A Matter of Employment

A big brouhaha has been made over the following two articles this week:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2012/04/23/the-13-most-useless-majors-from-philosophy-to-journalism.html

http://newsweek.tumblr.com/post/21784902381/the-13-most-useful-college-majors-as-determined-by

The primary question implied is:

Should the primary purpose of education be self-actualization or career prep? In other words, should I choose a major that I love even if it is not a statistically "successful" or "lucrative" major?

I have very complicated feelings about these issues. I was a Communications major with a minor in Philosophy. Secretly (alright, not so secretly), I yearned to be an English Lit major and spend most of my academic energy explicating poetry, but I was advised not to do so. After graduating with a BA in Communications, I was almost immediately able to find an entry-level job in Marketing (Entertaining note: the question "So...er...WHY would you minor in Philosophy?" came up during my first interview).

Two years later, I was lucky enough to begin a full-time online teaching opportunity that included AP Lit, AP Language, and Creative Writing. That was last August, and I have never looked back; I am so, so incredibly blessed to be paid to discuss sonnets and science fiction. This spring I was able to add a small 4th class as well: Junior High Writing.

Ironically, I might not have my current job had I actually been an English (or Education) major. If I had majored in English, it is possible that I would not have been able to find a professional job of ANY kind immediately after school. I would not have gained the life, writing, and professional experience that allowed my current supervisor to be confident about hiring me.

However, I did choose a major/minor that I enjoyed, and that I (correctly) judged would be able to "segue" into something more preferable. If I had been a nursing major, I would probably make more money at the moment, but I would not be as happy. Oh, yes - while I love my job, I am not rolling around in bon bons and caviar. I make *just* enough money (and, like many teachers, do not receive regular summer paychecks). However, since I am technically an independent contractor and not (for example) a unionized high-school teacher, my enrollment numbers have the potential to expand almost exponentially. I have already begun to see the fruit of this. My marketing experience has helped with this as well; my Junior High Writing class AND a summer writing course were both designed and marketed entirely by me. I personally know people who have built sustainable careers doing what I am doing; I have nothing but admiration and respect for their energy and motivation.

All of this boils down to: study something that you enjoy, please. However, you MUST be realistic about your own abilities and be prepared to discipline yourself. Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Can I realistically say that I have talent in this field?

2. Am I willing to live frugally without (much) whining in order to pursue a career in this field?

3. Am I willing to CONSISTENTLY discipline myself to improve my skills, market myself, and gain the respect of future employers?

If the answer to ANY of those questions is "no" or even "maybe", then, perhaps you need to be more honest with yourself. If you feel that you must have a certain amount of money to be happy, then please choose a major that will be the most likely to bring you that money - or maybe re-evaluate your priorities.

I do believe that you should chase what inspires you; however, dreams without discipline mean absolutely nothing.