Linguistics

Over the course of your degree you develop a wide mix of subject-specific and technical skills, you should consider these skills developed on your course as well as through your other activities, such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of societies, leadership roles, etc. Think about how these can be used as evidence of your skills and personal attributes. Then you can start to market and sell who you really are, identify what you may be lacking and consider how to improve your profile.

Prospects

A degree in linguistics is useful for going directly into areas such as teaching abroad, publishing roles and government administration, such as the civil service. Linguistics graduates also go into roles where they can use their knowledge of linguistics directly, such as working for dictionary compilers or as proofreaders and editors.

In 2010, six months after graduation, 55% of all graduates from linguistics courses were in paid employment in the UK or overseas. Nearly 10% had roles as managers in the public and private sector, while 8% were working in marketing, sales and advertising. Just over a third of linguistics graduates in employment went into clerical, retail or catering related roles, gaining transferable skills and work experience.

Where are the jobs?

Common employers of linguistics graduates are the civil service, especially on the Civil Service Fast Stream scheme, and overseas language schools looking for teachers of English as a foreign language. Some entering the health sector train as speech and language therapists through an accredited two-year diploma or MSc (see the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)).

For detailed information about the range of options check out the following employment areas:

• Education - looks at all areas of education in schools, higher education, further education, non school settings and teaching abroad. Also looks at the further study opportunities,
• Publishing - information on working in all areas of publishing such as books, journals, dictionaries, databases, magazines and newspapers.
• Government and public administration - details about working in administration for local government, the civil service and local councils.
• Jobs directly related to your degree

• Lexicographer
• Speech and language therapist
• English as a foreign language teacher
• Publishing copy-editor/proofreader

Jobs where your degree would be useful

• Social researcher
• Primary school teacher
• Public relations officer
• Information officer
• Editorial assistant
• Human resources officer

Although some of the jobs listed here might not be first jobs for many graduates, they are among the many realistic possibilities with your degree, provided you can demonstrate you have the attributes employers are looking for. Bear in mind that it's not just your degree discipline that determines your options. Remember that many graduate vacancies don't specify particular degree disciplines, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

You can find more about the skills you develop during your course, the jobs listed above, plus case studies and where to find these jobs at Prospects.

Included with the permission of AGCAS. For the latest version of this publication, see www.prospects.ac.uk. For permission to reproduce, contact copyright@agcas.org.uk