The Future of Business is the Humanities!

Decreasing enrollment and slashed funding threaten the very existence of humanities-based education, long a central pillar of western societies. At the same time, many who study history, English, and foreign languages fear a lack of employability after graduation. However, proclaiming the death of the humanities is premature. The five central skills developed through the study of how people process and document the human experience – oral and written communications, analysis and problem solving, strategic and innovative thinking, leadership, and cultural awareness – are critical to corporations today. These core skills will continue to grow in importance as we develop into a more automated and technologically driven society.

Kevin Switaj combines his own experience turning his PhD in history into a successful career in Government contracting, interviews with a wide range of humanities majors and academics, and vigorous research to compile a compelling and insightful narrative that provides humanities majors and business leaders a path forward to success.

What's Different?

Other works have tackled the state of the current academic environment, or the need for a humanities-focused education, but The Well-Rounded Professional takes a unique approach by focusing on the application of a humanities education and the skills it develops to the modern business environment. This book also provides practical guidance to undergraduate and post-graduate humanities students preparing for a career outside of academia or teaching.

What's in it for Humanities Students?

The humanities student or recent graduate looking for a career beyond the traditional areas of pursuit (academia or teaching) gains insight into how their skills sell in the modern marketplace and what value they bring to the business world.

What's in it for Business Leaders?

This book provides clear insight for business leaders on why they should look outside business schools to identify new hires and high potential candidates. Where business leaders see skills gaps, this book shows them they just need to look through a broader lens.

What's in it for Academics?

This book provides leaders in academia clear advice on how to better market their humanities programs to increase relevance in a crowded marketplace. Finding a way to sell both the intellectual and vocational aspects of a humanities education can make programs more attractive to students and their parents.

Chapter Summaries

A basic overview of each chapter's argument

Introduction

What are the humanities? What is the state of the humanities in 2017? What do humanities students and graduates have to offer to the modern workforce?

Chapter 1: Written and Communication Skills

Everyone knows humanities students write. A Lot. How can that experience translate to the business world? How can it help humanists make a name for themselves?

Chapter 2: Data Analytics

We live in a world awash in data. Organizations need resources who can make sense of the noise. Humanities students are well-skilled at identifying the value of data and its worth.

Chapter 3: Innovation and Strategic Planning

People assume that because history is static so is the study of history. But historians are some of the most innovative minds out there. These skills easily translate to today's economy, where change is the only constant.

Chapter 4: Cultural Awareness

In our increasingly interconnected society, understanding different cultural perspectives can be a valuable asset to any business career. Knowing how to handle international and intraoffice cultural differences is a strong skill for humanists.

Chapter 5: Leadership

Many believe leaders are born, not made. The tools to be a great leader are ones that require instruction and practice. A humanities education prepares tomorrow's leaders through knowledge in history and the skills highlighted in Chapters 1 through 4.

Chapter 6: How Can I Sell Myself?

Humanities students come out of school with the skills they require, but perhaps not the knowledge of how to apply them. They also may not know how to align their capabilities to business needs. This chapter lays out ways for humanities graduates to sell themselves and impress potential employers.

Chapter 7: What Do I Need to Know?

As strongly positioned as humanities students are to succeed in modern business, there still are skills they do not possess. This chapter identifies those that most humanists are lacking, and what resources are available to overcome these gaps.

Conclusion

The conclusion provides a wrap-up of the main themes of this work, and advice for the future at individual, academic, and corporate levels.

Afterword: A New Path for Academia

How can academia better serve the humanities student? This chapter provides overarching guidance on how humanities programs can position their students and their programs for long-term success.