Have a Degree but Don’t Know What to Do with It?

If your post-graduation goals have not worked out just yet, hold off on declaring your college education a useless investment. With a few helpful tips and a lot of creativity, your degree can serve as a solid foundation for a profitable and rewarding long-term career.

How to Use My Degree to Find Work

When trying to figure out what to do with a degree in any specialized field, you need to think about opportunities and where they can lead you instead of focusing on a single career path. Remember that the title on your diploma does not fully define the knowledge and experience you have gained while completing your degree program. For example, theater majors have excellent presentation skills and can work well with others. If you studied philosophy, you already have the analytical and problem-solving abilities employers look for when hiring new candidates across all industries. Defining what you are good at as a result of your education can broaden your vision and make you a more attractive job applicant.

What to Do with a Degree in a Narrow Field

The more targeted your degree is, the tougher it is to find work in your area of interest. With stiff competition for a limited number of positions, you need to be ready to show that you are the right candidate from the start. That means putting together the perfect application and augmenting it with details that will make you instantly stand out from the crowd. Adding internship experience, completing vocational programs to gain in-demand skills and writing personalized cover letters are all examples of application extras that can help you get noticed.

What Can You Do with a Liberal Arts Degree?

From linguistics to performing arts, most majors within liberal arts have an unfair reputation of leading to low-paying work down the road. In reality, a degree in liberal arts can be surprisingly flexible when it comes to finding career opportunities that fit your personality and pay well. The advantage to studying at a liberal arts school is that most subjects are relatively broad, so they can be adapted to a variety of jobs that range from widely available positions within the growing medical industry to one-of-a-kind gigs in show business.

To find the right path for you, consider both your academic background and your unique personality. For example, art majors with an interest in a specific period of history make excellent museum curators and auctioneers. With a broader degree in general humanities, you can work for nonprofit groups abroad if you have an interest in global affairs and social work or train to become a teacher if you want to be involved in childhood education. Regardless of your degree, narrowing down your career goals based on your personality and actively marketing your skills can eventually lead you to a fulfilling job with a good salary.