A Degree in English Language and Literature is the Key to Jobs

By Parveen Kumar Sharma

Shiksha expert, Parveen Kumar Sharma talks about the job opportunities that students can avail with a degree in English language and literature.

Education and Teaching are sometimes considered lesser jobs than other profiles available in the industry today. More prevalent is the perception that one who is doing a post-graduation in English shall be heading towards teaching. This seems a proven thing when we see the number of people going for other options after their specialisation in Honours degree or in a post-graduation.

The analysis of the market, the job domains, gives a hypothesis about the mindset and awareness levels of aspirants who do an English Language and Literature Degree. It is disappointing to acknowledge the lack of awareness about the career options that are very much available in the main-stream. The Arts and Humanities have always been rich domains but due to uninformed planning, students do not succeed at the opportunities. A degree, whether Bachelor (Hons) in English or a Master Degree does help in good jobs, just after the degrees.

Bachelor degree in English i.e. Honours makes one eligible for jobs that need graduation as the eligibility. There is no direct benefit or preference earned but when we see that the preparation for the selection process is all done in the English language, we see the advantage. In all competitive exams, including the UPSC Civil Services and SSC CGL/ SSC CHSL, English occupies an important segment and most of the ‘non-English’ aspirants find it tough to excel in English. The English language graduates have better chances of crossing the line there because it is from their own domain of language and literature.

Apart from the competitive exams, jobs are offered in the corporate sector to the graduates. Flair in communication skills and an impressive personality is the key to grab these profiles. We need to accept the fact that the whole communication skills arena depends on the English language proficiency which is supposed to be the fundamental feature of an English Hons. graduate.

The primary understanding that these students should have is that their study makes them better for millions because they have actually mastered a language which shall be the medium of interaction and instruction. The profiles at offer to graduates in English (Honours) stream can claim the following profiles confidently:

• Office Executives
• Media Professionals/Reporters
• Anchors/Dubbing Artists
• Script Writers
• Professional Web-Content Writers
• Copy Writing in Advertising
• Proof Reading and Content Editing
• Translation in or from English
• Bloggers and Academic Content Writers for Schools Children
• Public Relations Executives
• Event Managers
• Social Media/Digital Media Professionals
• Marketing Professionals
• Books and Movie Reviews
• Travelogue Writers/Reviewers
• Call Centre/BPO Executives
• Speech Writers
• Ghost Writers
• Influencers and Motivational Speakers
• Contributors to Shiksha (The primary things are two – Writing Skills & Awareness)

There is a new thing coming up in the limelight. We know about FM Radio platform in India which needs Hindi primarily but this new platform is the next step to FM and is known as 'podcast’. Podcasting is becoming so popular that we can actually see people getting glued to their smartphones. Yeah, it true that it is internet based, mostly free for both the Listeners and the Podcasters.

From Cyrus Barucha VJ to Ravish Kumar of NDTV to Indian Express and Business Standard, there is a huge list of internet-based podcasting. What is common between the degree in English and Podcasts? You know the answer. Anything which is on the internet isn't a regional thing. It's global and knowing the global language through the foundation in literature is the key to step forward in the growing market.

While we present to you the scope of graduation specialisation in English Language and Literature, we must not delimit the value that a post-graduation in English brings to your profile. The master’s degree gives you the tag of an expert of language and literature in English, with skills in literary criticism and linguistics. This isn’t a small thing in this world of communication skills. One who can pronounce well, speak fluently and possess a reasonably good vocabulary is the star of the show.

A master’s degree, with 55% makes you appear in UGC NET/JRF and also makes you move towards a BEd degree to formally join the teaching profession. That is, of course, the most popular option. But, the emerging alternatives are far prolific and rewarding than this one, depending on your skill and expertise alignment.

It is quite an impressive option to get into mainstream media through a PG Diploma in Mass Media or Advertising and PR. There is a great need for English experts all around. Political campaigns, promotions and contents, all need you if you have the learning through your degree in English. You can even become reviewers for research papers, screenplay writers, BPO trainers, public speaking trainers, influencers and motivational speakers and much more through the learning that you get in this subject.

As a post-graduate, you can venture into IELTS and TOEFL training as well. The academic skills that are checked in these tests, are delivered to you in the course of study. It has always been a great earning vertical to join the spoken English and the English language proficiency tests market. Even the tuitions to children can make you successful financially as well as professionally.

Before concluding, one of the most important vertical of alternative careers for MA English is the jobs as faculty in polytechnics and engineering colleges for communication skills in English. This does not ask for a BEd as it is a non-school job. Besides, one has to have a first division to be the preferred candidate. The career options are rising and thousands of PG in English are missing this profile as they do not know of this the way they should know. To justify and stay successful in this profile, one must study the communication skills subject and have a look at the curriculum taught at these institutions.

The modern world is a world of cultural clashes, if literature is part of your mind, you have a better perspective and view of the world, which is not narrow. It reflects in your words and ultimately makes you a better human. A better mind is always the most sought after thing in jobs, by the way!

About the Author:

Parveen Kumar Sharma

Parveen Kumar Sharma is a Mentor-Online Communities with Shiksha since its inception. He has been one of the top contributors in the mass communication and journalism domain. Being a teacher, he believes in empowering the students not just with academic excellence but 21st century skills as well. With more than a decade of experience, he contributes to employability enhancement and communication skills of students. He is a blogger, poet, public speaker and EdTech Evangelist.