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Old 05-31-2010, 05:35 PM
 
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
12,460 posts, read 20,011,681 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CA central coast View Post
A lot recommended philosophy. I get a BA in Philosophy....then what? Who would want me? Which career area would I look into?
Philosophy does not provide a direct career path, rather it provides something like a classical education. The skills developed in philosophy can be utilized in a number of areas, but you have to be the sort that can open doors for yourself.
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Old 06-01-2010, 11:13 AM
 
Location: Baywood Park
1,634 posts, read 6,701,207 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by user_id View Post
Philosophy does not provide a direct career path, rather it provides something like a classical education. The skills developed in philosophy can be utilized in a number of areas, but you have to be the sort that can open doors for yourself.
That doesn't really describe me. I guess I need something concrete to point to. I need to say, "I can do A, B, and C for you". I'll keep looking.
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Old 06-01-2010, 08:47 PM
 
1,946 posts, read 5,370,240 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CA central coast View Post
That doesn't really describe me. I guess I need something concrete to point to. I need to say, "I can do A, B, and C for you". I'll keep looking.
You sound like you want technical skill, and I don't know if that's something you'll find a lot of in the liberal arts. If you truly want to major in liberal arts then at least try and take some courses that will allow you to gain some experience in statistical modeling programs (advanced economics, finance, computer science, etc). Couldn't even tell you how many jobs I couldn't apply to just because I didn't have any experience with anything outside of Microsoft Office (SAS, etc).
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Old 06-01-2010, 09:59 PM
 
Location: Baywood Park
1,634 posts, read 6,701,207 times
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I originally asked the question because I'm probably 2-2 1/2 yrs. away from finishing school. That's if I go back, I've been out a bit. I'm not a strong math and science student. So I figured a liberal arts degree would be tha easiest route. I really struggle with math. I just don't know what. Gov't dominates employment opportunities where I live. A degree for the sake of a degree is beneficial with a lot of entry level gov't position here. But, there is plenty of competion for those few positions. Don't ever move to the San Luis Obispo, CA area unless you have a job lined up. It can be rough here.
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Old 06-01-2010, 10:32 PM
 
12,671 posts, read 23,736,817 times
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Nursing.
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Old 06-02-2010, 09:56 PM
 
73 posts, read 584,275 times
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English, History or American Studies. I liked the coursework I had in these areas, just a couple classes here and there but interesting and I did pretty well too!

All degrees like this, where you have to write a lot of papers/essays, show that the person has good writing and language skills, which frankly some of my professional colleagues lack! I don't have an English degree but I'm good at writing and proofreading, so I am the go-to person for this at my job. These are skills that are needed in the workplace, so if you have them you will be needed, somewhere.

History or Am Studies degree might look good on applications for government jobs. At least it seems to me that they would!

I will never forget, my freshman year of college a prof told my class that in many cases, especially when filling entry-level or other fresh-from-college jobs, hiring managers don't care as much about what your degree is in, but only care that you HAVE a degree. When a person graduates college they've proven that they can work hard, meet deadlines, fulfill responsibilities, etc. That is the basic foundation they're looking for in an employee, and once you have that, everything else can be taught on the job. While this isn't true for all employers or all jobs, it's been true for me and many of my friends who got into careers that aren't directly related to our degrees.
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Old 11-02-2010, 04:02 PM
 
961 posts, read 2,019,275 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hsw View Post
Unless have an ample trust fund, would want skills useful to an employer offering economically and intellectually interesting career opportunities...

Lib arts is a Luddite curriculum in an increasingly data and tech-driven economy where even marketing people need to be able to analyze and interpret vast quantities of real-time data, much of which may be noise or misleading

Notion of wasting time learning foreign languages and cultures is laughable; most workers struggle with basic business English, math/stats/economics/finance/acctg...and clearly never understood opportunity cost
I see what you're saying but what about Policy Areas? Foreign Service? Human Rights? Law? Often the ones MANAGING and LEADING the number crunchers are not themselves number crunchers. It's eternal purgatory to go into quantitative heavy concentration of education if it's not your thing. .


I posted this in another thread:

The trick is to find an intersection between something you like, and something that's needed. It's not an either/or, even though many feel it is.

It's a matter of knowing what one wants.

Take your example of Womens Studies. In of itself it's useless, true. It doesn't have to be though. Pair it up with statistics and do some work on gender diversity in the HR department of a firm. Don't like statistics? Do you like learning? pair it up with arabic, and work for an NGO studying womens rights in the middle east.

The way I've been advised is to have something general enough that you can do a few things (Womens Studies) and then to that general item, add something marketable and relevant that keeps you in the game.

Oh, and some may disagree but I think money is the third consideration between what you like and what's needed. If it's needed and you like it, at the very worst you'll be "ok" as you'll be employed, and at best you'll make big money as you can't help excel in an area you love.

You'd be surprised how many people are not doing work they like, I'm sure most MBAs dont' "loooove" finance and spreadsheets (some number crunchers do--and not coincidentally those tend to be the ones getting paid, but I don't think it gets many salivating)

Again--The trick is to find an intersection between something you like, and something that's needed. It's not an either/or, even though many feel it is. The beauty of this is IMO you insulate yourself against irrelevance, you'll never fear prolonged unemployment.
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Old 11-02-2010, 04:45 PM
 
18,837 posts, read 37,241,315 times
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I have a degree in Geography. Sounds pretty useless, except at winning at Trivial Pursuit? Strangely enough, I can't even draw a map...but I have managed to have several really great careers with that degree. Of course, since then, I have added two masters degrees to that...but it was a good starter when I did not know what to major in...and after 8 years of just hanging out in college, that was the quickest one I could finish with...

I worked at a ski resort, as an "Avalanche Expert" and for three years, decided where the lifts should go, and how to cut the runs. Don't even ask me how that remotely goes with geography...

Then, I was a flight attendant for three years...and then, taught school for 20 years...and got a masters degree in Orientation and Mobility/Special Education.

Now, I am a supervising nurse, I went to nursing school while I was teaching...because I was just bored teaching school, and knew I wanted to do something different.
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Old 11-02-2010, 08:53 PM
 
7,507 posts, read 4,385,615 times
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My three options are Education (hs teacher), Forensic Scientists, and Philosophy.
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Old 11-02-2010, 09:09 PM
 
Location: Indianapolis, IN
914 posts, read 4,435,861 times
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I would recommend Communications. I know it is seen as a "soft option" by a lot of people, but I have seen more jobs (good jobs) advertised lately looking for someone with a Bachelor's in Communications than I can shake a stick at.

And me with this silly Bio degree.
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