Carmen Wald

One of my favorite things about being a technical writer is that I am always learning about all types of topics. I am the person you want to have on your bar trivia team. Being a technical writer requires a high degree of natural curiosity and the ability to continuously ask questions, sometimes having to reframe the question several times until you can extract the right information from your subject matter expert and explain it well to your intended audience. I enjoy that challenge.

How did your time as an English major prepare you for your current role or your career?

I appreciated classes that included practical coursework. I enjoyed taking Literary Publications and being in the founding class of the Northern Eclecta. It makes me very happy to see the class is still offered and Northern Eclecta is still published! I worked on the document layout of the book using InDesign, which is a tool I use every day in my current role.

My senior year at NDSU was a baptism by fire into "the real world." I was the editor-in-chief of the Spectrum and was working at an internship that led to a full-time position after graduation, all while balancing completing my final coursework. The 2008 global financial crisis was unfolding and the 2009 Red River flood disrupted my last couple months at NDSU. My senior year taught me that, to quote Steinbeck, "the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry." As an underclassman, I was taught to sharpen my critical thinking skills and how to communicate clearly and concisely. My senior year taught me to multi-task (or as I refer to it, "prioritize pragmatically") and be resilient. These are all skills I continue to use in my personal and professional life and am still building upon.

What advice would you give to someone considering an English major?

I think there is a misconception that people with English degrees aren't easily employable in corporate settings because hiring managers assume their coursework doesn't apply practically. However, now, more than ever, there is a need for people who can think critically, organize complex information, and write clearly. I know that artificial intelligence may be changing the landscape; however, I believe there will always be a need for real people who can understand context and skillfully extract undocumented or otherwise fragmented information.

A challenge you may face as a person with an English degree when interviewing for a job position is that you need to know how to market your skill set versus assuming your degree will speak for itself. This means that you must make a conscious effort to build your practical skill set during your undergraduate years. I first chose my desired career path after my business teacher encouraged me to look into technical writing my junior year of high school, and then I decided which majors fit that career path. This allowed me to tailor my coursework and extracurriculars around pursuing a technical writing career after graduation. I think this gave me an advantage when entering the workforce.

Get to know your classmates. Build community. Join the honor societies and clubs. Volunteer. Keep a writing portfolio with samples of your best work at the ready. Back up your writing portfolio and assume the technology you are using to save those writing samples might change in 20 years (ask me how I know). Network, network, network. Assume everybody you meet has something they can teach you if you are willing to listen closely. You never know when a connection you make will lead to a new opportunity or when that opportunity may arise (sometimes years after your last contact with that person, given we are living in the age of digital connection).

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

When I was an undergraduate, I felt pressure to follow a certain formula to have professional success after graduation. While there certainly are practical steps that you can take to make you more employable, I think you sometimes lose your authenticity in trying to fit the mold of being "the perfect candidate." Take the time to know yourself too. Know what your strengths and opportunities for growth are. What makes you unique? You should be aiming to present the best version of yourself in interviews, but you should still be *you.* Remember during an interview with a potential employer, you should be trying to determine whether they are a good fit for you and not just the other way around.