Eva Gantz

What is the one piece of career advice you wish someone gave you when you were younger?

Your college major won't matter nearly as much as you might think. I agonized over what major to choose, and whether I'd be able to find a job in my field. It turns out that the main skill I learned in college was critical thinking. I was a literature major, but I work in technology now. Your college education will be a foundation, but it will absolutely not limit your career choices or lock you into a set path.

Did anyone ever oppose your career plans when you were young or push you in a direction you did not want to go?

Oh yes. I knew I wanted to do something with books and/or writing. It's been a core part of who I am since before I can remember. When it came time to choose a college major, I knew I wanted to do literature. My parents and a good number of my more STEM-inclined friends urged me to reconsider. They said it would be nearly impossible for me to get a job with this major, and that it would severely limit my career choices. Fast-forward eight years to 2016, and I've been able to work as a marketing associate in a publishing house, a community manager for a tech company, and a technical writer. I know my friends and family were well-intentioned, but it turns out literature was a perfectly fine choice. I'm not saying it's easy, but there are a ton of career options if you want to use writing as a core skill.