What English Majors Need to Know About Interning in a Technical Field

My name is Sabrina Hardy, and I graduated with a BA and an MA in English from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Whatever I do, wherever I go, I’m always looking for new opportunities to hone my writing skills. This summer, one such opportunity presented itself in a very unexpected manner: a technical internship.

When you graduate with a Master’s degree in English, you generally don’t think about interning or working in a technical field, unless you took some specific courses on technical writing. I never took those classes, so when I interviewed for a writing internship with e-360 Technologies, an electronics reuse company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I was excited but also understandably nervous when I was actually offered the position. I knew it would be a lot of work and research, but I don’t think I was quite prepared for how much I would have to learn for a field I knew little-to-nothing about.

As it turns out, the research, writing, and editing skills I gained through five years of English classes gave me an excellent foundation for the writing I was assigned in this internship! It was three months of challenging and rewarding work, and I’d like to share my experience with you, along with some application for those of you who are looking into technical internships or are wary about doing so!

Interning in a Technical Field Will Definitely Require Research

As English majors, we’re used to research-intensive projects. Most of us thrive on those late night library and database research sessions, and we wield our newfound knowledge as if we were born knowing all of it. It certainly came in handy for me this time, as the research was the most difficult part of my work.

e360 Technologies works with local businesses and individual clients, taking their used and out-of-date electronics, like computers and cellphones, and refurbishing them for re-release into the market or, if the piece of tech is past the point of no return, they recycle the various electrical components in an environmentally-conscious way. I didn’t know anything about any of that at the time, so when I started work, I had a lot to learn.

My research involved learning the technical terms for the business’s areas of expertise, figuring out the negative environmental impacts of merely throwing away electronics instead of reusing and recycling, the process of building a computer, what minerals and elements go into all the various components of a PC, which sites are going to give me government facts, which sources are best for local news, and pretty much everything you can think of when it comes to this kind of business. Each new project every week meant starting from scratch on my research, so I now have a veritable library of sources on the subject.

• My takeaway advice? Build your knowledge base right away. Find out exactly what the company you’ll be interning for does. Go through the website, do some research into that kind of business, and compile a list of basic terms and concepts you need to know. Research all of the above, take notes, and save the file before you even start working. It’ll help you feel less lost and will also give you a great starting point for each assignment. Every day that I didn’t have an assignment to work on, I was researching possible terminology, government websites, pollution data, and everything else that could possibly relate to my work. (Anyone want to know how many minerals go into the making of a computer? Anyone?)

Your Writing Skills Are Absolutely Necessary

We few, we happy few, we band of English majors are no strangers to the art of writing. Most of us join English programs either because we’re already really good at writing or we want to become stellar at it. And really, any job that lets us keep writing is one we tend to jump at. Writing in a technical field, at least in this case, is actually right up my alley. Once I had the terminology and statistical know-how from my research, the actual writing didn’t take long at all.

I’ve written a press release for the company, blog posts about pollution and depreciation, emails to clients, and several other written assignments for the company. I start each one with an outline, write multiple drafts, use the vast array of witty words and intelligent phrases at my disposal, and demonstrate my generally impeccable grammar. Writing the kind of articles expected from me in this field uses all the same talents I already have; it just exercises some slightly different creative muscles within those groups.

• My takeaway advice? You can apply the same skills you learned from writing essays to “real world” writing assignments. Follow the same process you would for writing a paper on the Marxist ramifications of class distinctions in The Iliad, or whatever it was you wrote last term. Keep a clear outline in your head, have a strong thesis statement (even if it’s not one you need to write down), define your terms, and support every claim you make. You’ll have to simplify and perhaps cut down on your natural verbosity, but your well-honed writing talents will help you excel in these assignments.

So, What’s Next?

If you’re interested in an internship of this kind, what do you need to do? Well, the primary focus is the writing, so make sure you have a diversity of skills. I’ve written two theses and who knows how many academic papers, but I also write creatively, publish with some online contemporary issues magazines, and regularly contribute to a blog. The more variety you have in your writing, the better your resume will be and the easier time you’ll have of adapting to the requirements of the job.

Also, familiarize yourself in advance with the company you want to intern for and do some pre-interview research. Is it the kind of work you’d need an actual class for? Or is it something you can research and learn on the job?

But above all, be confident. You’re an English major: you can write, you can research, you’ve got this.

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About the Author

Sabrina Hardy is a swing-dancing, book-loving nerd of a teacher from Tucson, Arizona. She taught writing at the collegiate level for two years at Liberty University and is currently preparing to move to Poznań, Poland, to take up a position as an English language instructor. Beyond her academic publications, she’s written for Christianity Today’s Her.meneutics and Today’s Christian Woman in addition to working on a novel and regularly blogging for The Art of Writing and her personal travel blog, My Kingdom for a TARDIS.

The Quest for the Holy Doctorate: One English Student’s Reality Check

It starts out as an innocent attempt at small talk. I’ll be leaning out the drive-thru window of my workplace; reading Hemingway or Chaucer for my next assignment; talking to a new friend I met at the ice cream social. Here comes the classic American icebreaker: what do you do? 

“Oh, I’m a college student,” I reply.

“That’s nice. What’s your major?” 

“English,” I quip happily, proud.

This is about the time I notice an expression of confusion mixed with pity on the other person’s face. “Oh, you poor thing” is what I imagine they’re thinking. The next question (and I think almost all English students have encountered this) never comes as a surprise, “Are you going to teach?” At first, I dreamed of becoming an English professor with high hopes of research, writing and prestige. Now if that question rears its hideous head, I emphatically answer “No.” 

As I progressed through my undergraduate career, I began to wonder why so many people asked that of me and my classmates. Were we doomed to only a life in academia? Was academia so bad of a career choice? Did our society see us as only useful for teaching? I had to know if I was making a mistake in my career path. 

I had seen other warning signs that life as a doctoral candidate was going to be more than I bargained for. I knew that earning a Ph.D. was going to be a tremendous amount of work, but I knew I was more than capable. I have always been an honor student. I love learning almost more than life itself. Books are my friends, and the written word has always been my venue for creativity. However, as time went on—and I befriended some doctoral candidates who could give me the lowdown on the process—I developed an increasing anxiety about debt, and more importantly job prospects. I decided to do some research. The results were startling, disturbing, and frankly not what I wanted to hear. 

““I decided to do some research. The results were startling, disturbing, and frankly not what I wanted to hear.””

No more than one-third of all professors in the nation have tenure or are on tenure-track (www.nea.org). Adjuncts—who are largely abused by the system and get few, if any, benefits—compose the remainder. Tenure does not make the professor immune to termination, but instead offers much needed and sought-after security. The requirements vary from university to university, but it often involves publishing several scholarly articles and writing at least one book. 

