Here are three real jobs held by three real UW alumni:
- Director of Business Strategy at Microsoft
- Marketing Project Manager at Nordstrom
- Principal Program Manager at Amazon
The three alumni all have the same UW undergraduate degree. Which one? Art history. Now, does this mean that anyone with an BA in art history can go get any of these jobs? No, but it does demonstrate that degrees in the liberal arts can lead to a wide variety of roles after graduation. Moreover, this is a fun way to get students to start thinking beyond “my degree is in _______ so I must find a job in _______.”
The reality is we have UW Arts & Sciences alumni in many roles at many different organizations, so the challenging part is some reflection and self-awareness. Think about what you are good at. What are your real strengths? Can you provide evidence of these strengths in things you have done? What would it be like to work with you? What types of problems do you like to solve? And even more importantly, how are going to solve these problems? Remember that after you graduate, your “education” is just one line on your resume—what are you going to fill the rest with?
I also recommend people take advantage of all the career preparation options they have, even if it is during your last few weeks as a UW undergraduate. Below are resources that you can use right now to jump-start your career preparation.
- Need some job inspiration? Check out the There’s a Job for That
- Use your HuskyJobs account to find jobs and internship opportunities
- Check out the Career Guide
- Create a LinkedIn profile and explore the UW Alumni LinkedIn search tool. Set up some career conversations with people doing the kind of work you are interested in!
- View short online videos on Resumes, Cover Letters, and Starting a Job Search
- Gain confidence in your interview skills with Virtual Interview Practice
- Recent graduates can access the Career and Internship Center for up to two years after graduation so take advantage of in-person and online workshops, drop-in career coaching, and one-on-one appointments
- Students looking for work in the US and abroad should check out GoinGlobal
- GradConnection is a great resource for international students seeking opportunities in their home countries
