<p>I'm a senior history major at a small school in SC. 3.9 GPA, lots of volunteer experience, I can get stellar letters of recommendation. Recently I decided that I was not going to apply for any M.A. History programs.
I have an internship in the school's legal dept.
I'm not completely sure I want to attend law school though, since most people I've talked to say to work for a law firm a year after undergrad to make sure you enjoy working in the law field.
With my significant research skills and academic background (history major, legal research), what other options do I have other than to go to law school?
I don't want to teach, and although I would love to move into the business world, I have no finance/management classes under by belt, or any business experience whatsoever. I've read what history majors CAN do, but what jobs should I be looking into? That are actually realistic to pursue?
I've been contemplating getting my MBA, but generally one need's work experience (not sure where a history major can get a job).</p>
<p>Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Career options are poor for you. Law is your best bet.</p>
<p>You do not really need to work in a law firm to know what it is about. If you get hired by one mostly you will do things like organizing files. You might possibly act as a receptionist for clients but for the most part you will just be an office laborer. </p>
<p>You have a very high GPA so you should have no problem getting into a top-14 school or acquiring a scholarship at a lower-tier school. </p>
<p>Then again, I have a BA in History, spent a few days working in a law firm, and decided I should not go to law school but should go back for a BS in Engineering. I do not like the job prospects for lawyers long term. I also want to do some science and math instead of reading and writing. I just did not feel like I wanted to be a lawyer.</p>
<p>I would not recommend an MA in History either. There is no shortage of people with graduate degrees in History in the job market.</p>
<p>There are lots of people who get jobs in business with no finance or business courses - most people in business don’t have a degree in business. This is a difficult economic market but not impossible. Just because there isn’t a clear path, doesn’t mean there isn’t a path.</p>
<p>You need to do some exploration of what careers there are and see what appeals to you. I wish I had known to do this, but the standard advice is to talk to all the employed people you know. Do what is called an informational interview - ask them what they do, what they like about their job, what they don’t like, what kinds of skills they need, how they got started, how they recommend people starting out get into that field. Then figure out your reaction to what you hear. Does what you hear sound like your kind of job, or does it sound annoying or boring or too difficult? Is it a mesh with your personality and the kind of things you are good at? tell them if it sound interesting and ask if there is anyone else they know who they can suggest that you talk to learn are more/ or related careers.</p>
<p>Another way to help you get started is to take a test. The Myers Briggs Personality test is one - you can get a book from the library and do it . A friend of mine is a psychologist and had access to another one that he did for my son. I have also done the Gallup strengths finder - you have to buy the book to get it scored, but its not expensive. All or any of these can help you narrow down the fields you want to explore. I ended up a field that the Myers Briggs suggested. </p>
<p>Another thought. If you have some legal experience, you may now know how to read a contract. That is a valuable skill in many business areas. One area that does not require a law degree and in which this knowledge would be valuable is procurement. In order to succeed in this area, you need a high level of attention to detail - is this you? Or are you an idea person? That job woild drive me crazy but it is perfect for the right person.</p>
<p>Dont feel like you have to make this decision entirely on speculation. Apply for jobs that you want and see what happens. Just be ready to explain why a history major wants to be an analyst, it’s an uncommon career path. </p>
<p>A fortune 500 company will be more strict, they have that luxury because of the volume of applications they receive. Look for a job at a smaller organization or even a startup. Plenty of businesses are just looking for smart, capable employees. They have to train whoever they hire anyway.</p>
<p>If this is your first job feel free to go in any direction you want. From this point forward your qualifications will be defined by your work experience more than what you studied in college. Take advantage of the blank canvas.</p>
<p>Coming from a small school without any quantitative skills is going to be tough, but hey, what did you expect with a history degree? Law school seems like your best option, or maybe a MS in something quantitative</p>