This process itself is fine, and those who earn tenure deserve it, but it can be difficult to complete the process if one wants to have children during this time. I understood why tenure was so difficult to obtain, but I worried if I could hold out long enough to see the end. It takes two years for a master’s, then an additional two-three years (and longer sometimes) just to pass the exams and write a dissertation. Once the dissertation was successfully defended, I would be awarded my holy grail of scholarship. Sadly, I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth, and my husband and I had future mouths to feed. I wasn’t sure if I could be patient enough. I wasn’t sure I could afford to be patient enough. The doubt kept compounding, and I needed to make a decision: continue the road to Ph.D. or find an alternative. 

I asked for the advice of my Honors professor, Dr. J. I asked her if I was on the right career path, if becoming a professor was the right thing for me to do, and what advice could she give me if I decided to proceed with becoming a professor. Firstly, she believed that I could do it and that I could be an excellent professor. My faith was restored, but it was short-lived. Just when I thought I was right all along, Dr. J. warned me of the hierarchical snobbery involved in academia. She received her master’s and doctorate from Yale; she’s one of the leading experts on WWI literature. She worked diligently, tirelessly, to get that prestige. She then told me of a former student of hers that had begun a doctoral program at our university. That student got a job in publishing. The verdict: she dropped the program and now she makes more money than Dr. J. 

There was more. More? I thought the worst was over, and I dreaded hearing what came next. She told me that for a Ph.D. to really shine and get a great job was to attend an elite college. The old adage rang true again: it’s who you know rather than what you know, and getting into Yale or any other prestigious university was the ticket to professor stardom. Here I was a first generation college student who had to pay for college myself at a state university. Could I get into Yale? Probably. I’m graduating summa cum laude with honors in English. I’ve been an accomplished student, so I didn’t doubt my abilities. But there were plenty of other stories about Ivy League schools that wrinkled my brow, making me squirm when I thought about attending one of those schools. To further deepen the wound, she informed me that a Ph.D. from a lower-tiered school (such as the one in which we were employed) was “doomed” to teach at a community college or a lower-tiered school. It didn’t matter if I was just as well-qualified, or even more qualified, than someone from Harvard or Columbia; if I didn’t have the watermark of an Ivy League school on my doctorate, I was sunk. 

““To further deepen the wound, she informed me that a Ph.D. from a lower-tiered school (such as the one in which we were employed) was “doomed” to teach at a community college or a lower-tiered school. It didn’t matter if I was just as well-qualified, or even more qualified, than someone from Harvard or Columbia; if I didn’t have the watermark of an Ivy League school on my doctorate, I was sunk.””

Her final words of advice were, “If you can only see yourself being a professor, then go for it. If you can see yourself doing something else, I advise you to do that instead. It’s a long, arduous road. You have to know if it’s right for you or you’re going to waste your time and money. It’s a highly rewarding career, if you’re in it for the right reasons, but you have to know if it’s for you.” 

I was in it for the right reasons, right? I wanted to help students achieve their highest potentials, but as I interviewed other professors, I found that it wasn’t the golden road that I imagined. I have a love for writing also, but getting a MFA seemed just as pointless (if not more so). I would be corralling myself into academia, unqualified for anything other than teaching, tutoring, and writing on my own time if things didn’t pan out.

I care about money more than I thought I did. I still care about helping people, but this is my chance to ascend my socioeconomic status. Law seems like a good path.  

Ever since I was a small child, I had been involved with politics. My childhood crush was Al Gore, and I wanted to be the first woman president. In high school, I was told by teachers that I would be a really good lawyer because of my argumentative nature and ability to be forceful in debates. I never thought that I would end up as a lawyer because of all the bad reps they got, but then I realized these were dishonest lawyers who betrayed their character and oath of decency. My top choice for law school is the University of Colorado-Boulder, but I won’t be too torn up if I stay at the University of Kentucky. I want to be an environmental lawyer because I can’t stand how much corporations and our species have destroyed our planet. There has to be boundaries. There has to be a push for new research and regulations. I may work for a firm, or for the EPA, or even on my own one day. I may even miss academia and decide to teach law after a long run as an attorney. 

““Being an English major does not mean a narrow path into academia. Teaching is certainly noble, and necessary, but it is not the English major’s destiny. I started out with one dream and ended with another. I must weather the winds of change, and the winds say this change is good.””

With a law degree, I can help society and still make a decent living. I will still have prestige, important connections, and the chance to publish only with a better chance of getting ahead in life. Don’t get me wrong, I fear the future; I fear the uncertainty of law school and forging a career. I fear how I will change. I fear the moral ambiguities and challenges I will face as a lawyer. I know I can do it. I know now, after much introspection, that this is the right choice. I want my children to have a better life than I did. This is my chance to do it, and I will. Being an English major does not mean a narrow path into academia. Teaching is certainly noble, and necessary, but it is not the English major’s destiny. I started out with one dream and ended with another. I must weather the winds of change, and the winds say this change is good.

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About the Author

Shelby Bevins-Sullivan is a senior at the University of Kentucky, graduating in December. She loves poetry, prose, cupcakes, pretending she's a mad scientist, comic books, and collecting strange hats. She lives in Lexington with her husband, Joseph, along with her two fur babies: Amuset (kitten), and Molly (puppy).  

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What's YOUR advice for college freshmen who are hoping to become English majors?

We all remember what it was like to be a freshman in college. Maybe you knew exactly what you wanted to major in... or maybe it was an agonizing decision and you changed majors multiple times. Maybe you wish you did things differently. 

We want to help college freshman (and sophomores... and maybe college juniors, too...) by providing some advice from real English majors who have already been through it all. So tell us:

Submit your answers below for a chance to be included in an upcoming article on Dear English Major:

The 9 Most Common Misconceptions About English Majors (And Why They’re Not Always True)

We're laughing soooooo hard...

It was recently pointed out to us on Twitter by a not-so-subtle tweeter that “if you need a website to defend the degree it probably isn't worth it.” Of course, this person was *probably* referring to DearEnglishMajor.com, and they also shared some other blunt insight that we won’t go into here. By now, you might wonder why we even gave these things the time of day, but we believe that there’s a reason why we should respond in our own way.

Of course, he has a point. Shouldn’t a truly useful degree be more obvious? Why does there need to be an entire website dedicated to proving that an English degree is useful if it inherently is?

The English major has a PR problem.

Too many English majors are doubting their choice of degree, and too many would-be English majors are choosing other degrees because “you can’t make any money with an English degree,” “there aren’t any jobs,” “I don’t want to teach,” etc. The misconceptions and negative stereotypes that surround the degree itself and what an English degree can do for your future go on and on, but they can be changed!

We asked YOU, our Dear English Major audience of thousands, the following question:

“In your experience, what is the most common misconception or stereotype about English majors?”

