In my situation, I had political science undergrad (pretty much like english) with a good job in mgmt consulting (one large firm, one boutique). After a few years, the natural thing was to go to B-school, but when it came right down to it, I had no desire for an MBA. It was just what everyone was doing. Further, the OTJ training and experience I had gotten was way more advantageous than an MBA (this is what everyone was reaffirming to me too), including the access to network building that even an HBS MBA wouldn’t provide.

But, I did have an interest in graduate school, so I chose a specialty masters in finance, b/c what I ultimately wanted to do with my career was in finance, i.e., investment mgmt, etc. So, I am currently finishing that, which I have done while working full time in my current position, which by the way is a very good job. It hasn’t been the easiest, but a masters you can cram through in about 12-18 mos if you work hard (I am scheduled to finish in 15 mos). I also know in Europe, specialty masters are just as highly regarded (if not more) than MBAs, b/c of the focus on specific area, rather than just a general business education that everyone shares.

Another factor to keep in mind is that many people (I think the far majority) go to B-school for the network, so essentially they’re just paying all that money for the degree and the network, rather than learning material they will really apply. This is another key reason I chose my route – I didn’t want to be in a program where everyone got the same experience and went to do the exact same work (i.e., mgmt consulting, i-banking or tech start-up). Eventually I want to build my own business and needless to say, contacts are important, but I didn’t want to pay $120k to attend HBS so that I could shake hands at social meetings.

Finally, I agree with the other suggestions about leveraging what you have already better. English is not useless, but it’s a good base to build on. If you’ve been out working for a few years, most firms don’t care as much about your education anyways. Experience is much more highly regarded. Now if you want to make a complete transition (i.e., engineering, etc) then clearly you will need additional training, but figure out what you really want to do and then build a gameplan to go after it.

If you like your experience and would be open to using the same skills, there are lots of areas you could target IF you had the interest and dedication to improve yourself. For instance, there is PR, advertising, marketing, etc. Also, the political/public policy world is full of english types, b/c you have to know how to write. You also have expanded opportunities in publishing houses, think tanks, research organizations, nonprofits, etc. There’s a lot out there, but if you’re just floating around not knowing what you want (or at least having an idea) then you likely will never move into something you really enjoy.

So, if you truly WANT to go back to school then do it full speed ahead. Don’t be afraid of some debt. Just make sure you know how to manage it correctly. Work part time or full time if you can. I agree with the suggestions about finding a job at the university where you are. I recommended to a friend of mine who went back to law school after being out a few years to treat it as your full time job, b/c you are indeed getting paid, even if you have to pay that money back. Make it worth it and if you manage it effectively, then it will pay off. If you decide school is indeed not what you need, do what others suggest and work on your network, attend educational conferences, go after certifications, READ, READ, READ. Become an expert. Better yourself and all that good stuff …

If this is too risky, try and get an entry level marketing job for a tech company – like writing white papers. Tech employees are treated MUCH better and paid MUCH more than any other field. Think about it, companies have to give everybody the same benefits at the company regardless of what they do, yet tech people are hard to find and keep, and you get those same benefits and stock options

You can them move up from there, and learning the technical stuff for marketing purposes is not that hard even without a technical background.

I’m a geography major (hence the nickname) and I work in IT and consulting. I worked some dead-end jobs early on, but once I lasered in on what I really wanted to do, my career track was set. Goal setting and clear vision is essential.

I have worked in higher education, equities, accounting, software in low-end and low-paying jobs. But I used the tuition reimbursement at one company to take the courses I really needed to change what I was doing. I got a few professional certs paid for by my employers and now I make double what I was making 4 years ago and I’m much happier.

You don’t need to retool by going to grad school. That is a myth. Follow the advice given by people here. I did very similar things to get where I am.

You also don’t need to take out loans. Use the benefits you already have. Take a second job on the weekends to pay for night classes. Do what it takes. I think the most I paid was $600-1200 out of pocket for night classes and a lot of Wendy’s fast food which I ate in my car in the school’s parking lot before class. I put my classes on credit cards and waited for reimbursement most of the time.

I think the reader is discounting their English degree too much. I know folks with only a English degree who leverage their writing skills into great jobs in PR, journalism, etc. The key is to work for someone that values those skils.

I’d find a personal coach or mentor. I was on a path towards the job I had now, but I had one really terrific boss who really took me under her wing and was my cheerleader. (It helped that she was getting her coaching certification and nudged me to use my tuition benefit with our firm.) Having someone to help clarify goals can make a huge difference in accomplishing them.

Good luck!

As so many commenters have stated, its important to start out with some concrete objectives. Otherwise, you could end up spending a lot of time and money headed into another dead end. You must figure out what you want to be doing, find people who can help guide you, and only then execute on a plan to get you where you want to go.

I firmly believe that our failures and screw-ups are an important part of the process of figuring out what we should really be doing with ourselves. So, take heart. At least you’ve figured out that your situation isn’t working for you. Given what you’ve learned, now you should have a pretty good idea of what you’re good at, what you’re not good at, what you enjoy, etc… as well as how much money you would like to make to feel comfortable with your lifestyle.

Put all that info together to come up with a plan.

Ex: You’re a good writer vs. Excellent written and verbal communication skills OR Strong organizational skills with the ability to handle numerous projects simultaneously with a great attention to detail

Also it only takes one year full-time and in some universities you can do it part time. In addition if you enroll at large schools like Florida State, University of Georgia and Indiana or Penn State which have some of the best programs, you can just get a parttime job on campus or off campus to help you out. But there is also the option of doing the Masters online too.

I know lots of people myself included in their late 30s and 40s who have done a Masters in this field and got jobs fairly quickly.

In the company I am working for, we have been trying to fill two ID positions for the past 4 months but have not been able to.

So this is one of the many options you can consider.

I agree with the sentiments of many of the comments that you should build on your currents degree and skills. Unless of course you are completely bored with it. You should consider reading the book, What color is your Parachute by Richard Bolles which shows you how to transition from one career to another.

I also agree that you should take some time out to have a goal….a clear idea of what you want to do before making any major decisions.

The best of luck!

If you decide to go back to school, I believe its important to know what type of job you will be looking for or what company your interested in wants from new hires. Use the job requirements for the job you want dictate the course of your school work.

There is no reason for anybody to remain in an entry level job for 6 years.