History & English Career Insight by LJMUCareers

History & English CAREER INSIGHT

LJMU CAREERS TEAM 0151 231 2048/3719 ❚ careers@ljmu.ac.uk

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Career Insight: History and English

Introduction The skills you gain through studying an English and History degree are marketable across a range of careers including: journalism, teaching, publishing, marketing and advertising. Past graduates have also used their degree as a springboard for various areas of employment such as accountancy, banking and commerce, law, publishing, information science, museum work, teaching and social work. Many also enter the business world through management training schemes operated by national companies in retailing, marketing, sales, computing, while others go into the civil service and local government. Graduates also choose post graduate study programmes such as vocational courses, MRes and M.Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. The ability to communicate effectively through the written and spoken word is a core graduate skill developed along with the ability to absorb and critically analyse text and to share ideas. History and English graduates will demonstrate the ability to analyse and manage large quantities of information, communicate effectively, research in groups or independently and write in a concise and informative fashion. All of these skills are valued highly by todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s employers. Many graduate roles are open to candidates from any degree background or you could gain required qualifications by undertaking postgraduate study. In recent years, securing a graduate role has become increasingly competitive, so gaining relevant work or voluntary experience and engaging in extracurricular activities alongside your studies is crucial to demonstrate to prospective employers that you have the motivation to succeed in your chosen area and have developed the required skills. Being aware of the range of options open to you is important to make an informed career decision. Researching different career pathways and entry requirements is essential preparation for your graduate career, so ensure you make the most of available resources, attend career events or employer talks, and take every opportunity to network with professionals to find out as much as possible about the career areas that interest you.

Options with your degree include: Archaeologist You do not need to have studied archaeology as part of your first degree, but a postgraduate qualification in this subject would be an advantage. Work experience, usually voluntary to start with, is also important www.prospects.ac.uk/links/Archaeologist

Archivist Archivists work in national and local records offices, specialist organisations (such as Canterbury Cathedral) and in businesses. A postgraduate archive qualification will be required www.prospects.ac.uk/links/Archivist

Historical Researcher This is a small field of work, often overlapping with other career areas such as university lecturer and museum curator, but also including specialised research such as genealogy. A postgraduate degree is likely to be required. http://ww2.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/historical_researcher_job_description.jsp

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Career Insight: History and English

Museums Jobs in the museum sector include curator, exhibition organiser, education officer and conservator. A postgraduate qualification and work experience (frequently gained as a volunteer) will be necessary; education officers normally have experience in teaching www.prospects.ac.uk/links/InfoMusManage

Tour Guide Some travel companies specialise in historical and cultural tours, but a knowledge of history is valuable for generalist tour guides too. You can gain initial experience through vacation work with organisations such as EF www.ef.com/master/summerjobs or ACIS www.acis.com/about/acis_tour_managers.cfm

Typical job options The majority of those entering employment after graduation work in the public sector. The type of jobs includes: information and advisory roles, careers in the education sector, and administration roles within local authorities, charities and voluntary organisations. You could start exploring typical job options via http://www.prospects.ac.uk/options_history.htm

Your options within the information services sector include: 

Librarian: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/academic_librarian_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/public_librarian_job_description.htm

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Archivist and Records Manager: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/archivist_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/records_manager_job_description.htm

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Careers in Museums and Museum Education: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/museum_education_officer_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/museum_gallery_curator_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/museum_gallery_exhibitions_officer_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/heritage_manager_job_description.htm

Other options include: 

Youth and Community Work: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/youth_worker_job_description.htm

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Career Insight: History and English

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/community_development_worker_job_description.htm http://www.nya.org.uk/ http://www.cdf.org.uk/ 

Advice and Guidance Work: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/advice_worker_job_description.htm https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ http://www.adviceuk.org.uk/ http://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers_adviser_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/adult_guidance_worker_job_description.htm

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Roles within the charity and voluntary sector: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/charity_officer_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/charity_fundraiser_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/volunteer_coordinator_job_description.htm http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/

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Civil Service Fast Streamer: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/civil_service_fast_streamer_job_description.htm http://faststream.civilservice.gov.uk/the-different-streams/

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Working in the NHS: the NHS is a major graduate employer in the UK, not just in medical roles, but in a range of administration and management-related positions.

http://www.nhsgraduates.co.uk/ http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/ http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/index.html