This is how you responded, and we’ve elaborated on each misconception and why it most likely isn’t true.

• Misconception #1: You want to be a teacher.

First of all, most of us are probably English majors because at some point, we had an incredible, inspiring teacher who made us fall in love with reading and writing and changed us for the better. So we can all probably agree that teachers are AWESOME and make the world go round! Many English majors DO want to become teachers, and they should go for it. We never, ever want to give the impression that we don’t support our teachers.

But not every English major wants to become a teacher, and as teachers know, an English major is not the same as having an education degree. Being a well-versed English major does not automatically qualify one to teach. There’s a lot of work that goes into becoming a teacher, especially becoming an English teacher.

(If you DO want to become a teacher, check out this article where real English teachers share their advice on becoming a teacher or professor.)

• Misconception #2: You won’t make any money if you major in English.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, in 2014, English majors had an average starting salary of $33,574. As of May 2014 national mean annual salary is $47,230 for all occupations regardless of level, according to the United States Department of Labor. So, just take a moment to think about that!

Just like any degree—sciences included—there are some English majors who will never go on to directly use their major in their career. But there are plenty who do, and they more than manage to take home a respectable salary from it every year.

• Misconception #3: The skills you learn in English class don’t translate to the “real world.”

This stereotype could refer to several majors, but basically what people mean is: “How do the skills you gain in college directly translate to the real world and a full-time job?” More specifically though, people are saying something like: “I took an English class in college once, and we read The Great Gatsby, talked about it, and then I had to write an essay on symbolism. There aren’t any jobs in the real world where any of that is useful!”

True… kinda. At a job interview, you probably are not going to be reading a novel and then writing an essay to prove yourself. But in many careers, you will be expected to be able to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively with your peers. You will be expected to present ideas and information in a digestible, appealing way, as well as defend your ideas, the same way you did in that Great Gatsby essay. And you will need to do that again, and again, and again.

Fortunately, English majors are well-practiced when it comes to the aforementioned. Good communication is key in a world that relies on it, now more so than ever. Have you ever visited a website? Been advertised to? Yes and yes? Then you’ve seen the work of someone who is a great communicator. And that means there are jobs for folks who can communicate, and communicate well.

• Misconception #4: There are no jobs for English majors.

Have you SEEN the Dear English Major homepage? Have you perused LinkedIn (and stalked the job positions that professionals with English majors have)? Have you checked out our resource pages for careers in copywriting, editing, freelancing, grant writing, library science, marketing, publishing, social media, teaching, and writing? These areas are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the various fields you can enter as an English major. The next time someone makes fun of our beloved English major… be ready to tell them what careers are out there!

• Misconception #5: English majors always use perfect grammar and spelling, AND know the meaning of every single word.

Yes, while it’s true that we’re known for using impeccable grammar, knowing where to put a comma, and knowing how to spell words like “antidisestablishmentarianism,” we still don’t know everything. In fact, we can all use an editor from time to time. Editing is a profession unto itself and requires a unique skillset.

• Misconception #6: We’ve read ALL the “classics.”

When your great uncle finds out you’ve never read Great Expectations or Treasure Island, he might be horrified. “WHAT? But you’re an English major! What are they teaching kids these days?!” While the classics are classics for a reason, a lot has happened in literature since 1883. You’re probably reading new and relevant authors that he has never heard of, and learning just as much—if not more—about literature, life, etc. Ya know. The important things. 

• Misconception #7: An English major is easy. You just read books and write essays that are basically book reports.

Um. Ok. Anyone who says this has never, ever taken a REAL, college-level English course. English majors are often required to read multiple novels PER WEEK, do extensive research, and write essays that require you to reach far, far beyond a general summary of a book. Anyone who spends time doing this for weeks on end is either going to burn out or gain some serious brain muscles!

• Misconception #8: We love editing and proofreading your writing and will do so for free!

“Can you proofread this?” “Does this make sense?” Ok, it’s true—sometimes helping our friends out is a true joy. We want to read what you’re writing (because it’s fun and interesting) and we can really lend a hand too—hey, writing isn’t everyone’s cup o’ tea. But no, we’re not your personal fact-checker, and we don't want to rework entire paragraphs for you (unless you're really really really nice). And when you get a real job, you’ll need to HIRE us, because editing and proofreading are real skills that we have spent years and years practicing.

• Misconception #9: We’re always judging you when you speak or write something to us.

No, no, no! English majors are people, too! (Promise.) We use slang, we end sentences with prepositions from time to time, and we are just generally grammar badasses! ;) Sometimes we text lyk dis and sometimes we insist on using full, proper sentences. Speaking to your friends versus speaking to your boss are two different things; so are texting and writing research papers. Don't assume we're always picking apart your grammar like evil grammar police. We get it. You're human.

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Check out our gift guides for English majors:

Interested in Becoming an English Teacher? Real Teachers Share Their Advice

1. From Dr. Dana Key, Assistant Principal, University Adjunct Professor, and State Department of Education ACCESS teacher:

Take your school career seriously! From the freshman year onward, work hard to become the best reader and writer that you can be. Take advantage of every opportunity to challenge yourself as a learner, take AP classes if available, take online or blended learning classes if available. Use summers to get ahead on your reading and check for the required reading list for all college-bound students. Visit teachers' rooms to see different teaching styles, and remember the great and not so great teachers you have had. You will remember behaviors you want to emulate and those you want to avoid.

In college, grades DO matter. Study and take the challenging courses that will make you a well-rounded content empowered graduate. The practicums are all geared to make sure that teaching is your career choice. Make the most of every moment; try to tutor if your school has a free tutoring lab; it will make you practice your teaching skills. Most of all, teach from your heart and not from the book. Students will not remember what you said or did, but they will always remember how you made them feel.

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2. From Tina Bausinger, Professor of English:

Building your network really does matter. Coming out of graduate school, teaching jobs are few and the competition is stiff. The importance of the impression you make as a student cannot be overstated. For every job that opens up there are 100 people applying, and most of them are smart and articulate. What makes you different? Why should they waste their time hiring someone who just graduated? Have an answer ready. DO ADJUNCT WORK. It pays terribly, but it shows you can do it, don't mind putting in your time, and you will usually get placed before people they have never seen before. PAD YOUR CV. Publish anywhere you can--the local paper, the school's journal/paper, wherever you get the opportunity. Jump at any chance to present a paper or teach a workshop. These things separate the women from the girls.

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3. From Martha Cothron, Middle School Language Arts, Reading and Journalism Teacher:

First, you have to know if teaching is right for you. I see so many people enter the teaching field as their back up plan. The students and the school district don't care if it’s your back up plan. Make sure you want it for real.

