A window to innumerable career options

Q I have graduated from college with a CGPA of 7.4 in English Honours recently. However, I do not want to restrict myself to teaching or editorial. What are the other  career prospects available for me?

Devansh Bindra, Patiala

A. Degrees in English have forever held opposing points of view. Some consider it a “cool” branding, while others believe that this course is merely about reading. Not so because of the “glamour” surrounding it, English Honours is undoubtedly one of the most sought-after courses. It goes beyond literature by pushing you to dissect the text based on challenging perceptions which ultimately changes personalities. Thus, as per the current trends of growing business and economy numerous career prospects are now open for an English Honours graduate.

 Public Relations (PR): Public Relations concerns the handling of business and client relationships with the help of engaging campaigns, designing appearances, press releases, and social media. As a face of the company, you will hold up the organisation’s personality to the masses, and your degree in English honours will make you stand out  here. School of Broadcasting and Communication, Mumbai; Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi; Florida State University, Tallahassee; Loyalist College of Applied Arts and Technology, Ontario are some of the best colleges that offer Public Relations courses.

 Legum Baccalaureus (LLB): Your proficiency in analytical thinking, critical reasoning and communication skills can contribute a lot to this field. You can qualify for an LLB degree either with the help of a previous qualifying degree or through a relevant entrance test like CLAT, LSAT or AILET. National Law School of India University, Banglore; Faculty of Law, University of Delhi; Nalsar University of Law, Hyderabad; Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar are some of the best law schools in India.

 Management and Administration: You could pursue an MBA that specialises in administration. Completion of this course will make you eligible for the administrative departments across any industry. Various universities accept different MBA entrance exam scores in India and abroad. Amongst them, CAT, CMAT, MAT, XAT and GMAT are the most commonly accepted ones. IIM Kolkata, Delhi and KAshipur; Faculty of Management Studies Delhi; Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, Banglore; Imperial College, London; University of Glasgow, Glasgow are some of the best institutions that provide degrees in MBA.

 Human Resource Management: Human resource management is yet another great option. The field covers areas of recruitment, training and developing and managing conflict at work. With a stronghold over written and verbal communication and analysis, graduates in English can creatively think and develop broader discussion ideas. Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur; Indian Institute of Management, Delhi; Loyola College, Chennai; Imperial College, London; Durham University; Lancaster University are prestigious institutions that provide students with degrees in Human Resource Management.

 Popular choices have influenced the prospects mentioned above. You can also look up Civil Services, Sociology and Applied Psychology that have many branches. A degree in English is a window to innumerable fascinating options. With the proper insight, you will be able to explore great career paths to venture.

 The writer is Chief Mentor and CEO at Maven Career Coaching