobs; it's not like it's a death sentence. But if you can't walk through the door based on hard skills, you need to walk through it based on knowing someone who's already inside.
Look, your school prolly has some tools to let you network. Use every single one. Take every single opportunity to meet people who are already established in any field you have a realistic chance of getting into. Internships, alumni meetings, fucking anything. Just meet people; if you seem eager and are willing to be their bitch, you'll get somewhere.
>>7390798
So, basically just network if I'm not good at STEM?
Well, I'll try...
I'm a screenwriter, so yes.
I love to write prose on my spare time.
I haven't been steadily employed for a year or more. Most of the jobs I've had in my life have been dishwashing. I'm 28.
>>7390419
>since college debt is not a thing here
Law
Theatre BFA. I'm fucking terrified.
I stock shelves at two stores.
Poor people LOVE to talk about their dogs. They are absolutely enamoured by the way their dogs act towards: the weather, clothes they put on their dogs, how smart their dogs are and on and on.
They also do not like their families, and all know at least one person with cancer.
>>7390778
>>7390798
> If you don't already know you'll be great at STEM then there's no point in trying now.
This is total bullshit. When I graduated high school, I considered myself a "humanities person" as well and "sucked at math", but after having a decent teacher I learned to appreciate it aesthetically, and am now doing pure math research and doing better in my classes than all the I Fucking Love Science STEMlord types. I think people convince themselves at an early age that they're either "right brain" or "left brain" oriented, putting themselves into mutually exclusive categories of humanities vs. science, telling people they're only good at one and bad at the other, when they're probably shit at both.
>>7391110
>when they're probably shit at both
v true
Part-time supermarket monkey.
It's okay actually. Being part-time gives me enough time to read a lot.
Really don't know how i'm going to proceed ahead though. I don't want to be doing this my whole life. Wish i didn't have to work at all.
>neet
>reading novels
the end.
>>7390775
That's pretty fucking neat, bro. Sort of where I'd like to be. I'm >>7390489, and I'm hoping to publish my writing and sell art with other side jobs sort of related... I've considered writing for Cracked but it looks like it's hard to get selected and probably pays shit after you rewrite your article a dozen times over to be posted online. What'd you have to do to get the editing position?
>>7390775
Before or after it stopped being good?
>>7391370
Oh and, I've freelanced writing for shmoop. Wrote a massive history unit, ended up being around 100 pages when I finished, after a few edits. Pay for doing the job properly was shit when you break down the hours involved. I mostly wrote for them so I could be snarky while informative, but I got a pretty grim historical period to write on, so I had to reign it back in.
I'm starting to think all online writing pays absolute garbage.
>>7390440
I don't know if you have any other hobbies, but some of the people I knew in college had decent "journalism" jobs in their hobbies. One guy was working for a pretty big Magic the Gathering website, and another one did a few articles for a gaming outlet.
I know TechRaptor has open positions if you're a /v/ crossboarder. I was considering it myself, but my fulltime job makes me lazy enough that I'd rather play the same game over and over than try doing reviews. Or, you know, thinking at all.
>>7391110
I always wondered why people think STEMlords are bad at creative thinking, when they often enjoy scifi and fantasy. I think those require MORE creative thinking than a lot of other genres. Not only that, but a lot of them go full fanboy and write various fanfics and extended universe stories for fun.
It's very strange to me. Not to mention coding is all about abstract thinking and can often have some... "creative" hacks.
>>7389199
History major. Planning to get a PhD, and maybe an MLS/MLIS. I would really to be an academic librarian in my field.
>>7391067
>they like their dogs
>they do not like their families
this echoes the sense of human sadness that I've accumulated in my time working in retail
>>7391584
I just read an article in an academic journal that suggested humans are notoriously poor programmers and that robot programmers will rapidly overtake their human counterparts in the near future.
Most likely going into highschool teaching. I fucked around for several years after high school so I got a late start to college. Taking it one semester at a time.
I've decided to do this because I remember the impact that good teachers had on me when I was a teenager. I also like to read books and write so maybe I can instill that in the younguns. Sure beats working at Starbucks for the rest of my life.
>>7389199
Majored in English, currently teaching middle school math.
I am getting certified to teach English, but honestly my degree is hardly useful for that.
>>7391584
>I think those require MORE creative thinking than a lot of other genres
hahahahahahahHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAA
Okay, 12 year old boy, whatever you say.
Please be trolling.
Currently an undergrad planning on majoring in both English & Philosophy. Not entirely sure what I want to do career wise. I picked english because it's the only class in high school that genuinely interested me. I've always been good with STEM classes though, so I hesitate to abandon the security that STEM provides to live a life lead by what I hope to be a passion. Doing it anyways though. Ideally, if money wasn't a concern, I'd become a high school English teacher.
Been an undergrad for the amount of time a Bachelor's should've taken. Completely disillusioned at this point, and will probably resign myself to having minimum wage jobs for the next decade or so.
So I guess you could say it's related to literature in a way, yes.
>>7391781
Anything involving God(s) counts as fantasy.
>>7392087