Second, make sure you have prepared yourself mentally and financially. Teaching doesn't pay the big bucks. You want to retire some day so make sure to budget and save as much as possible. Mentally working with children can be tough. Working daily with teens has taught me to have a thick skin. They think with their emotions and have no concept of logic. Always know you are the boss and they will follow your lead. Be kind and don't be afraid to let them know you care.

Finally, HAVE FUN!!! Life is short so do what you love. Work hard for your dreams and don't ever take no for an answer. If one door closes go knock on another until you get what you need to be happy, healthy and successful.

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4. From Jasara Hines, AP English Literature and Associate Professor, Valencia College: Online Freshman Composition I and II:

Wow! This is a tough one. Honestly, don't do it if you cannot stand kids/young adults. Don't think that a high school class is going to be anything like your LIT 451 class - you know, where all 15 of you sit down with the professor and discuss Frankenstein through a Freudian lens. Don't think that all your kids are going to like reading Jane Eyre because you like it. Know that parents are going to blame you for every horrid grade/missing assignment. Know that when you finally get used to one lesson plan format or standardized test, that the state will change it and you'll have to learn something new. Understand, quickly, that the bad days will probably outweigh the good ones, but that it only takes one student to grow to love reading to make you feel accomplished and appreciated. Understand that students rarely will understand why they have to read classics and why your class is important when they know they want to major in Biology, but that in a few years one of them will send you a letter in the mail thanking you for all you did for them.

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5. From Rachel Nenna, 5th Grade ELA/SS Teacher & Online English Adjunct Professor:

Teaching is not for the money, it’s not for the vacations; it’s for the students.  We are preparing the new generation to go out in the world and be well-rounded citizens.  It is rewarding in a way that is not always recognized. You see the reward in your students, while you go unnoticed and that is okay because it’s not about you, it’s about the students.  Yeats says it best: "Education is Not the Filling of a Pail, but the Lighting of a Fire.” We need to light the fires in our students, because without that what do they have?

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6. From Kate Miner, English/Language Arts Teacher & Department Coordinator:

Do not expect your students to be English majors. Understand that they don't all share the love of reading and writing and all things literary. If you understand that; if you meet them where THEY are (not where you expect or want them to be); if you are flexible with your time and your resources; and if the curriculum is not always the stuff the kids NEED to know, you'll be just fine. Also, keep granola bars in your desk drawer for the kids who didn't get breakfast (or for when you forget your lunch on the kitchen counter), let students stand up and move around a lot - literature is really, really boring for some (I know, weird, right?), and even honors students can try your patience daily.

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7. From Michelle Greco Adjunct Professor and Freelance Copy Editor:

Take an improv class. No, seriously, this is probably one of the best things you can do to prepare yourself to become an English professor. Every day in the classroom is different. Some days your plan will work flawlessly; other days, you won't even like your plan. Be adaptable and willing to adjust. You never know what students will throw your way!

Other than that, try to stay in touch with professors you admire. Look at their syllabi. Ask them questions. What was the most crazy request they got in class? What was their best moment in the classroom? What was a time they problem solved while thinking on their feet? Keep this information on file for use when you start teaching on your own.

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8. From Tiffany MacBain, Associate Professor:

As much as it pains me to write this, my advice is to find a different career. It's not that being a professor is so bad--there are many good things about the job, including a certain amount of flexibility of schedule and the experience of going to work and learning alongside colleagues and students each day--but the job market is just. so. bad. Odds are that you will labor for 6 years to obtain a PhD in English, all the while earning very little money and going into debt, and when you graduate you will be unable to get a tenure-line job--even if you are a gifted teacher, even if you are a talented writer, even if you are a superstar. If you do get a tenure-line job you will find yourself working long hours but earning far less money than do others with advanced degrees, and you will find that the realities of the profession are out of line with what you imagine the profession to be. I once believed that I would have the leisure to think and to write--that's what professors do, right? Not so much. When I was much younger I even imagined that I would spend some time each day sitting under a tree and reading a book. I'm serious! I thought that. My life bears zero resemblance to the fantasy. The ground under the trees is always a little wet, and there's too much of a glare on my laptop to work outside.

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9. From Brett Ashmun, Full Time Graduate Student/Teaching Associate:

In determining whether or not he should become a teacher, I once had a student ask me how much an English teacher makes. I explained to him that I teach for many reasons but money is not one of them. I then recommended that if he was going to decide on becoming a teacher depending on the pay, to find another career. I truly believe that the outcome of obtaining an English degree should be a better life. I don’t mean this from a financial viewpoint. Gaining an English degree is a privilege. It indicates that you appreciate life. You value your fellow human being. You cherish relationships over money. If I was looking to “get ahead,” gain as much wealth as possible, and live a quick-paced life, I would have decided to look into the majority of all other majors available. For me, it is important to slow down. It is important to listen to my breath. It is important to engage in quality conversation. My advice: don’t try to compete with business, engineering, or science majors. That is not you. Don’t try to make as much money as possible. You are the rarity in a fast-paced world. You are the glue that holds society together. Own it.

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10. From Debrah Clark, Director/Teen Parent Educator:

I am not an English teacher, but I wanted to be. I started college with dreams due to my experience with my high school English teacher. In college, a professor yelled at me for the content in a persuasive essay. It was a composition class. He said my composition was exemplary, but my content would elicit a response that was too emotional for a reader. He gave me a C. I left his office and changed my major to Sociology. Although I love teaching the subject I teach, there is a gaping hole where English content should be. I find myself purposely seeking interaction with my English content area colleagues. I love assigning readings and papers so that I get to grade as an English teacher would. My advice? Do not allow others to dissuade you from being an English teacher. Do not become a professor who devastates the ambition of an aspiring English teacher. I love what I do, but if I had it to do over again, I would have become an English teacher. Teaching is a gift to your students, their families and yourself. Never lose sight of the privilege and honor it is to be welcomed into the lives of those you teach.

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11. From Lorraine Hirakawa, Former English Teacher and Current Assistant Principal:

If you only love your content, and not kids, DON'T do it. Frequently English majors love literature, or grammar, or writing, but they aren't passionate about helping kids. Don't let your NEED to cover content outweigh the real work of helping kids. Be prepared to feel tired and under appreciated, but know that one day, the least likely kid will come back and tell you that you are the reason they made it. That is why you teach.

It's also fun. Kids are fun and funny. They are also frustrating, so are their parents, so are your colleagues, so is your admin, but it's the best job in the world.

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12. From Wendy Harriford-Platt, Language Arts Teacher:

You will love and hate it. One year, you will discuss literature with students (maybe five) who cannot get enough of it. The next year you may be bogged down in capitalization rules and the basics of writing. Take small bites. Ramp up to bigger things in logical steps. Think and work smarter, not harder. Embrace reading struggling writers' essays. Enjoy teaching poetry. Love knowing you are laying a foundation for students that they will build upon for the rest of their lives. It makes it worthwhile. My first year of teaching, I was determined to get them to remember and use behoove. 12 years later when students see me, it is the first thing out of their mouths. That's being an English teacher, being as memorable as the language itself.

