HUMANITIES – a great career option
If you’re a humanities student then you must have chosen it based on your passion for the subject. Everyone’s approach is different, but here are five core employ-ability skills humanities students are likely to have:
- Strong communication and presenting skills
- Research, analytical and critical thinking
- Developing arguments and problem solving
- Retain and absorb large amounts of information
- Ability to self-motivate and to work independently
(These are things that an employer will value particularly highly)
There are so many career paths open for driven aspirants, each requiring a unique set of interests and skills.
Here we are with some career paths listed for you:
1. Marketing or Journalism
Put your writing ability and creativity to good use in a marketing role or as a journalist. In a largely essay-based humanities degree, you’ll develop your written communication, as you aim to convince your audience of your opinion.
If this is something you enjoy, journalism is for you. The industry is all about connections, so always take opportunities to network with relevant people and build your experience by writing in your free time, maybe for your school editorial board.
Marketing firms are looking for creative graduates, with an eye for detail and strong analytical skills. It’s a highly sought-after sector for graduates, but with the ever-changing digital landscape, there are always new opportunities in large organisations and small high-growth firms.
Click here to know about the Indian Institute of Mass Communication
2. City careers
In the world of banking, there are plenty of roles which don’t require a numerical-based degree to excel. You’ll need a strong grasp of banking sectors and commercial awareness while demonstrating analytical problem-solving skills.
Among other more traditional city careers, consulting is another popular destination for graduates with a strong academic background. Tackling intellectual challenges and giving expert advice to improve the management or processes of an organisation is at the heart of consulting – with the transferable skills you’ve picked up during your degree, you could find a role to suit you in the consulting sector.
Big firms hire some graduates each year, but there are some boutique firms which specialize across a range of sectors.
3. The Public Sector
Do something fulfilling and start your career in the public sector. As a humanities graduate, you will most likely have the essential skills needed to excel and enjoy a career in these areas – good team-working skills, the ability to deal with people as well as excellent communication, organisational skills and an ability to work under pressure.
A position in the public sector allows you actively to contribute to the development and maintenance of the industries that keep Britain’s heart beating. If you’re fresh out of university armed with a degree and an insatiable hunger to help society, it’s worth looking into the details of a typical public sector graduate job.
4. Accountancy
The accountancy and audit sectors are two of the most popular destination for graduates, but most roles within these firms don’t require an economics or math degree. If you possess strong numerical skills and have an analytical mind, this could be the career path for you. These firms are looking for driven and innovative problem-solvers, which suits many humanities graduates.
5. Teaching
Teaching has always been a popular destination for humanities graduates, and this doesn’t look set to change. The excellent communication and organisational skills you’ve been honing throughout your degree could give you the starting point to a successful career in teaching. It can be challenging, but if you’re after a rewarding career, this could be a great fit for you.
6. Commercial Law
Commercial lawyers provide legal and commercial advice to companies on a wide range of business-related issues. They will draft and negotiate contracts in a specialist area of expertise. Even with this required expertise, you don’t need a law degree to think about a career in the sector.
As a humanities graduate, the ability to process large volumes of information and communicate key themes or ideas succinctly will come naturally to you. You’ll need a keen eye for detail and tenacity to be successful, as well as strong academic ability.
Some institutions that offer humanities courses are:
- Faculty of Visual Arts, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
- Faculty of Fine Arts, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi
- College of Arts, Delhi
