Re: Door Slamming/Question

[ENGL-DMC@nich-nsunet.nich.edu]

I think my personal story falls in line with other "door slamming/question" 
replies I've been reading.

I began as a Medical Technology major. After continually having to drop 
physics and chemistry because of failing grades, I decided to become an 
English educ. major -- a decision inspired by the A's I was making in honors 
English courses. I couldn't find a job teaching English in Louisiana high 
schools in 1987 (I applied to 35 parishes), so I went on to grad school. 
With an MA in English I worked as a tech writer for one year then was laid 
off in the 1990-91 recession. I went back to grad school where my 
assistantship required a one class teaching load and running a computer lab. 
Thus, both my BA degree and my professional experience worked for me. Now, 
I'm an instructor at a small state University teaching composition and tech 
communication in computer classrooms. 

As someone noted earlier, and as my personal story attests, a degree doesn't  
guarantee the job. Sometimes, it's experience in other work areas that gets 
the position (I've held over 10 different types of jobs since I was 16 years 
old -- from lifeguard to deejay to tech writer to teacher to cashier). But 
mostly getting a job, no matter what the major, means knowing people, 
keeping your ears open for oppurtunities, and doing enormous amounts of 
footwork. And luck.

Deany M. Cheramie
engl-dmc@nich-nsunet.nich.edu
Nicholls State University
Dept. of English
Thibodaux, LA 70310

(Imagine blues music) "Oh, I've the dissertation blues..."