A STUDENT who recently graduated with a degree in English literature visited me a few weeks back for a discussion on the career paths and choices that were open to her. She enjoyed her undergraduate experience a lot as she loved reading and studying literature, but was now unsure whether she possessed the skills to be ‘market ready’. She did not want to go on to graduate studies in literature. She wanted to write but to keep it on the side. She wanted to discuss the possibility of taking up a job in the development and corporate sector with her knowledge base. The student was articulate, and clearly had very sound analytical and reflective thinking skills. Her communication skills were excellent, and her writing ability, evident from what she mentioned in her resumé, were quite good as well. She had taken the time to reflect deeply on what she had read and learned during her four-year undergraduate experience, and this was reflected in her personality.
I told her that although she didn’t possess some of the ‘job-ready’ skills that employers might desire, any discerning company would be able to see her potential and strengths, and this would make her a good candidate. In fact, within a few weeks, she received a decent job offer and joined the ‘young professional’ cadre of a company.
