A Degree in English Literature Is an Absolute Waste of Time and Money: A Tender Writer's Perspective

I, like many people I have met, subscribed to this idea for a while.

When my 3 years at The University of Sheffield came to end, I felt very uninspired.?

To put it into perspective, I spent the year after working in a terrible minimum wage job and I didn't even attend my graduation.?

Odd, right?

I attribute it to the following: I couldn't understand what professional skills studying literature had imparted.

3+ years later, having developed significantly more emotional intelligence and age-related wisdom, I believe 2017 - 2020 were the defining years of my life.?

Not only was the university experience rewarding, but in retrospect I developed a TONNE of skills that have shaped and furthered my career.

2020 self, here's why a degree in English Literature is far from a waste of time and money ????

- It Teaches You to Write, Well

My current job (self-employed tender writer) hinges on being able to write well. I appreciate that writing ''well'' is somewhat vague, and the quality of written text is entirely subjective.

To me, high standards in writing are achieved through coherence, selective and appropriate grammar/word choices, fluency, personality, focus and appropriate use of voice.

Having spent many years as an in-house copywriter, I can confirm that a staggering number of people believe they can write well.?

The fact is, there is a vast ocean between being able to write and being able to write well. Many people can write, yes, but very few in my experience can write well.?

Huge blocks of text that no reader is going to engage with, sentences that run on for 3/4 lines without punctuation, lack of coherence/ structure, total absence of customer-centric copy, personality of a wooden plank with bizarre grammar choices; these are all examples of bad writing that I see often.

Writing well is a skill that is developed over a life time. It takes years of refinement to craft words that are succinctly arranged and properly structured, use the correct word/ grammar choices and exist with real intent.?

No AI model or self-aggrandising client can sidestep that.

I, by no means, have perfected my craft. Even now with years of commercial experience and a degree, there is a laughable amount I don't know/ need to improve.?

The process of CONSTANTLY submitting and perfecting essays does teach you a thing or two about writing succinctly though. And in a huge range of industries, being able to do this will put you way ahead of your peers.

- It Teaches You Self-Advocacy and Resilience

This is just my personal experience, but I am sure that are plenty of other examples.?

In my first year, I submitted an essay on Milton's ''Paradise Lost''. In the essay, I made observations on how Milton advocates for female inferiority through symbolism. Pretty standard observation, given it was published in 1667.?

My view on the topic was neutral and unbiased. I was making an observation that it existed in the text, not taking a moral stance.?

I submitted the essay and the head of the module returned it. In it, she had written a series of pretty scathing, accusatory comments implying that I was sexist and seemed to be ''In agreement with Milton''.?

Yes, of course. me and Milton in cahoots. In fact, we had a good laugh about the essay the week before it was published.?

This seems to be a character trait in society that has gotten worse in recent years. People are led by their political beliefs and a sense of entitlement, resulting in a binary view of most things/people. Whilst this is a pretty bad way to navigate the world, it's especially damaging in education.

At the time, it really upset me and knocked my confidence. The module leader made a point, in my opinion, of lowballing me for the rest of the year, giving me unjustified low scores.?I say this because it was completely inconsistent with marks from other modules.

Whilst this is not exclusive to my degree, it did teach me to be resilient. This has been useful in a number of jobs (I have had some terrible bosses).

Morale of the story? Not everyone is going to like you, and some people will make an assessment of you based on their own bias. It is what it is. You move on from it, do the best you can and, if all else fails, remove yourself from the situation.

- It Teaches You How to Extract the Value in a Source

In a recent tender write, I was given an 88 page ITT document detailing the buyer's requirements and stipulations, as well as the challenges they are trying to overcome.

The key to navigating such a situation without being institutionalised is uncovering the nuggets of value. You need to identify and extract the relevant information then bin the remaining 70,000,000 words.

I can do this to a high standard because of my degree. The foundation of any literature course is built on the following:

• Read
• Formulate a perspective/argument
• Extract key information and conduct thorough research to substantiate said argument
• Present information in a way that is clear, focused and meticulously arranged

Some people are naturally analytical whilst other people struggle. For me, it was only during my degree that I developed this skill. In retrospect, it has been INSANELY helpful in my career.

- It Teaches You How to Structure Your Thoughts

Responding to an ITT document or running an E-commerce store that sells rubber ducks - no similarity, right?

Wrong!

In both scenarios, success hinges on being able to create an effective argument.

In essence, you are making an argument FOR your client. You are making an argument that their service, or product, is superior to the competitor. You are making an argument to the buyer or reader that by shopping with your client, their life will be enriched. With an infinite amount of choice at the buyer's finger tips, they need to be convinced.

The same goes in essay writing. You read a text, develop an argument and provide evidence substantiating your claims.

In order for all of the above to work, you have to learn HOW to structure an argument. Making an observation and then wandering off on wild tangents will lead nowhere. Proper structure, sufficient planning and flow will ensure your point lands.

And whilst someone may still not buy your duck, or award your client the contract, you give yourself a far better chance if the reader is provided with a breadcrumb trail.

- It Teaches You Verbal Communication Skills

In most jobs, being a strong verbal communicator is a non-negotiable requirement. Employers want confident communicators representing their vision, not people who crumble in client meetings.

It is also important for YOU, as strong communication skills will always work in your favour. Think promotion, pay disputes, workplace prejudice.

This isn't always easy by any means, which is why I am so grateful that I got the chance to work on it early on.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my degree was the weekly seminars, particularly in my film modules (shoutout Dave Forrest). Class discussion on that week's source/ text was mandatory.

I have social anxiety, so this was always hard work. Years later I regret not getting more involved.

These seminars refined my ability to think clearly, speak confidently, listen actively and consider other people's perspective. This has been unimaginably valuable in my career.

- It Gives You a Work Ethic

Want career success? Financial stability? Work hard. That's it, problem solved.

There are a lot of people online nowadays who claim they know effective get-rich-quick schemes.

In my opinion, there is no such thing. If you want to get rich, figure out how you can be valuable to the world and then work at it again and again and again and again and again.

Doing the above requires a strong work ethic. And if you want to succeed in business, or really in life, you will need one.

My degree taught me the wonders of being a lazy sod, but it also taught me what graft looks like.

If you think an English Literature degree is a joke, I implore you to have a go at the recommended/ mandatory reading.

A Message to Past Self

The above is not an exhaustive list. There are PLENTY of skills that can be developed and refined during an English Literature degree that translate to success in the workplace.

Many of the above points, of course, will have varying levels of relevance to any one reading this. For some, not so much. For others, the above will be, I hope, relevant and helpful.

For me, I am hugely satisfied with the choice I made back in 2016.