Berube's "From Where I Sit--Measuring the Unmeasurable"

I'm out in Lawrence this afternoon, having iced coffee at a local coffee shop, blogging, and basking in my status as a Gen Y cliche (all I need to complete the scene is a light-weather scarf and a bad texting habit!). I've spent my day hitting up temp agencies and stopping by a potential employer's office to insinuate myself with HR.

I've also been on Twitter, which lead me to this brilliant little article from the Times Higher Education. The author is Michael Berube, an English professor from Penn State (which is where I got my MFA). I've never taken a class with Dr. Berube, and I don't remember ever meeting him, but I loved this piece.

Berube believes that "the humanities help us come to terms with the possibility that some forms of difference might be unresolvable and that some kinds of conflict might be intractable." Though today's academic culture repeatedly demands easily digestible "assessments" and evaluations of "impact" (whatever that means) for its programs, Berube admits that "We do not know how to test people to see if we have enhanced their suppleness of mind or their love of lifelong learning."

This brief opinion piece seems especially meaningful to me today. Though I know that I am intelligent, reliable, professional, and capable of adapting to almost any work situation, I'm having a hard time getting a job. This isn't too surprising based on my degrees (a BA in English and Humanities and an MFA in creative writing), but it frustrates me that these degrees mean almost nothing to potential employers when, to me, they represent years of personal and intellectual development. Not only would my skills as a writer and editor be almost nonexistent without my education, but I can guarantee that I would be a poorer thinker and a less generous individual if I had not attended KU and Penn State.

When I compare the person I am now to the person I was at eighteen, I find that I'm less likely to judge others; I have more tools to help me understand new ideas and novel situations; I'm less likely to believe everything that I'm told, but I'm also less likely to instantly dismiss ideas that make me uncomfortable or challenge my previous conceptions; I'm able to see the larger implications and assumptions behind others' opinions, ideas, and beliefs; and of course, I'm a quicker and deeper reader and a more precise writer.

To me, all of these talents seem invaluable, and if I had the choice to go back to the beginning of my education, I would never change my majors or earn a different graduate degree. Sure, I'd work more internships and be less afraid of talking to my professors and network more aggressively, but I would never give up my liberal arts education and the skills it has given me.

Now, all I can hope for is an employer who agrees with my assessment of myself and my education. I need to find a company that is willing to make an investment in me, a company that knows that a well-trained mind, a strong work ethic, and natural talent may be more valuable in the long run than a person with a solid skill set and little else to offer.