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13. From Robbin Copeland, Professor:

Not everyone can teach, no matter how knowledgeable he or she is in any subject. I began teaching Grammar, and quickly learned the text the students were made to buy was extremely puzzling...so I made up my own weekly Grammar Packages. Then I started teaching Composition 101 and learned that the most difficult task for students is focus...working on this alone helped many of my students. Later I taught Intro to Literature. This became a passion of mine because I had to allow for many different insights to a poem or story. Keeping in mind that another won't quite reach the same conclusion to Literary Writings made teaching this subject very successful for me.

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14. From Alexia Brooks, Lecturer in First-Year Composition:

Aside from establishing boundaries with your students and yourself (because let's be honest, this job will have you working nonstop if you let it), I would say to allow yourself to be a beginner. I am 27 and have been told I look 21, so my first semester, I was really worried about that. I cut my hair in an attempt to look older, had my students call me Ms. or Professor Brooks, and would avoid answering questions from my students about how long I'd been teaching or how old I was.

When I finally realized that I was new and that no haircut or name change would fix that, I felt liberated. If you try to pressure yourself to be a veteran in the classroom on day 1, it will just add more stress than you need. Now, my students call me Alexia and know I've only been teaching for two years. I feel like it's helped facilitate a stronger bond in the classroom.

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15. Samantha Glassford, Adjunct English Instructor and Professional Writing Tutor

If you're considering graduate school and teaching on the college level, understand that you HAVE to love what you do. You will have to start as an adjunct and work several part time jobs to make ends meet, but if you really love the work, you won't mind doing it. In these beginning years, you have to really work to find that work/life balance. I often have to tell students if I'm going away for the weekend and won't be able to keep to my 24-hour response promise. I do take one or two weekend getaways each semester to keep myself sane :) If you love it, it really won't feel like work!

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If you are an English teacher or professor and would like to contribute your answers to this blog post, fill out this form!

Networking for English Majors: It’s Easier (& Less Painful) Than You Think!

For some people, there’s something about hearing the word “networking” that sends them into fight-or-flight mode: “Nope. No way. I can’t network. If I have to network to find a job, I guess I won’t be finding a job. Ever.”

We don’t blame you if you’re not convinced of the awesome powers of networking yet; “networking” definitely has some negative connotations to it. It summons visions of awkward “networking events” where you’re supposed to meet strangers and strike up conversations out of thin air. To some, it refers to insincerity, “using” people to get ahead, and just being plain uncomfortable. To many of us English majors, this is NOT what we signed up for.

But as many seasoned professionals will tell you, networking is incredibly important when it comes to developing and growing a successful, rewarding career. Networking can help you score interviews, provide unique opportunities, get a foot in the door at a company you want to work at, expose you to freelance gigs, meet some awesome people, and sooo much more! (Want to jump straight to job search advice? Check out our ULTIMATE guide!)

• When should I network?

ALL. THE. TIME. While you’re in high school, when you're in college, when you’re unemployed, when you’re happily employed. When you need a job ASAP or are desperately unhappy at a current position and looking for a new job… it’s too late. (Although late is better than never…) Ok, maybe that was a little dramatic. We're just trying to stress that you need to think ahead when it comes to building your network. 

• Networking doesn’t have to be awful!

To make things easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of people and places to network with. Implementing some of these ideas will come more naturally than others, but whether or not you have a job, we encourage ALL English majors to build up their networks of likeminded individuals no matter where they are in their career!

Here’s our 8 ideas for people and places to network with:

1. College

One of the benefits of going to college includes the people you meet there. Your peer group in school can be one of the most valuable networks you build. While other English majors are technically your post-grad competition, they’re also your allies! Let’s say one of your friends gets hired, and they hear the company needs another copywriter. Boom! You not only get a hot job tip, but you have an internal referral, too!

Of course, making friends with people outside of your major is also important. Business students go on to work at and start businesses, and they all need writers and people with top-notch communication skills. Chemistry students go on to work for companies that need writers, or people to write grants for research. See how this works?

And of course, it’s important to pick the brains of your professors and career center staff! If you have a dialogue going with them before it's time to hit the pavement and they're being bombarded by other similar requests, it'll be that much easier for them to be on the lookout for opportunities that might suit you. 

2. Alumni

Another excellent benefit of your college degree includes the alumni network you automatically inherit from your alma mater. Many alumni remember what it was like to have just graduated, and that means many are happy to help when asked! Whether it’s giving some advice, a recommendation, or an actual job referral, connections with alumni can be incredibly valuable.

Your school might have an online networking system for you to connect with alumni, or you can see if your Career Center can connect you with someone who has experience in the type of career you may be interested in. LinkedIn also has an alumni feature where you can see who else went to your college, what jobs they have, and in some cases even what they majored in. Send them a message and start the conversation! Invite them to coffee and ask some questions. Speaking of LinkedIn…

3. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is useful for connecting with alumni, but also others in your city and field or desired field. And by the way… if you don’t have a LinkedIn profile yet, now is the time to make one! There are lots of job postings on LinkedIn, and it’s a good way to see what other professionals in your field are up to. Have a question? Take a chance and send someone a message! Be sincere, don't send out impersonal, form-like messages, and respect everyone's time.

For tips on how to create a stand-out resume and how to clean up your online presence, you’ll want to check out our book From Graduation to Career Ready in 21 Days: A Guide for English Majors. We show you exactly what to do!

4. Professional associations

This is a great way to get your toes wet as a young professional. Becoming a member of a professional organization/association can get you plugged into the scene in your desired field. Many organizations offer advice, feature job listings, connection opportunities and more! Many are free to join, so there’s no reason to not give it a try. Here are just a few that might interest you: Society of Professional Journalists, American Copy Editors Society, Society for Technical Communication, American Marketing Association, Social Media Professional Association, Grant Professionals Association.

5. Groups & clubs

Connecting with like-minded people doesn’t sound so bad, right? Becoming part of a local writing community or book club isn’t just a great networking opportunity—it’s a good motivation boost, too! Try Meetup.com to get started in finding a group—there are TONS! Not only are these types of groups good for meeting new people, but they can also help you hone your writing skills and stay sharp when you’re out of school. 

6. Social media

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads and other social media sites are filled with writers, readers, and other professionals who love learning, connecting and sharing. These all offer excellent ways to share your work, get noticed, and see what others are up too. Many connections and lifelong friends have been made using these sites—you just have to get creative and friendly!

