Because I am a mother, I tend to click on those links promising "entry-level jobs that pay" or "best degrees to get now," that kind of thing. I skim them and send some on to my teenager, hoping to spark an interest in something. Anything!
Because I am a professional copywriter, I was annoyed at the last such article. It suggested English majors get jobs as copywriters.
Ouch.
I've been a copywriter for 10 years. Although I've always enjoyed writing, I do not have a degree in English. I have a degree in Cultural Anthropology. And a Master's Degree in Art History. But back when I was putting all that knowledge to work publishing my little art magazine, I fell in love with marketing.
And that's why an English major can't cut it as a copywriter. At least not straight out of college, and definitely not in my experience.
Being a freelance copywriter, or an in-house professional copywriter, requires a way with words, yes, but more important, knowledge about marketing. In fact, I consider myself a marketer first, a writer second. My business card gives my job title as Marketing Maven.
I've had the English majors and the journalists work for me. It took me three years with one very talented writer to get her to where she was writing marketing copy without my help. She wrote wonderful copy! But it didn't DO anything but read well. It didn't market. It didn't sell.
The others I didn't waste my time with. Once I realized their gift was for writing but they were complete marketing neophytes, I'd give up. I don't have time to teach them about marketing.
I'm not advocating copywriters who don't get English, who can't punctuate or write with correct grammar. But I am advocating marketing before copywriting. If you don't know how to sell something, how are you going to write about it in a way that works?
Do I sound grumpy? Sorry. I'm just so tired of bad copy. And articles like this likely contribute to bad copy by perpetuating the myth that as long as you can write, you can write copy!
One of my favorite sayings is: "Write to sell, not to tell." The English majors might be able to sell eventually. But please don't encourage them to go out and sell themselves as copywriters until they get marketing down!
Because I am a professional copywriter, I was annoyed at the last such article. It suggested English majors get jobs as copywriters.
Ouch.
I've been a copywriter for 10 years. Although I've always enjoyed writing, I do not have a degree in English. I have a degree in Cultural Anthropology. And a Master's Degree in Art History. But back when I was putting all that knowledge to work publishing my little art magazine, I fell in love with marketing.
And that's why an English major can't cut it as a copywriter. At least not straight out of college, and definitely not in my experience.
Being a freelance copywriter, or an in-house professional copywriter, requires a way with words, yes, but more important, knowledge about marketing. In fact, I consider myself a marketer first, a writer second. My business card gives my job title as Marketing Maven.
I've had the English majors and the journalists work for me. It took me three years with one very talented writer to get her to where she was writing marketing copy without my help. She wrote wonderful copy! But it didn't DO anything but read well. It didn't market. It didn't sell.
The others I didn't waste my time with. Once I realized their gift was for writing but they were complete marketing neophytes, I'd give up. I don't have time to teach them about marketing.
I'm not advocating copywriters who don't get English, who can't punctuate or write with correct grammar. But I am advocating marketing before copywriting. If you don't know how to sell something, how are you going to write about it in a way that works?
Do I sound grumpy? Sorry. I'm just so tired of bad copy. And articles like this likely contribute to bad copy by perpetuating the myth that as long as you can write, you can write copy!
One of my favorite sayings is: "Write to sell, not to tell." The English majors might be able to sell eventually. But please don't encourage them to go out and sell themselves as copywriters until they get marketing down!
Powered by Compendium Blogware
Comments for Copywriter job? English majors need not apply!