Career Options for Women’s Studies Majors

1. Career Options for Women’s Studies Majors Amy Hoag The Career Center www.careercenter.umich.edu

2. Agenda • Majors and Careers; The Truth About Your Future • Marketing Your Major to Employers • What Can You Do With Your Major? • “Experience” Your Future; Internships and Jobs

3. You Majored in What?Match the Major to Career • Sociology • English • Chemistry • Kinesiology • Math • Women’s Studies • Anthropology • Director for Risk Management/Trading • Head Women’s Basketball Coach • Director of Conference and Event Services • Technical Account Manager • VP for Global Operations • Marketing Assistant • Pharmaceutical Sales Representative

4. Transferable Skills

5. Transferable Skills – Skills that are transferable from one experience to the next.

6. The Top 20 Skills Employers Seek in Candidates (NACE, 2007) 1. Analytical Skills 2. Communication Skills - verbal and written 3. Computer Skills 4. Creativity 5. Detail-Oriented 6. Entrepreneurial Skills/Risk-Taker 7. Flexibility/Adaptability 8. Motivation/initiative 9. Honesty/Integrity 10. Interpersonal Skills 11. Leadership/Management Skills 12. Motivation/Initiative 13. Organizational and Time Management Skills 14. Real Life Experiences 15. Self-Confidence 16. Strong Work Ethic 17. Tactfulness 18. Teamwork Skills 19. Technical Skills 20. Well-mannered/Polite

7. Communication Skills How has your major helped you develop these skills? • Confident oral presentation skills. • Creating and presenting ideas in front of a class provides the opportunity to develop your presentation skills. • Effective writing skills. • Writing powerful essays and reports that highlight the achievements of women will allow you to hone your writing skills while developing the ability to compose and edit complex documents.

8. Communication Skills Where else have you developed these skills through your experiences at U of M?

9. Critical Thinking Skills How has your major helped you develop these skills? • Women’s studies students gain the ability to solve problems and think creatively about potential solutions. • You will learn from the work of influential thinkers throughout history. • Then, you will learn how to apply theory to practice to identify new solutions to complex social issues.

10. Critical Thinking Skills Where else have you developed these skills through your experiences at U of M?

11. The Bottom Line Employers are interested in Women’s Studies majors for the skills sets you develop both in and outside of the classroom! Employers value your skills, passion and interests, regardless of the specific major you choose. You are employable and have a world of opportunity available to you!

12. Know Yourself

13. Communication Skills Analyzing Data Research Assessing Your Skills Teamwork Solving Complex Problems Innovation and Ideas

14. Community Improvement Women’s Health Research Assessing Your Interests Data and Analysis Artistic Expression Leadership and Persuasion

15. Community Improvement Aesthetics Wealth Assessing Your Values Curiosity Organization and Accuracy Autonomy

16. Exploring Your Career Options – Let’s Brainstorm

17. Exploring Your Career Options

18. Facts about U of M Women’s Studies Majors… • Based on 2007-2008 follow up data for graduating WS seniors: • 94% were employed or in graduate programs 6 months after graduation • 50% were employed in meaningful work experiences (80% indicated their position had clear career potential) • 44% continued their education • Most common fields of employment were Education, Health Care, Non-Profit, and Law/Paralegal • Most common locations for employment were Michigan, New York, California and Chicago • Average salary was $25,000-$35,000/year • Of the successfully employed, 76% began their job search 3-6+ months before graduation and 67% had at least one internship

19. More Facts about U of M Women’s Studies Majors… • Of those continuing their education, 57% are pursuing Master’s programs, 29% are in professional programs (Medical/Law), 7% are in Ph.D. programs and 7% are completing a second Bachelor’s degree • Most common graduate programs for students continuing their education include Law, Public Health, Education, Social Work, and Nursing

20. Exploring Your Job/Internship OpportunitiesCareer Center Resources • Career Center website ( www.careercenter.umich.edu ) • Explore career paths (www.onetcenter.org) • Explore jobs/internships (Career Center Connector and other industry/employer/networking websites) • Sample internships/jobs posted include… • Children’s Rights Law Intern, New York • League of Women Voters Intern, Washington DC • American Red Cross: Public Relations Intern, MI • U of M Depression Center: Communications Intern, MI • Acumen LLC: Research Analyst/Writer, CA • American Lung Association: Program Coordinator, MI • Mew York City District Attorney’s Office: Paralegal, NY • Prepare resumes, cover letters and practice Interviews (Optimal) • Job and Graduate School Fairs • Graduate School Information Fair, Law Day, Medical School Information Fair, Non-Profit Career Expo, Government Career Fair, Multicultural Career Fair, Internship Fair, Job Fair, etc.

21. Questions? Amy Hoag Assistant Director, Counseling and Advising Services The Career Center amyhoag@umich.edu www.careercenter.umich.edu