Education Teacher To qualify as a teacher at primary or secondary level you will need to complete a further period of training after your undergraduate degree. There are a number of training routes available and it is important to research them all as teaching is a popular career choice and entry is competitive. The number of places available through the traditional university led PGCE route are diminishing so do consider other routes such as Schools Direct, School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT), or Teach First. The emphasis is more on school based training and all routes lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). It is vital that you have recent work experience at the level you want to teach at before applying. It is recommended to gain at least 10-15 days recent experience working in a school but it is preferable to have more than the minimum requirement especially as competition for training places is fierce. Some course providers stipulate the minimum amount of work experience they require so always check with individual providers. Different course providers and schools set their own entry requirements so always check that you meet them before applying. Generally you will need at least a 2:2 or above and GCSE English and Maths at grades C or above for secondary teaching and Maths, English and Science grade C or above

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Career Insight: History and English

if you want to teach at primary level. Many institutions expect applicants to have at least a 2:1 degree or above. Entry requirements for Teach First are slightly higher possibly reflecting the fact that Teach First candidates are expected to assume leadership roles early in their career path.  2:1 degree or above plus 300 UCAS points (or equivalent, excluding General Studies)  A degree or A levels that satisfy the teaching subject requirements. More information on these can be found on the Teach First website: http://graduates.teachfirst.org.uk/recruitment/requirements/index.html.  Grade C (or equivalent) in GCSE Maths and English  Flexibility to work anywhere within Teach First's seven regions  Commitment for the duration of the two-year Leadership Development Programme Applications for PGCE, School Direct and SCITT programmes are made via UCAS , Teach First has its own on line application procedure. English and History graduates are often attracted to teaching more mature young people and adults in a Further or Higher Education setting or working overseas teaching English as a Foreign Language.   

Further Education: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/further_education_lecturer_job_description.htm English as a foreign language teacher: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/english_as_a_foreign_language_teacher_job_description.htm Higher Education Lecturer: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/higher_education_lecturer_job_description.htm

See the Teaching Links section of this website for useful application information. Media and Publishing: Editorial assistant: This is a popular entry level role for graduates. Publishing is an attractive career option for English graduates as it is an opportunity to put their subject to direct use. It is a highly competitive career, therefore it is vital to gain experience throughout university and to network at every opportunity. http://www.prospects.ac.uk/editorial_assistant_job_description.htm Magazine Journalist: Work related experience is essential. It is worth considering the type of magazine you would like to work for and target them for practical experience and/or advice. Consider setting up blog and an on-line portfolio of features you have written. http://www.prospects.ac.uk/magazine_journalist_job_description.htm Newspaper journalist: As already mentioned, work experience is crucial as you need to provide practical evidence of your ability to write concisely and to engage the readers. Consider training courses endorsed by the NCTJ such as the course available at Liverpool Community College. http://www.liv-coll.ac.uk/NCTJ-Diploma-in-Journalism-c96.html http://www.prospects.ac.uk/newspaper_journalist_job_description.htm

Broadcast Journalism: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/broadcast_journalist_job_description.htm Advertising account executive:

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Career Insight: History and English

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/advertising_account_executive_job_description.htm Arts administrator: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/arts_administrator_job_description.htm Records manager:http://www.prospects.ac.uk/records_manager_job_description.htm Roles in marketing and PR: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_advertising_marketing_pr.htm http://www.getin2marketing.com/ http://www.cipr.co.uk/ http://www.prospects.ac.uk/public_relations_officer_job_description.htm Freelance Writer Writers are involved in the creation and development of works of fiction and non-fiction. This covers a number of wide and varied forms including poetry, prose, life writing, and material for the theatre, screen and radio. Most writers work freelance and are self-employed. Many writers break into the profession by winning local or national writing competitions. These include fiction, poetry, screen /playwriting and usually can be found by a simple web search of 'creative writing competitions,' or 'screen writing competitions. Finally, some publishers run competitions to find new talent. For example, the children's fiction publishers Chicken House, in conjunction with The Times, run an annual children's fiction competition. 

You can find further information regarding this job role here http://prospects.ac.uk/writer_job_description.htm

The suggestions listed are by no means exhaustive so we would encourage you to consider other relevant options, e.g. based on previous work or voluntary experience, skills and interests. To explore job options by sector, check http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs.htm. You can also use career planning tools like http://www.prospects.ac.uk/myprospects_planner_login.htm and http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-report to generate initial career ideas. Ensure you check entry requirements for each area, e.g. will you need a degree in a specific subject? Is a 2:1 degree classification essential? Will you need to complete a postgraduate degree? Is any specific work experience required? Bear in mind that approximately 70% of graduate job roles are open to graduates of any degree subject discipline. Destinations of History and English graduates from previous years show entry to a range of private and public sector careers, for example, recruitment, sales and marketing, librarianship, education support roles, finance and Civil Service Executive Officer level entry. We also recommend that you download a copy of our “Planning your Career” guide from the Careers website at https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm. This includes a list of useful questions to help you explore your career options and introduces you to the DOTS model to help you with your career planning.

