Jobs Requiring Non-Specific Degree

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YippySkippy
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30 Nov 2011, 12:00 pm

I have a bachelor's degree in a useless subject.
What are some jobs that require degrees but aren't picky about the major?
I'm not interested in teaching, and am no good at coming up with these types of things on my own.



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30 Nov 2011, 12:43 pm

Insurance agencies... usually sales reps or anything of that sort.


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Shadewraith
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01 Dec 2011, 11:56 am

Even though there's a degree for office administration, if you're good with typing, organizational skills, phone skills, and are good with planning, you may be able to get a job working for a smaller business. I work in the office for a metal fabrication company doing all of the office work. It pays great and I don't have an office administration degree.



Last edited by Shadewraith on 01 Dec 2011, 10:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

WhoKnowsWhy
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01 Dec 2011, 9:42 pm

I'd like some suggestions on this too. I'd like to do office work, but nobody seems interested in hiring me for it, even though I know Microsoft Office and have proofreading skills (English degree here).

I certainly don't want to do sales...what Aspy would?



ooo
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29 Jul 2012, 8:12 am

Sometimes university office jobs...
Dentist office admin jobs...
Some library jobs...
Insurance jobs...
Some marketing jobs...
Being an entry-level editor... (say, company or university newspaper or brochure editor)

Having a BA at least can help a little, even with a useless major.



anewman
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31 Jul 2012, 3:03 pm

Psychology is often considered a useless degree, but one thing it can potentially lead to is work in statistics.


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ooo
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01 Aug 2012, 1:05 am

anewman wrote:
Psychology is often considered a useless degree, but one thing it can potentially lead to is work in statistics.


Yeah, sometimes it can.



anewman
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01 Aug 2012, 12:53 pm

ooo wrote:
Yeah, sometimes it can.

I guess the key thing is whether you have an interest in statistics. As University is largely self-directed learning, you pretty much make your own path. I guess also, some Universities might not focus much on stats, particularly if their course is not British Psychological Society accredited. Many Psychology students don't expect stats in the course, do a Qualitative major project avoiding stats at all costs, and just want to scrape through on stats modules.

I was ready for it, had done A level Maths (pure/stats) and went in head first. I had considered doing a pure maths or stats degree, but my reasoning at the time was that these might be boring without little applied perspective. In some ways I retrospectively regret not doing a stats degree. My grades in research methods modules were the highest of all of them, which I suspect is in part due to the fact that Psychologists don't necessarily make great statisticians.

Psychology is definitely one of the degrees the Office for National Statistics (a UK Government organisation) accepts as having sufficient statistical content, and a few people with Psychology degrees work there. The application form does assess your knowledge of statistical concepts also. Another point to note is that Universities will usually have you learning a statistical package, usually SPSS, and this will give you some transferable skills.

I guess the key thing is transferable skills, although in current jobs market you'd probably be wise to look for anything and everything you would consider suitable.


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blueroses
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11 Aug 2012, 8:08 am

WhoKnowsWhy wrote:
I'd like some suggestions on this too. I'd like to do office work, but nobody seems interested in hiring me for it, even though I know Microsoft Office and have proofreading skills (English degree here).

I certainly don't want to do sales...what Aspy would?


Like most fields, it's a little tough to get into it right now because the economy is so bad, but working for a nonprofit might be an option. I have an English degree myself and used to work as a proofreader for a publishing company, but I operate a program at a nonprofit now. You can gain experience in grantwriting and fundraising as a volunteer or freelancer and eventually get a full-time position or do what I did and start out doing administrative/office stuff and work you way up as you gain on-the-job experience and take on new projects.