7. Staffing agencies

Staffing agencies are companies that work to connect businesses with professionals, and there are several out there that specialize in working with creatives (including writers!). Staffing agencies come in all shapes and sizes; some are easy to sign up for and you can start browsing jobs right away, and others require in-person interviews. Some are specific to a particular city, and some can be used from anywhere in the world. We recommend meeting people in person whenever you can—making a personal and lasting connection does wonders when you're looking for a job! Agencies will sometimes host networking events or free classes, and this is another way to be the first to hear about new opportunities and meet like-minded professionals. 

8. Professionals in other fields

Like we mentioned in the "College" category, it can be beneficial to network with those outside of your usual sphere of connections. For example, professionals like graphic designers, videographers, photographers, and web designers often work on projects that need—you guessed it—writers and editors! Business owners need people to write press releases, website copy, and marketing materials. Nonprofits need grant writers and communications officers and savvy copywriters. The list goes on and on! While this particular bullet point could kind of say "Everyone With a Job," we only share this to get you thinking in new ways about what "networking" can be.

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Want more job search advice? 

In our book From Graduation to Career Ready in 21 Days: A Guide for English Majors, we show you:

• how to find the right jobs to apply for
• what you need to know about marketing yourself online
• how to make yourself a more appealing candidate
• what to do after you’ve received a job offer

...and everything in between.

This simple, detailed guide is packed with the information and resources English majors need to successfully navigate the job search process in 21 days! CLICK HERE to download your FREE chapter! 

The Story of My First Job Search

Hey, it's Alyssa here (the English major behind Dear English Major)! Three years ago, I graduated from college (holy cow, those three years have flown by...), and since then, I've learned A LOT about the job-search process. With a new season of graduations in full swing, it has me reflecting quite a bit on my post-grad journey.

After starting DearEnglishMajor.com and hearing from several of my fellow English majors, I came to realize that there was a great demand out there for some post-grad guidance. Hearing the same questions time and time again inspired me to want to share everything that I knew about the job search as an English major, and of course, that's why I wrote From Graduation to Career Ready in 21 Days: A Guide for English Majors.

Being able to commiserate with my fellow English majors and has always been a big help. "They asked you WHAT in the interview?" "Hey, can you read my cover letter? I have no idea what I'm doing." I thought it might be useful (and kinda fun) to share what finding my first full-time job was like. 

My Post-Grad Stress Fest

When I graduated from college in 2012, I had a general idea of the job search process. I knew that I needed to have a resume, and I knew that I would need to write cover letters. I knew that eventually I would need to go to interviews with people who asked daunting questions.

For those of you who are seasoned professionals or are already in the job-search routine, you know it can get A LOT more complicated than that! “Needing a resume” translates to writing multiple versions of a resume, taking the time to edit it, and giving it a visually appealing design. “Writing cover letters” translates to dozens of drafts and hours of trying to sound confident instead of cocky. And if you actually do get an interview, it can be a long process of phone interviews and in-person interviews with multiple people (sometimes all at the same time). And that’s just the tip of the exhausting iceberg. (Already panicking? This book covers everything you need to know.) 

Luckily, I had some awesome mentors and friends who had experience with all of this and were willing to share tips and information with me. But even then, I had to learn some things for myself. 

Rejected From an Indie Bookstore = :'(

The summer after I graduated from college was spent at an internship, going on small vacations with my family, and babysitting while I looked for full-time employment. It was a confusing time—lots of people had all kinds of encouragement to offer (“Oh, don't worry—you’ll find something!”) but I rarely heard back from job applications that I submitted. I was pretty open, and applied for a variety of positions: library assistant, copywriter, social media strategist, blogger, etc.

““There were 50 applicants?! This was a part-time job paying minimum wage, and there was already so much competition?!””

I finally scored an interview at an indie bookstore for a part-time position. Deep down, I really wanted a full-time position, but I figured it would be great experience, especially if I wanted to go into publishing (which, maybe I wanted to do?). They said that out of 50 applicants, I was in the top six they were actually interviewing. I was excited—working in a bookstore as an English major is kind of a no-brainer—but also incredibly depressed. There were 50 applicants?! This was a part-time job paying minimum wage, and there was already so much competition?! Oh dear.

I was interviewed at a huge table by four people all at once. They asked me to tell them about myself, what my favorite books and authors were, and general customer service-type questions. At the end of the interview, I felt that things had gone fairly well.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get the job. In a way, I felt relieved—it freed me up to continue looking for full-time employment, instead of combining a part-time job with babysitting for who knows how long. I was ready to have a “real” full-time job already! 

My parents assured me that I didn’t get the job because the people interviewing me knew that I would take a full-time job if one was offered to me instead (since I was just out of college, after all), and probably wanted someone who was seriously only looking for a part-time job. But it was also a slight blow to my ego—I had a college degree and couldn't get a part-time job that paid minimum wage?! What did that mean for the rest of my job prospects?

OMG, I Just Found My Dream (First) Job... Now What?

Sometimes when you’re searching for a job, you’ll finding a listing that puts a fire into your job search. It sounds PERFECT; you know you’re just right for the position, and it’s almost too good to be true. This is how I felt when I came across a job position as a full-time copywriter for a new e-commerce company that sold children’s products. It sounded fun to write about toys and cute kids’ clothing, and I felt comfortable with the topic because of my babysitting experience. (It might sound funny that I felt so excited about this; during college, this was NOT what I had in mind for a career. But hey, being fresh out of school really puts things in perspective!)

““I submitted my resume and cover letter, and waited. And waited. There was no one to email or check in with once I hit the “submit” button on my resume, and that was so frustrating to me!””

I submitted my resume and cover letter, and waited. And waited. There was no one to email or check in with once I hit the “submit” button on my resume, and that was so frustrating to me! I knew I needed to follow up. So I headed to LinkedIn and found someone who was a recruiter for the company. I considered messaging him, asking if there was anything I could do to follow up on my job application… and hemmed and hawed. Should I just wait a little longer? (Wait… while MY job was given to someone else?!) Would reaching out to the recruiter show initiative, or would messaging him be totally annoying and ruin any chance I might have had?

I decided I didn’t have much to lose. It was September already and I felt that I needed to get more aggressive. I messaged the recruiter, and didn’t receive a response.

However, about a week later... I got an email response to my application! They wanted to send me a copywriting test! Basically, they sent me a brief style guide I needed to stick to, and eight different products I needed to write about within a certain time frame. I spent time exploring their website and reading the writing that was already there, trying to nail down the company’s voice. Even though I did the test in private and no one was timing me, I was still nervous while I did it. (Would my writing be good enough? Could I think and write fast enough? What if I got the job, and completely froze when I was given an assignment? Etc.)

