As a teenager, when you opted for English Literature most of your relatives must have argued against you. English Literature is a subject which not just brings for passion in you also reinforces a sense of aesthetic, understanding poetry and so on. Though it has been a myth that English Literature will not fetch you a promising career, the truth is not the same. As a matter of fact, career in English Literature can be very rewarding.

In this article, we will list down some of the most promising career opportunities after being a major in English Literature or taking up English Literature.

1. Digital Copywriter

Producing the written content of web pages will be your job as a digital copywriter. As a matter of fact, you will be much secured than any freelancer. Well not just that, it will be your responsibility of engaging the reader and motivating them to do something, such as buying a product or service.

Responsibilities

• Liaise with clients – from set-up to completion, you’ll be checking in with the client regularly, either by phone, email or face-to-face.
• Tailor the content and style of individual writing assignments according to their purpose – whether they are intended to sell or inform.
• As a part of job, you need to work with creative teams to ensure that the visual elements of the web page. complement the words.
• Research your client’s industry and their audience.
• You will need to identify various fresh and interesting angles for your articles.
• Write for web pages, blogs and potentially for social media, e-books, slogans, and video script.
• Understand your target audience – you’re not writing for the client, you’re writing for their readers, so you’ll need to know what interests them.
• Another responsibility lies in identifying key messages – understanding the main thing that you want the reader to feel and do and communicating this powerfully.
• You will also need to carry out project scoping and create a clear brief, in order to ensure you understand what the client wants.
  • SALARY : You will be able to receive a salary between £22,000 and £30,000 per year.

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2. Lexicographer

Being a lexicographer, you’ll need to search specialist databases. These databases will be comprising of thousands of pieces of language from a range of sources, including literature, newspapers, online journals, blogs. It will also include discussion groups and transcripts of television and radio (known as the ‘corpus’), for evidence of meanings and usages of a word or phrase. 

You may also be engage yourself in creating and sourcing this add-on material and marketing the whole package online, specifically through social media. In these roles, if you are associated, you’re likely to be called a dictionary editor.

Responsibilities

• Accurately representing the various meanings of new and even existing words.
• You will have to asses which meaning of a word is the primary (most used) meaning and which meanings are secondary meaning or the one that is less commonly used.
• You will also have to review and edit existing definitions.
• It will be part of your job to make sure that the style and format of words is in strict accordance. It will be matched with previously agreed rules or protocols.
• You will also have to translate words and expressions in both directions (as a bilingual lexicographer).
• Reviewing and editing existing definitions, checking and proofreading entries.
  • SALARY: Being assistant editor you will earn in the region of £18,000 to £22,000. On the other hand, editors may start on salaries of £20,000 to £30,000.
    However, with experience, senior editors may earn £23,000 to £35,000, while project managers can reach salaries of up to £45,000.

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3. Editorial Assistant

All stages of publications are supported by Editorial Assistant. These stages are applicable to journals,magazines,online material,books,public materials, and so on. The tasks that will be undertaken by you will be varying based on the organisation. The variation will be on the size and the type of publication of that organisation.
Features editor or commissioning editor, which are more progressive role are more rewarding. Getting into those roles may be possible once you’ve gained the necessary skills and experience.As a matter of fact, with the growth of digital publishing there are increasing opportunities to work for online publications. These opportunities will involve editing and writing website content and using social media.

Responsibilities

• You need to deal with the administration of work commissioned to freelance writers, picture researchers, photographers, stylists and illustrators
• You will also be required to be organizing and researching projects to tight deadlines.
• Summarizing written material will be another part of your job.
• You will also have to correct manuscripts.
• Obtaining proper rights to use materials from other publications.
• Using computers for desktop publishing, word processing, and email.
• Dealing with email queries, phone e.g. from writers and the public.
  • SALARY: £15,000 to £23,000 will be the starting salary for the newbies. Salaries ranging from £23,000 to £40,000, with higher salaries in larger publishing houses are possible by the senior editors with years of experience.

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4. Magazine Journalist

Being a magazine journalist is really a thing of thrill. You never know who reads your article. It might be the most famous actor who would be thrilled to read you, your opinion. Besides, reading out your words in printed form has a difference essence altogether. This fact is simply undeniable.

Magazine journalists have the task of researching and writing news articles and features for a variety of publications, usually periodicals, including:

• customer magazines from shops, supermarkets, etc
• consumer titles that will cover both general interest and specialist areas
• trade publications, also known as business-to-business (B2B) magazines.

These titles will usually be printed, however many magazines are also produced for the web.In addition, knowledge of the concise writing style needed for the Internet and search engine optimization (SEO) are very useful skills.

Responsibilities

• You will have the responsibility of attending seminars, conferences and fairs (some magazine publishers hold exhibitions and events to allow advertisers to meet their readership).
• You will also be required to source images to accompany written pieces.
• A regular part will be meeting with colleagues to plan the content of the issue and the character of the publication.
• Generating ideas for stories will be another huge part of your role, which will include researching a subject and story.
• Editing and Writing news stories and features in the publication’s house style
• It is your responsibility to ensure that work is well written, accurate and submitted to deadline.
• You will also have to be keeping up to date with trends and the modern developments relating to the magazine’s subject matter. This is a rewarding career.

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5. Web Content Manager

Web content managers ensures the fact that the content of a website is well-structured and easy to find. They also takes care that the website meets the needs of its users by covering all necessary topics and being up to date and accurate.

As a matter of fact, you’ll sometimes produce copy and edit the site yourself. But on larger sites you’ll normally act as a coordinator, commissioner and project manager. You will also have to oversee the work of other writers and editors.  Being an expert in your organisation’s content management system (CMS), you have to manage content. You will produce user guides and deliver training, as well as work with the CMS developers and internal IT staff. You will have to ensure the system has been configured to meet the needs of the organisation.

This is a good career in English.

Responsibilities

• Web content managers will also have to organised user testing and market research projects. This is to be done just to ensure that the website’s content is suitable for the audience.
• An important part of your work is to manage your company. You will also be working with developers and editors to ensure it’s meeting the needs of your organisation.
• You will also be required to write and edit web copy.
• Developing various policies relating to your organisation’s web content, such as a house style.
  • SALARY: For web content coordinators the salary is around £20,000 to £25,000.
    However, experienced web content coordinators, web content executives and web content managers can even earn between £25,000 and £40,000.

Contrary to the common belief, a major in English or education in English can build a strong career. It can wave a good career given you have immense love for the subject and your passion is strong for your content of knowledge.