What advice would you give to a student trying to decide between pursuing his passion (specifically English/writing) and other more lucrative subjects (Computer Science, Economics, Engineering etc.)?

Hi David,

Thanks for the follow-up question. Without getting too personal, let's just say that I had a troubled childhood. That's probably why I chose psychology as my major. You might be surprised to find out that I am 74 years old. I graduated from UCLA in 1965. I had no career counseling of any kind and my parents were uneducated. My Dad grew up in the depression era and he constantly stressed that my goals should all revolve around money.

By the time I reached my junior year I realized that I was not going to make the big bucks my Dad expected unless I pursued a PhD. Frankly I was sick of school and I had become disenchanted with psychology, so I decided to graduate with my psych degree and pursue a career in the business world. I soon discovered that my psych degree and fifty cents would buy me a cup of coffee.

I floundered around from job to job for years. I finally accepted the fact that I was never going to find a job that I enjoyed. Eventually I got into sales and I held my last job for 22 years before I retired in 2009. I made decent money, but I was able to do it only through grim determination, not because I enjoyed it.

David, the best advice that I can give you is simply to follow your heart. Do what you love and the money will follow. I'll always be available to answer your questions...that's what I'm here for.

Best regards,
Ted

The simple answer is to do both.

The slightly longer answer: I too was an English major but it turned out I had a knack for technical stuff. You have to make sure the computer science stuff, the techie stuff is something you enjoy — and it'll be easier to find work that combines both disciplines because you'll be skilled in both areas.

For example, you could write copy for websites or documentation for companies with digital products. Or, you can code for news sites.

To me it sounds like you're only considering the tech areas because they pay more. While they do pay more, you'll only set yourself back by leaving a work position early if you come to realize you hate the work you're doing. I think if you at least have solid coding skills (HTML/CSS) you can get ahead in a lot of places that need writers and editors.

I hope this helps!

Hi David,

I agree with Ms. Febres, above, when she says do both. My education is in legal assisting, which increased my writing skills, but it has also landed me a decent entry-level position. In order to expand my interest in writing, I picked up a virtual internship for a website as a contributing writer. This gives me experience in both fields while still earning a decent paycheck. Best of luck to you.

Heather

David,

I believe that being happy in your chosen line of work is more important than money, however it's difficult to be happy when you're struggling to pay your bills.

Have you considered teaching? Compensation is decent, and benefits are above average.
Teaching can also afford you the opportunity to pursue writing opportunities on the side.

Don't make the same mistake I did. My first love was languages, but I chose the wrong major in college and ended up in the business world. I never stopped regretting it.

Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions.

Ted B.

There's also copy writing if you're interested in the advertising field...just one more possibility to add to the mix.

Hi David,

Thanks for the question. Last year I was looking for writing work I could do as a freelancer, being a stay at home mom who needed to be able to work virtually. I had not worked for over a year and had just returned to school in the fall to finish my degree. I applied for an internship on Internships.com and was offered 3 different positions, all writing, but different formats, within a month with no experience.

The key was being able to demonstrate my abilities to employers. I had no official experience as a writer, so I started a blog. I created a simple website on wordpress.com to show employer samples of my writing, as well as my artistic and computer abilities. The internships I landed weren't paid, and I must admit that that prospects for writing careers generally require a Bachelor's degree. However, there are ways to find work independently. WriterBay.com hires freelance writers for independent assignments and Cracked.com will accept an open pitch from anyone who signs up with them as a contributing writer. I signed up with them, but haven't gotten the nerve to pitch an article yet! My point is, the world is your oyster. There are tons of opportunities out there for freelancing.

Heather