I submitted it the test, and it was reviewed by the copy team. About a week later, the Human Resources department scheduled a phone interview with me. The awesome thing about a phone interview is that you can have any notes you want in front of you. The not-so-awesome thing is that you can’t see the facial expressions or body language of the person you’re talking to, and it can be hard to gauge how the interview is going. It was nerve-wracking to say the least, but then I also don’t care much for talking on the phone in general.

After the phone interview, I was asked to schedule an in-person interview. To prepare for the interview, I looked up “commonly asked interview questions” online and actually typed out my answers. This process ended up being SO valuable. First of all, it helped me figure out what my answers actually were, as well as articulate specific ideas. Then I practiced answering the same questions out loud—yes. I sat alone and talked to a wall, no joke. And it helped!

I was given a little tour of the office that day, and was interviewed by three people (not at the same time), AND took another copywriting test where I was asked to write about a product on the spot (I’m sure it wasn’t my best writing, but I completed it, and that felt like a victory at the time). I found it really easy to talk to the three people who interviewed me, and I was sure to mention how my babysitting experience gave me insight into what moms think when they’re shopping for their children.

It turns out that my interview prep was extremely useful, even though a lot of the same questions were not asked. Because I had thought through some broad questions, I was prepared with material to talk about in general.

Money Can Be Awkward, But I Asked For More Anyway

I headed home and felt like things had went well, but I had also felt like this after the interview at the bookstore—so I figured, who knew what would happen. A few days later, I got a call back… with a job offer that included a salary, 401k, health benefits and stock options. Holy cow. I wanted to say “YES” before they could change their minds. But luckily I had some awesome mentors who convinced me not to accept their first offer... so, against everything my excited-to-have-been-offered-a-job brain said, I asked for more money. Yep.

Money can be an awkward thing, and asking for more of it—for a job you’d take in a heartbeat anyway—felt so confusing and counterintuitive. But the recruiter said that the team was anxious to hire me, so he would check with them and see what he could do. He called back later and had met me in the middle.

My First Full-Time, Big-Girl Job as a Copywriter = :-]

Not only had I secured the job I really, really wanted, but I had scored more money, too. Whoohoooo! The whole process—from the date of applying to my first day on the job—took two entire months. It’s a long time and definitely an investment that might not have worked out, but of course, I felt that it was worth it once I was hired.

To this day, I still don’t know if that LinkedIn message worked or not. The recruiter never responded to it, although he did add me as a LinkedIn connection after I was hired. Maybe it caught his attention after all! I’m glad I took a chance and went out on a limb.

Lessons Learned

Through my first couple of full-time jobs, and now my full-time freelance career, I realized that I have learned A LOT about the job-search process. I also realized that English majors had TONS of questions about the whole job search in general, from “Where do I look for jobs?” to “How do writers network?” From Graduation to Career Ready in 21 Days: A Guide for English Majors answers all of those questions and more. Check out what other English majors had to say about the book on Amazon. 

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Do YOU have a job search story you'd like to share? It can be funny, frustrating, insightful—as long as it's 200 words or less, we want it! Submit your story below for a chance to be included in an upcoming article.

English Teachers & Professors Talk About Work-Life Balance

While many English majors may be tired of having people ask if they're going to be teachers, the stereotype is there for a reason—many English majors do want to become teachers! We know that teachers work incredibly hard, and we want to provide you with as much information as we can to help you make an informed decision about your career. We asked English teachers and professors what their work-life balance is like, and we received some excellent insight and information!

1. From Michelle Greco, Adjunct Professor and Freelance Copy Editor:

Goodness, most days, I don't feel like it's balanced! I don't have a typical day because my teaching schedule shifts depending on the day of the week. However, I do most of  my teaching in the mornings, which leaves afternoons and evenings open for rest, grading, and writing.

In a typical week, I'll focus on schoolwork and copyediting from Monday through Thursday. I usually have Fridays off and will use that day for errands, personal projects, or for any leftover work from the beginning of the week. I try to go to as many readings as I can, typically on weekends, to fill my creative well. Because I lead a freelance lifestyle, I have to be disciplined, relying heavily on my calendar and to-do lists to keep myself organized. Otherwise, I'd spend most of my time at home directionless and, probably, watching Netflix!

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2. From Martha Cothron, Middle School Language Arts, Reading and Journalism Teacher:

My life might seem overwhelming to some but to me it’s just right. I'm a full time wife, mom, business owner, teacher, MBA student, mentor and volunteer. My day starts at 7am and ends around 11:30pm. I juggle my schedule with that of my husband, two kids, classwork for my MBA program, and foster parenting association I'm on the board for.

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3. From Lorraine Hirakawa, Former English Teacher and Current Assistant Principal:

As an English teacher, I easily spent 9 hours a day at school, choosing to go in early for quiet prep time. After school, some days I would spend an hour working with students or two hours coaching the debate team. Typically, I would get home by 6, cook dinner, and spend the evening with my family before reading myself to sleep.

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4. From Jasara Hines, AP English Literature and Associate Professor, Valencia College: Online Freshman Composition I and II:

Being a teacher requires significant work outside of work. Typically a teacher will have at least one small assignment to grade on a daily basis (that can sometimes equate to 100+ paragraphs or math problems, etc.). Obviously, this has to go home with the teacher. An English teacher can have this, plus essays and other lengthy assignments. I typically have essays to grade every weekend.

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5. From Rachel Nenna, 5th Grade ELA/SS Teacher & Online English Adjunct Professor:

With teaching, my brain is never off. I am constantly trying to find better ways to do things. I come up with plans and then change them midway through a lesson. I often teach through experiences and life stories. I want my students to feel my passion for literature, not just see the passion. I am constantly on the go and am forever working on something, whether it is for my 5th grade students or my college students. I am also a mom of two and believe in getting my kids out there to experience their own experiences. My son is in jiu jitsu Monday through Thursday right after school, so I am hardly home during the week. I’m on Pinterest like most people are on Facebook, Twitter, etc. I am constantly connecting my daily life with my teachings. My students learn about the lesson through my daily life as well as my past life. My life is an open book, which I find makes my students trust in me more.

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6. From Kate Miner, English/Language Arts Teacher & Department Coordinator:

If you ask my husband and children, I spend far more time with my school "family" than the one at home. I volunteer my time (and theirs) once a week for three hours in the evening to supervise our open-library time for students to come get help, work together, or use the wifi with their laptops. I also sponsor a club and serve on a few committees. I spend my evening hours grading, answering emails from parents and students about questions or concerns, and planning for the next days, weeks, or months. I attend curriculum meetings for the district after hours, as well as vertical team meetings with teachers from our feeder middle and elementary schools. However, on weekends, I give myself fully to my family (unless there's a school function for which I've volunteered). I've learned that I must try to get as much work done at work instead of bringing so much home. My sanity and my family are much more important than tomorrow's lesson plan's wow-factor.

