INVESTIGATING THE CAREERS OF ENGLISH MAJOR GRADUATES

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the careers of English major graduates of a
college in Bandung, Indonesia, from 2010-2014. Eighty five alumni were interviewed to find out
information about them, their careers, and their skills so that they were accepted for their first
posts and they were able to perform their jobs. The results reveal that most of the respondents
were regularly employed as administration officers, marketing staff and customer services. Many
of the alumni found their first jobs in only less than 3 months. They also found most skills learnt
in class to be useful for their career. In addition, they found English speaking skills and business
writing skills as the most useful competencies for their first job. Improvement in communicative
skills and comprehensive scope in business were suggested for improvement of the English major
curriculum. Interpersonal skill dominates the additional skill required in the workplace.