I chose English because I really like the analytical aspect of criticizing works and conducting poetry analyses. I found all of that super interesting.

Now I work at a company that uses AI to do predictive analytics for insurance companies. I train processors to extract data so we can turn it into templates and create databases. I also do some prompt engineering, where I extract insights from hundreds of pages of medical records or attorney statements.

That’s how I went from studying English to working in the technical field.

Change gear

In my third year of college, I realized I didn’t want to spend another 10 years in the education system to study medicine. So I started researching what I could do. What came to mind the most was data science, machine learning and AI.

Data science was similar to English literature because you have to draw parallels between different data points and figure out how they are correlated and what impact they have.

I started self-studying data science on Coursera Udemy and took a bunch of online courses. I learned programming and the intricacies of AI and machine learning. ChatGPT also came out around that time, so I played around with it a lot and developed prompt technical skills through a few projects using ChatGPT.

I also spoke to a hiring manager at Tesla about a senior AI position to get more information on what I should do. She told me to start with MIT OpenCourseWare. So I watched a lot of videos and did the homework and practice tests.

How I got my current job

I applied for a few jobs, but mostly approached hiring managers and executives. Eventually, I got my first job at an AI startup by talking to the CEO on the phone. I contacted him and he gave me a job after an interview.

I got my second job, where I work now, the same way. I contacted the CEO of the startup and they did a quick interview, which turned into an internship and then a job.

I was a little apprehensive about going into tech, worried that I might have to spend a year or two studying before I could get a job. But my dad works in tech and he’s always said that you don’t need a lot of formal training to understand the basics and get your foot in the door.

I don’t regret studying English

I don’t regret choosing English Literature as my major. But I do regret having doubts about it at times.

What I appreciate most about studying English literature is the consideration of multiple perspectives. I think that’s really helpful in AI or data science because it encourages you to consider different points of view. I don’t see that often in STEM-based environments because there tends to be only one right answer.

If you’re considering a similar transition, I think the most important thing is to figure out what you like about your chosen humanities major and how you can apply those skills externally.

This will make employers see you as creative because you are able to apply what you learn in one area to another, making you more useful in the job market.