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7. From Tiffany MacBain, Associate Professor:

Work-life balance is very difficult to achieve for me, for the work in my profession expands to fill as much time as I allow it, and the work I do not do does not go away: it piles up. Because I am also the mother and primary caregiver of a young child, though, I have created boundaries where none existed before. For instance: except on rare occasions I do not email students or colleagues after 5pm or on weekends. On one weekend day, usually Sunday, I do no work. Perhaps one day I'll be able to say the same about the tother weekend day. This schedule suited me just fine when I was younger, but the truth is, it feels really uncomfortable these days. I would like, and I believe I would benefit from, more downtime.

My typical workday: Wake up early (between 5 and 7) and check email or read for class. With the help of my partner, care for my daughter and get her and me out the door. At work, finish prepping for my first class; teach; prep for my second class; teach; meet with students; deal with email; begin to prep for the next day's class or do some light grading. Go home. Make dinner; play with my daughter; go to sleep. On some days I have committee meetings thrown in there. Fridays and weekends I do the intensive grading. I spend some time every evening zoning out before bed, either online or with a crossword puzzle. I rarely read for pleasure, except during the summer.

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8. From Allison Ryals, Middle School English Teacher:

I get up around 6:30, even though I set my alarm for 5:40. I get dressed and go to school. As soon as I walk in the building, there is usually something to do or someone that I need to talk to about curriculum or behavior problems. Students come in at 7:30 and begin reading their library books. At 8:00, we begin class. I have double-blocked classes, which mean students are with me for 90 minutes. We get a great deal of work done. I teach for the first half and students work in groups or on independent work for the second half. The days usually go pretty well, but sometimes teaching middle school is like stapling jello to a tree. I have meetings all week and parent conferences. I try to leave work by 4:00, but some days I do not leave until 6:00. I would like to think that I have a balance between work and my regular life, but I really do not. When I get home, I am exhausted and sometimes have activities to plan for the next day. I squeeze in dinner between my work things and grad school things. I try to do at least one fun thing on the weekend, but it usually ends up being sleeping in.

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9. From Brett Ashmun, Full Time Graduate Student/Teaching Associate:

As a graduate student and teaching associate, my schedule may look a little different than most teachers. A typical week begins in a graduate class on Monday morning. After class I have an hour break then I teach freshman composition. Once I finish teaching, I hold office hours from three until five then it is time to head home and begin preparing for the rest of the week. On Tuesday (ah Tuesday), I am off all day. Any teacher knows that by “off all day” that doesn’t mean I am off, but it does mean I usually do not have any obligations that require a shower or a change out of my pajamas. Wednesday is my long day. I attend class in the morning, teach in the afternoon, hold office hours, and then attend a three-hour graduate class in the evening. Thursday is somewhat of a prep day. My only obligation is a three-hour graduate class in the evening. On Friday, I teach in the afternoon and hold an open conferencing/workshop for any writing students from three to five. While what I have mentioned are on the top of my list of priorities, I also have a book I’m trying to write, try to get published whenever possible, and deal with long phone calls from my mom and father-in-law. Lost in all of the busyness are my fiancée and my black Labrador. They truly keep me sane and are the best friends a man can ask for.

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10. From Debrah Clark, Director/Teen Parent Educator:

There is no such thing as a typical work day, unless you consider the consistency of change and having to adapt on an hourly basis typical. Arrival to my office is the most peaceful time in the day. I grade, create, plan, reflect, and sometimes cry about the lack of resources teachers, students and families have. The teenagers arrive and the magic happens! I find that I teach the content less and the skills of being a human more. Role modeling and counseling sometimes take precedence over the daily plans. Caring for overwhelmed colleagues, data collection and processing, and professional development come next. I regularly reach out to the community for resources and guidance in this adventure. Teaching is an adventure. When I do go home, I struggle with shortchanging my own children due to my thoughts and concerns about my teenagers at school. I struggle with not being present enough at my own children's school due to the workload. I love this work, but it takes an emotional toll.

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11. From Dr. Dana Key, Assistant Principal, University Adjunct Professor, and State Department of Education ACCESS teacher:

A typical teaching day would include 100-150 students in a high school setting with classes ranging from regular English to AP English or Literature. On a block schedule there are four classes a day, one of those would be a planning period. For the three classes of 90 minutes, there are blended classes with technology infused to the regular state mandated content to enrich and empower students. I am not a skill and drill teacher, so there are a lot of project-based learning opportunities, reading of required materials, and many writing assignments that help to polish writing skills. The planning period is used for meetings with departments, class level, and parent conferences; the remainder if any time remains is used for grading and planning; however, I usually have two or three hours daily that I work from home. There is never enough time to finish everything at school.

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12. From Tina Bausinger, Professor of English:

I'm getting the hang of MOSTLY finishing work at work—though there are times I have to grade/plan on the weekends or after hours. I don't mind, really. It's true what they say about loving your job and feeling like you are never really working. I make a general lesson plan on Sundays, and fine tune it daily. A friend of mine who is also a teacher and I meet up for coffee and companionship. It's not unusual for one of us to ask advice of the other. Plus, coffee! Always my best friend. I teach five college level classes during the week (one English Comp I, three sections of English Comp 2, and one section of World Literature). I have ten hours a week (minimum) in the office, but I'm usually here early and I usually leave late. I try to grade all assignments as soon as possible.

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13. From Alexia Brooks, Lecturer in First-Year Composition:

I only teach Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8a-10a, so after I leave class, I head to my office on those days and prep, grade, and respond to student emails. I will typically stay on campus until 3p or 4p if I've had enough coffee that day to keep myself going. When I leave campus, though, I turn my email off. I let my students know about this on day one. I tell them that I will be available from 8a-4p on those three days, so they can email me or stop by my office to get clarification on something, but that when I go home, I unplug. I have found that this really helps me maintain a life outside of teaching. Now, sometimes I will have to stay later or keep my email on if we have a major assignment due, but for the most part, I try to maintain this boundary.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I don't teach, but I will turn my email on from 8a-4p to allow my students to communicate with me. On those days, I grade for a few hours, but I also run, write, and watch Netflix.

I typically work one day in the weekend, but I always try to have Sundays off from email and grading so I can recharge for the next week. It took me a while to stop feeling guilty about this, but I told myself that I am no good to my students if I'm overworked and stressed out.

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14. Samantha Glassford, Adjunct English Instructor and Professional Writing Tutor

As an adjunct, there is rarely a day where I'm in only one place. I teach at three different colleges, and tutor in a writing center. Because I spend my day time teaching/tutoring, my nights are usually for grading and emails. If I have a busy week or a long paper due in a class, the grading typically spills over into the weekend. Sunday nights are usually for prepping lesson plans. I currently am not married and don't have kids, so I don't mind working all the time. Not only do I enjoy it, it keeps me busy.

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