What can you do with a history major?

What can you do with a history major?  Or any other general major, for that matter?

Chances are you selected your major because, well, you liked it!  Just because it doesn’t translate directly to a line of work doesn’t mean it’s not valuable.  If you dig deep enough, you’ll find a nice surprise in that liberal arts or social sciences major that might just surprise you, and lead you to finding a career direction worth working toward.

One way to make use of the major is to identify your “life theme”.  A life theme is an expression of oneself that directly relates your life experiences to your major, and then ties to a career path.  Identify your life theme and potential career paths by asking yourself the following questions:

1. What is it about my major that attracted me to it?
2. How does that relate to my other life interests?
3. How would I describe that theme in my life?
4. Now brainstorm jobs where you can express this theme.

Examples

History Major:

1. I like the way groups of people migrate from place to place
2. Well, I like to listen to the police scanner and air traffic control radio
3. I guess it would be “the movement of people”
4. Logistics, warehousing, distribution, city planning, etc.

English Major:

1. I love to read, write and research, especially about individual people
2. I’m always the one who can figure out how someone ticks in just a few minutes
3. My theme would be that I’m “interested in the human condition”
4. Counseling, screenwriting, public relations, etc.

Although not all career paths relate directly to a given major, those that reflect your general life theme are more than likely a great place to start.  Embrace the major you chose, and blossom!

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Julie LaCroix, M.A.,  has a private practice in Newport Beach, CA,  which serves adults of all ages looking for help with how they got “stuck” in their careers.  Maybe it’s the wrong job, maybe it’s the wrong field altogether.  Or maybe you just don’t know what else is out there.  Her practice is designed to help you, wherever you are in your career journey. She earned a B.A. in Psychology from UCI and an M.A. in Educational Clinical Counseling from Azusa Pacific University.  Email Julie at www.julielacroix.com.