Main employers

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Career Insight: History and English

All occupational profiles listed on http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs.htm include a section on typical employers and vacancy sources, so use these as a starting point to research potential employers within the career areas that interest you.

Useful links and websites Public Sector http://www.lgjobs.com/ http://www.jobsgopublic.com/ Vacancies in higher education and research http://www.jobs.ac.uk/ Graduate Talent Pool – Graduate internship opportunities http://graduatetalentpool.direct.gov.uk/ Information about postgraduate study http://www.postgrad.com/ Royal Historical Society – information about public lectures, events, publications and grants http://www.royalhistoricalsociety.org/ Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals – information about careers in the sector, news and events http://www.cilip.org.uk/ Museums Association http://www.museumsassociation.org/home English Heritage http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/ National Trust http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ Information about postgraduate teacher training options http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching http://www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/teacher-training http://graduates.teachfirst.org.uk/ Community Service Volunteers http://www.csv.org.uk/volunteering Vacancies in charities and the not-for-profit sector http://www.charityjob.co.uk/ News and careers advice for ethical careers http://www.ethicalcareers.org/ Graduate Management Programme in the not-for-profit sector http://www.charity-works.co.uk/graduate-management-programme/

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Career Insight: History and English

NHS graduate training scheme http://www.nhsgraduates.co.uk/ Civil Service Fast Stream http://faststream.civilservice.gov.uk/ Guardian jobs http://jobs.theguardian.com/jobs/arts-and-heritage/ Archives & Records Association http://www.archives.org.uk/careers/careers.html Yellow Pages http://www.yell.com/

Media and Publishing             

Arts Hub: www.artshub.co.uk listing arts and creative jobs including internships and work experience. Ideas Tap www.ideastap.com sign up to receive email updates on competitions, jobs and creative sector articles and insights. Prolific North www.prolificnorth.co.uk P.R and Media industry news and articles, job opportunities. The Writers Guild of Great Britain: http://www.writersguild.org.uk/ The Reader Organisation: http://www.thereader.org.uk/ News From Nowhere: local radical book store, http://www.newsfromnowhere.org.uk/ The Windows Project: poetry education charity - been in existence for over 30 years http://www.windowsproject.net/index.htm Writing on the Wall: Liverpool Literary Festival runs annually http://www.writingonthewall.org.uk/ Careers Service Media Links: www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sitesmedia.htm Publishing, Journalism, Media and Music links. Creative Choices: www.creative-choices.co.uk information, advice and resources to help you build skills and find opportunities in the creative industries. Media UK www.mediauk.com Listings of all newspapers, magazines, online journals, radio and television stations. Useful resource for finding work experience opportunities. Online Directory of postgraduate courses in the UK: www.prospects.ac.uk/student/pgdir Skillset: www.skillset.org profiles on a range of different media career areas.

General:  

LJMU Vacancy System – MyJobsandPlacements http://ljmu.prospects.ac.uk/ Prospects – Careers information and graduate jobs – www.prospects.ac.uk

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Career Insight: History and English

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TARGETjobs - Careers information and graduate jobs – www.targetjobs.co.uk Milkround – graduate jobs, placements & internships - http://www.milkround.com/ Get into Teaching: http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching

Follow relevant companies/websites through Twitter: @LJMUCareers @LJMUCareers @CILIPinfo

@TheWritersGuild @RoyalHistSoc @museum_news

@getintoteaching @Prospects @nationaltrust

@TeachFirst @CharityJOB

Depending on your specific career interests, you could also follow relevant websites and organisations e.g. @retailweek for news relating to the retail sector. It is also worth researching relevant organisations/charities and contacting them directly to find out about voluntary roles on offer. These could include 

National Museums Liverpool: http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/development/volunteers/volunteering.aspx

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National Trust: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer/

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English Heritage: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/caring/get-involved/volunteering/

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Volunteering in schools and local youth clubs: contact organisations directly to find out about opportunities

Sources of work experience Gaining experience, whether it is through writing or in other areas of the creative industries, is really important. Networking is crucial and many contracts are filled through contacts and links with people who have worked together before. Download our mini-guide on “Making yourself employable whilst at University” from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm for an overview of the different types of work experience available and some general suggestions about finding work experience opportunities. LJMU has been managing a summer internship programme for Level 5 students in recent years, so keep an eye on your LJMU inbox for details of any opportunities.

