How to Build a Better Monster

Will Work for Work: The Tragic Tale of the Unemployed English Major

I refuse to believe that there is absolutely no work in the Pittsburgh area that is related (even vaguely) to my degree.

When I entered college (as an art history major then, mind you), I realized that graduate school would be necessary. When I changed my major to literature, I also knew that to ever make a living in this field, I would need at least my MA, if not my Ph.D. Well, now that I’m nearing the end of my undergraduate education, I am looking forward to the opportunity of actually applying my brain-stuffs in a summer job (which I would love to maintain throughout graduate school). However, there is absolutely no need for a literary theorist (lacking a Ph.D.) or for a full-time writing consultant on the market.

I highly value higher education, and I want my doctorate. But sometime between now and the day when I actually have that piece of paper, I want to be employed in a job that requires me to USE THE KNOWLEDGE I’VE ACQUIRED in my schooling.

At times like this when I am so completely desperate and frustrated, I begin to wonder what my life could have looked like had I studied some other subject I’d considered, such as advertising or virology. I once considered being an E.R. nurse, and I even entertained the idea of attending veterinary school. But my interests are varied, I have a short attention span, and the only thing throughout my life that has held my interest (for the most part, ha!) is the written word.

But even now, as I look back on my college experience and plan to write my senior portfolio reflection, I realize that I am not so much dedicated to language as I am dedicated to education. I love learning, and I love helping others to learn. In my last two years at Seton Hill, I’ve spent more time critiquing my instructors, analyzing my fellow students, and discussing pedagogy with mentors than I have spent planning my future as a scholar of literature.

Unfortunately, my desire to teach college students places me in academic purgatory for right now – I feel as if I’m in limbo, hovering somewhere between possessing no knowledge at all (a mere BA) and ultimate mastery of the canon (a Ph.D.). And here I am!, so eager to wrestle with the challenges of teaching! Heck, I’m ready to wrestle with just about anything! I want to be challenged and I want to learn, but the current job market doesn’t have any openings for well-rounded dorks. Even tutors are out of style. Just do a search on tutor-ads.com.

As I continue to search the classifieds, I must ask if there really is such a need for zillions of graphic designers and tech specialists.

Posted by Kate Cielinski at April 6, 2005 6:07 PM