Liberal Arts and Employment

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Hello. I haven't been on here in a long time. So long I even forgot my old account details, so I made a new one.

Last year I finally got my Academic Bachelor's degree in Eastern Languages and Cultures, despite having been told that I should've lowered my goals, that I wouldn't be able to handle the level.
It took me somewhat longer than most, but I still got the degree. Only to find it's been a waste of time after all: I've been looking for a job in the field for half a year now, and found nothing.
Going abroad would increase my chances, but presents even more problems as I don't think i'd be able to adapt to such a drastic change.
I find myself lacking in any other skills or abilities that would get me employment.

In the end, I feel like a fool, having chosen such a lofty and romantic goal for myself, and having gone through the painstaking effort, only to end up with a degree that is, in practice, worth nothing.

Any perspectives on this would be msot welcome.

You are in the U.S., right? Almost no one's degree is worth anything anymore. There are no jobs. Even engineers can't find jobs. At least you studied something you like.

You might have to broaden what you consider your field to be. You could be a translator, work with immigrant populations from the East in a major city, serve in an administrative capacity in a museum or gallery of Eastern art, be an international business liason, become a spy...the possibilities are great to use the knowledge you have in the real world.

What drew you to your subject of interest, and what is the part of it you like doing the best? What did you imagine yourself doing after graduation all this time you were studying?

Unfortunately, a lot of those cultures place a great onus on speaking english as a second language.

Question: do you speak an eastern language fluently, or did you just major in the culture?

Why is that unfortunate?

Because many cultures consider English to be the de-facto "Language of Global Business".

They speak English well enough to not need translators, which diminishes a job path for the OP, assuming the OP speaks a language.

To find a job in that field, you probably need an additional graduate degree in the field or related fields to teach, an MBA for business,or an MLS for an academic library career.

Actually I've heard of many programs in Eastern nations, especially China, where native English speakers are in demand to teach English in schools -- often in the villages where proficient English teachers are difficult to obtain. The pay is generally low, but you would come back with a cutlural immersion experience that would be valuable to any potential employer regardless of whether or not you pursued further education. Of course, an Aspie might not do well suddenly transplanted to a foreign setting teaching, but you did do the degree.

My mom has been on my about how I should get a skill with computers, except I had to withdraw from Computer Science in my first semester of college. I failed hard, there is no going back to it. Everything else requires experience which I can't get without getting a job, so it's the Catch 22 of all time. I just want a fricking job where I can write from the ground floor instead of this entry level BS where they want 5 years experience in that position.

"Liberal Arts" is an outdated degree program.

Back in the days, it WAS THE ONLY PROGRAM colleges offered. College was about learning more about stuff in general. Soon, specialized programs were developed, and "liberal arts" is jokingly referred to as "underwater basket weaving" because it serves no purpose in preparing you for a job. It's an ideal program for someone going to school just for the experience and has no plan to work after graduation.

If you want to be able to get a job after graduation, you need to pick a more specific degree program. Otherwise, your degree will only qualify you for a job where they just want you to have a 4-year degree but not in any one specific field.

Sounds like teaching ESL in China is the best thing for you, like some above posters have suggested. I have taught a cumulative total of 6 years of ESL in South Korea, and about to start a 7th and final year. The ESL program for in Korea will soon come to a close as far as foreign teachers are concerned, but they still need them in China. Cultural differences are stark and even more pronounced in China, but as a student of Eastern languages and culture you probably have an idea of what to expect. If you're young and adventurous (I'm no longer either of these), than you might really enjoy it. Because you're a foreigner, Aspie quirks will probably just be attributed to being a foreigner (we're ALL weird to them). A caveat - once employers have you pigeon-holed as an ESL teacher, it's REALLY hard to get hired for something else back home. Doing a career change is next to hopeless (I should know ). Still, this could be a viable option. At least you'll be able to pay off student loans and live independently. All the best to you.

I still remember what one of my teachers told me when I started to realize I hadn't really learned anything about how to get a job.

Me: Do you know any connections or where to look for a starting position once we're finished?

Teacher: This class isn't about writing, not about finding a job.

Well, everyone goes to college to get a job, so I just assumed it came with the education. Silly me.