Potential Work Experience Contacts list: Humanities and Social Sciences Students are sometimes unsure as to how to go about sourcing work experience opportunities. The Careers Team have put together a list of potential work experience contacts mainly in the Merseyside area to offer students a starting point. The focus is on writing and journalism contacts and voluntary organisations offering community and social science experience and the list is by no means exhaustive. Please contact Liz Harrison or Gary Douglas for further details.

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Career Insight: History and English

Liverpool Media Organisations A list of possible companies to approach for work based learning opportunities in Merseyside based production companies. The list should be viewed as a starting point and is not exhaustive. Please contact Liz Harrison or Gary Douglas for further details Contacting media companies, schools, publishers etc. directly at networking events, via email or through LinkedIn may lead to work experience. It is important that you demonstrate that you are interested in the company and have spent some time finding out what they do. Even when applying to secure work experience for the first time in this industry, show the employer what you have to offer. Briefly outline the relevancy of your course. Look at the skills outlined above and try to discuss these in your CV, drawing on examples from your course and other work experience or extracurricular activities to demonstrate these skills. Useful websites to research a range of voluntary opportunities include http://www.do-it.org.uk/ and https://www.liverpoolguild.org/main-menu/volunteer. You could also contact LJMU Volunteering Manager Chris Prescott on 0151 904 6356 or c.j.prescott@ljmu.ac.uk to enquire about current opportunities. It is also worth researching relevant organisations/charities and contacting them directly to find out about voluntary roles on offer.

Recruitment schedules Creative writing positions come up as and when required. It is important that you network and engage with employers and utilise the websites and Twitter feeds above to find out about opportunities. Many other roles within the creative industries will be through small or medium sized enterprises/businesses (SMEs). These types of SMEs will recruit ‘as required’. They may use their own application form but most applications will be by CV and covering letter. These positions will be advertised on company websites, relevant recruitment websites and national and local newspapers. The ‘creative’ or ‘speculative’ approach to job hunting is also important when looking for graduate roles. Making contacts and approaching organisations speculatively to look for work is a common route into employment. For more information about the speculative approach to job hunting, download a copy of our guide to ‘The Hidden Jobs Market’ from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm. Roles within public sector organisations, such as schools or museums, or creative organisations such as galleries, also recruit as required. However, it is more common to apply using an application form. A comprehensive person specification is usually included in the advertisement. Each point in this has to be addressed within the personal statement section within the application form. Give serious consideration to graduate training schemes and make sure you are aware of the graduate recruitment cycle. Many recruiters begin the graduate recruitment process during the autumn term for final year students. Most closing dates are in November and December but some are earlier so it is important to start researching companies that you want to apply to early on. The application process usually involves completing an online application form, which may require you to answer ‘competency based questions’. Psychometric tests, a telephone interview and an assessment centre will usually follow. You may also need to submit your CV. Always carefully read through the information in the ‘careers’ or ‘graduates’ section of the employer’s website. For more information about graduate schemes,

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Career Insight: History and English

download the ‘Graduate Schemes’ guide from http://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers/123871.htm. You can get advice about the recruitment process by booking a one-to-one appointment with a careers or employability adviser at your nearest Careers Zone or you can attend workshops or webinars run by the Careers Team.

Key events and networking 

Liverpool Careers Fair: usually held in the autumn and spring of each year, see fairs website http://www.liverpoolfairs.org.uk/ for additional events

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Manchester Careers Fairs: open to students and graduates from any university; check http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/students/events/ for details

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Careers and Employability events at LJMU: Keep an eye on our events pages at https://careers.ljmu.ac.uk for details of upcoming employability workshops, networking sessions and employer talks.

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LiverpoolSU Clubs and Societies: http://ljmu.unioncloud.org/groups#club-society

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LinkedIn: You could also consider setting up a LinkedIn account (http://www.linkedin.com/) to network online with professionals and organisations in your chosen industry

Other information Centre for Entrepreneurship - support for LJMU students and graduates interested in starting up their own business https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/startup/.

Careers Zones Campus-based Careers Zones provide easy access to careers support in convenient locations at Byrom Street, Aldham Robarts Library and at IM Marsh, staffed by the Careers Team. Support available includes CV and application form reviews, Careers Adviser appointments, drop-in quick queries, practice interviews and access to careers resources and information. The Zones also host regular employer visits during term time where you can meet and network with employers and discuss job and placement opportunities. For the latest updates and details of locations and opening times, try our Twitter and Facebook pages.

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