Career Paths: Jobs for English Majors

Summary

The video script follows Kaylee Boggan, an English major, as she explores various writing career paths. She meets with professionals like Erica Lies, a freelance copywriter, Mallory Hublein, a brand manager, and Jessica Choi, a book editor, to understand the diverse opportunities in writing. They discuss the importance of audience awareness, creativity in titles, and the power of storytelling in marketing and publishing. Kaylee learns that her passion for writing can be applied across different industries, from advertising to book editing, proving that English majors have a wealth of career options.

Takeaways

• 📚 English majors are often perceived as idealistic, nerdy, and bookworms, which can lead to misconceptions about their career prospects.
• 💼 Kaylee Boggan aspires to find a job where she can write and get paid, reflecting the dream of many English majors to use their writing skills professionally.
• 📝 Erica Lies introduces herself as a freelance copywriter, emphasizing the role of creating copy in advertising and marketing to sell products or communicate messages.
• 🤝 Erica and Kaylee collaborate on creating a tweet and an email subject line for Smokey Sabor Barbecue, highlighting the importance of audience and platform in writing.
• 🍗 The use of puns and creativity in copywriting is showcased through the brainstorming session for Smokey Sabor Barbecue's new product.
• 📧 The distinction between writing for internal company emails and external communication is made clear through the different tones required for each.
• 🎓 Mallory Hublein, a brand manager, shares her role in communicating the brand's message to the public, including customer communications and influencer outreach.
• 👢 The owner of HELM Boots, an English major, integrates literary elements into his products, showing that English skills can be applied in non-traditional ways.
• 📬 Kaylee learns the importance of personalization and connection in influencer marketing through an email outreach exercise with Seth.
• ✍️ Writing is central to various aspects of business, including product promotion and storytelling, as demonstrated by Mallory's work with HELM Boots.
• 📖 Jessica Choi, a book editor, discusses the competitive nature of the book market and the importance of titles and covers in capturing readers' attention.
• 🔍 Kaylee's experience with brainstorming book titles with Jessica Choi illustrates the creative process involved in publishing and the value of keywords in titles.

Q & A

What is Kaylee Boggan's major and how is it generally perceived?

Kaylee Boggan is an English major, which is often seen as idealistic, nerdy, and associated with being a bookworm.

What is Kaylee's aspiration regarding her career?

Kaylee aspires to find jobs where she can write and get paid for it, which she considers her dream.

What does a copywriter do according to Erica Lies?

A copywriter creates copy within advertising and marketing to sell a product or communicate a message.

What was Erica Lies' first impression of Kaylee?

Erica Lies found Kaylee to be excited, eager, open, and curious about the world.

What was the task Kaylee and Erica were given for Smokey Sabor Barbecue?

They were tasked with writing a tweet and an email subject line for the launch of a new chipotle lemon barbecue dry rub.

How did Kaylee and Erica approach the tweet for Smokey Sabor Barbecue?

They made the tweet conversational and used puns, such as 'Sabor the flavor', to fit the smaller space and style requirements.

What is Mallory Hublein's role at HELM Boots?

Mallory Hublein is the brand manager, responsible for communicating the brand's message to the public through various channels.

How does Mallory Hublein incorporate writing into HELM Boots' products?

Mallory Hublein, along with the designer who is an English major, infuses writing and inspiration by including different quotes from authors or poets on the inside of each season's boots.

What is Jessica Choi's profession and what does it involve?

Jessica Choi is a book editor who helps authors and editors refine their ideas and prepare them for publication.

What is the importance of a book's title and cover according to Jessica Choi?

A book's title and cover are crucial as they can capture a potential reader's attention within seconds in a competitive book market.

What was the outcome of Kaylee's attempt to collaborate with an influencer for HELM Boots?

The influencer accepted the collaboration and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to work with Kaylee and HELM Boots.

What did Kaylee learn from her experiences with the professionals she met?

Kaylee learned that writing is a skill she will always carry with her, regardless of her career path, and that she needs to be proactive in discovering her interests and goals.