As the tech world continues with its explosive growth, and the popularity of majoring in STEM rises, liberal arts majors don’t always realize how valuable their research, communication, and critical thinking skills are to the tech industry. In fact, according to a report from Glassdoor, nearly half of the available jobs at tech companies are non-technical positions.
Rather than thinking that your degree determines your industry, you should focus on these two things
1. Develop and showcase your soft skills
As a liberal arts major, you have a unique set of skills you have acquired through your learning experience. Think of your critical thinking abilities, communication skills, and facilitation experience. These are not the technical skills that you might associate with the tech industry, but they are still essential. If you are a problem solver, who can effectively cross-collaborate and present a solution, you are a highly desirable candidate.
2. Focus on career development
Oftentimes, students get so caught up in looking for their first job out of college that they fail to see the big picture that is their career. Developing transferable skills is essential to your career development, as it demonstrates to your employer not only what you are capable of but also that you can be trained.
A study by the Strada Education Network has found that students with liberal arts degrees experience rapid wage growth later in their careers, in their 30s and 40s, after learning how to translate their skills into the technical field.
Businesses benefit from a diverse workforce, which includes intellectual diversity. Liberal arts majors bring plenty of talent to the table. Explore not what you can do with your degree but with your skills, and you can become a highly desirable applicant within the tech space.
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