An English graduate? Employable? It's more likely than you'd think!

Aurora Amaryllis at her graduation

By Aurora Amaryllis, BA (Hons) English with Creative Writing

If you’ve studied English or any humanities subject, you’ve probably heard from many a STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) student and concerned parental figure that you’ll struggle to get a job. And in this economy?

That’s true for everyone. So, let me guide you through how I competed with 700 applicants and made it to the placement matching process with a graduate top 100 employer, Charityworks.

Step one: Build resilience

That means: know your values. The better you know yourself, the better you can sell yourself in an interview.

Take time to journal on what matters to you, professionally and personally.  There are so many helpful prompts and worksheets out there.

• Booking an appointment with the university's Career Service is also great for this –  talking things over with Rachel MacKenzie, Careers Adviser,  helped me with much more than the practical skills, like reviewing my LinkedIn, CV, and interview skills (also vital!) Just as crucially, she helped me find direction: together, we identified my strengths and weaknesses and how to use them to my advantage.

• Don’t be afraid to walk away from opportunities. Before these meetings with Rachel and my journal, in an employment panic, I applied to many, many places, even though I knew they weren’t right for me. While it was great to get interview experience – for future reference – follow your gut. Unsurprisingly, I performed better in the interviews I actually wanted to succeed in – the same will be true for you.

• Resilience also means keeping a log of all your wins: each interview you secure, each placement and micro-placement, each networking event and webinar you attend. Look back on these achievements when you’re doubting yourself. 

Step two: Upskill

There is so much out there just waiting for you to notice.

•  Embrace the cringe and send out some LinkedIn messages. The worst that will happen is that you won’t get a response. Best-case scenario, you’ll receive the personalised advice, encouragement, and CV guidance that I have.

• Volunteer. For the charity sector, it’s paramount to demonstrate your dedication and interest in this way. You’ll also get to meet talented, kind people who care about the same causes that you do – the best support network for a job hunter.

• Become a mentee. I recommend the B Corp Not Impossible, which matches young people with a professional in their dream field for career advice using a personality test. I confess, much of this advice is stolen from a mentor I met through a micro-placement with James Greenhalgh, Trustee of The Reef Foundation, so everyone say ‘Thank you, James!’

 Step three: Interview

Show off your research skills.

• Naturally mention a deep-cut from your employer’s recent news and make it meaningful. Most likely, you’ll find this on their LinkedIn or website.

• Identify the employer’s values and mission statement. Prepare B-STAR format examples of how you have demonstrated each of these values. Practice these with a trusted confidant (or, if you’re like me, alone in the mirror) until you remember these structures by heart. Then, no matter what question comes up, you can fit your examples around it.

• Prepare two or three unique questions – note down what genuinely interests you when researching.

• Meditate beforehand. There are many free guided interview-themed meditations out there. Focus. You’ve got this.

Your final step (for now) is to trust that what’s meant for you is on its way to you. Try your best, make sure to rest, and know that reading this post already proves that you’re committed to personal development– a very employable trait!

If you're not sure what careers will suit you, check out our Choosing your career webpages for help with resources and ideas. We also offer a mentee programme called Future Ready which matches you to an UoN graduate. Find out more and check out the eligibility requirements.

And, to gain experience to boost your work-related skills, check out all your work experience options including those exclusive to UoN students.