Marketing your liberal arts degree

If you are one of the many liberal arts majors who are graduating this spring, you may have been asked “what are you going to do with that?” You will also be pleased to hear that according to employers themselves, liberal arts majors bring a large capacity for learning to the workplace. Employers want employees who can adapt to a changing environment; effectively communicate both in writing and orally, solve problems through analytical and critical thinking; and interact well with others. Fortunately, these are some of the hallmark skills one learns with a liberal arts education. Unlike technological skills, these skills will never be obsolete. Marketing these skills to potential employers becomes the primary focus to those in the job-hunting process. Begin with these five transferable skills, thinking how to relate them to your experiences and relay them on your resume and during the interview:


1. ability to communicate
2. interpersonal skills
3. adaptability to change
4. critical and analytical thinking
5. problem-solving skills

(above information from: Gerrish, Sally R. and Sarah B. Thompson. “Understanding the Value of a Liberal Arts Education” in Choices and Challenges: Job Search Strategies for Liberal Arts Students, 3rd ed. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1998.)