This guest post is contributed by Anna Miller, who writes for online degree. She welcomes comments at: anna.miller009@gmail.com
If you’re a student of philosophy or thinking of majoring in the subject, you probably know how it feels to be at the receiving end of pitying or scornful looks. You may not mind so much because you wanted to study this major or because it was the only choice you had that was financially and otherwise viable. But if you’re stressed over worries about your future employability, here’s how you can shrug off the tension and look forward to a bright future:
- Think ahead: Even though it’s not a major that many would choose today, philosophy is still a discipline that’s going strong in many colleges and universities. And although it may seem like it’s out of the running (what with engineering and management pushing it to the back seat), most people don’t realize that philosophy graduates are enjoying their moment in the sun with fields that require analytical reasoning snapping them up as soon as they graduate or within six months of graduation. In particular, the disciplines that prefer to employ philosophy graduates are finance, property development, business and research, health and social work, sales and retail, management and administration, manufacturing, catering, and even personal services (see below for a full list). Depending on your commitment to the job and your capabilities and skills, it’s easy to climb the professional ladder with a degree in philosophy.
- Remember your goals: You may have chosen philosophy because you’re not keen on the rat race that management and engineering graduates seem to be running all the time. You don’t want to be a standard hamster on a wheel; instead, you prefer to take a more reflective approach to life and are aiming for a vocation that’s not stressful and which will allow you to earn a decent amount at a decent pace. So whenever you feel the tension creeping up, take time to reassess your goals and take pride in them.
- Consider a post graduate degree: There’s nothing like academia to neutralize the stress associated with entering the world of employment. If you’re not yet ready to settle for a nine-to-five job, bolster your resume with a master’s and even doctoral degree. Once you’re armed with these, it’s easier to find a job that pays well and that’s right up your alley.
Philosophy majors graduate knowing how to communicate well, being able to analyze and evaluate problems, think clearly and over a wide range of subjects, and take decisions that are logically rational and financially viable. And when you use these to your advantage, it’s easy to beat stress and get ahead in the employment sector.
OCCUPATIONS OF UK PHILOSOPHY GRADUATES
Here are the occupational groups in which Philosophy graduates typically first gain employment.
- Clerical & Secretarial
- Associate Professional & Technical Occ’s
- Management & Administration
- Sales
- Personal Services
- Professional Occupations
EMPLOYERS OF UK PHILOSOPHY GRADUATES
These are the typical first employers of Philosophy graduates.
- Business & Research
- Retail
- Finance
- Health & Social Work
- Public Administration
- Community, Social & Personal Service
- Manufacturing
- Transport
- Hotels & Restaurants
The Philosopher's Eye 
The most remarkable reuslts I have found have been in questioning the walls around me the walls of self limitation, the walls of how others have sought to define me, the walls of popular culture and realizing they are not real, they are only words. The most empowering, eye-opening possibility is the discovery that we are not any of those things, unless we choose to be. We can crumple up that script at any moment and write a new act for our lives in literally an instant.Sometimes others may never take to the definition we choose for ourselves, but then we are free to choose anew those we surround ourselves with. Breaking old habits and building new ones we literally can make our world exactly the way we want to be, in spite of all the naysayers and haters we encounter.I did the forum decades ago and it has been the sandpaper to scrape away the false realities I encounter every day, every conversation. I made new choices along the way to arrive at a destination unimagined my spouse and I build miracles every day and blink at the wonders our courage to challenge convention simply in our own determination to make it happen.I truly cannot imagine how my life would have been at this point in time if I had not taken the coursework and applied the lessons learned. I struggle still in watching friends who choose to impose hardship upon themselves being unwilling to break with their own convention and dare to dream bolder dreams for themselves. I want everyone to have the gifts Landmark has to offer.