This March 2026, students attended our online panel event on ‘English and the Creative Industries’, where they heard from four Durham English Literature alumni about their career experiences post-university.
Susanna Lazarus, Lisa Benson, Emma Youles, and Nina Sprange discussed the diverse opportunities within the creative industries that an English Literature degree has unlocked for them, from the civil service and communications to video editing and film marketing.
The panellists explained the responsibilities and day-to-day workings of their jobs and their career journeys. They also gave attendees valuable advice on career development and discussed the variety and diversity of careers an English Literature degree from an institution like Durham University can offer.
Find out more about the panellists here:
For the benefit of future students and graduates, we’ve condensed their advice into five ‘top tips’, along with some supplementary resources.
While studying for an English Literature degree, students accumulate a variety of transferable skills that are highly desirable in the current job market and particularly in the creative industries. The writing, editing, and analytical skills you develop in planning and writing essays and your dissertation enable you to condense and synthesise information and write for different audiences with linguistic nuance.
Don’t underestimate the value of being able to write and communicate well – many careers in marketing, Public Relations, the civil service, and more, value these transferable skills.
Panellist Emma Youles, for example, highlighted the importance of storytelling – an integral part of the study of literature – to her current job as a video editor for a production company.
Learning how to harness the transferable skills developed in studying for a literature degree is essential and unlocks a huge variety of career opportunities and pathways which you may have never expected.
Starting a career in the creative industries, such as marketing, film and TV, or communications, can work differently to other more ‘straightforward’ career paths in that it encourages you to be spontaneous and proactive. It’s useful to practice interview questions, research company culture, and reflect on past experiences using the STARR technique, but equally important is that you prove your worth.
The panellists encourage students to take advantage of the opportunities that come their way – both in and outside of university life – and be unafraid of reaching out on platforms such as LinkedIn to build connections within their desired industry sector.
It’s important to research and act beyond the confines of Indeed and regular job applications; contacting, learning from, and establishing connections with people in the industry are potential avenues into new careers.
Additionally, in many Creative Industry careers, such as film and TV or journalism, building a portfolio or showreel of your work can be a real positive.
Individuality is key. The panellists encourage students to find what they are drawn to and embrace the skills and competencies in which they are proficient. Discovering what you are good at, developing your ability, and showing your worth can be the path to success.
Situations where you made important decisions, guided others, or showed initiative and leadership, for example, are important, real-world experiences that demonstrate what you can offer. Isolate the times where you succeeded – or provided the opportunity for growth – and don’t hold yourself back.
Panellists Susanna Lazarus and Emma Youles highlighted freelancing as an option to develop skills and experience. Additionally, networking, work shadowing, volunteering and other forms of work experience are useful to consider. Try and see the bigger picture; the skills, abilities, or experiences you may see as insignificant are important and useful. Dream big!
(Note that any student considering self-employment will need to be compliant with law.)
Learning does not end at graduation and is ongoing throughout your career. Upskilling in different areas such as numeracy or IT can enrich your skillset and employability.
AI is a major theme in current news and university life, and AI literacy is becoming increasingly prevalent in the current job market. It’s important to treat AI with caution and responsibility, whatever your personal opinions on it. In applying for jobs, you may be taken less seriously if you have written a cover letter, for example, using AI. The communication, writing, and analytical skills you develop during your university studies, however, are vital and irreplaceable.
Finding the right balance between optimising the skills learnt in your degree, whilst being receptive to expanding your skillset to new and unfamiliar subject areas, can be difficult yet rewarding.
Work experience is a typical buzzword at university, particularly for finalists. However, the panellists encourage students not to get too stressed about it and to be patient – your worth is not defined by whether you have a job or internship lined up after university or not. What’s also important is not to underestimate the value of university extracurriculars.
Your experiences in student projects and societies, such as student music and theatre, volunteering for local organisations, radio stations, or being a student ambassador, all evidence different transferable skills and are important work experience. Soft skills, including teamwork and communication, developed in a university setting are very desirable. Specific, niche work experience can set you apart from other job candidates. The skills you’ve developed and experiences you’ve had outside of university are equally important.
Most importantly, remember that career progression for graduates with a literature background works differently than for those heading to other industries such as medicine; the amount of choice and freedom in career options isn’t something to be afraid of, but to embrace and enjoy.
Durham University offers extensive support through its Careers & Enterprise service, helping students and graduates explore career options, build employability skills, secure internships and placements, and prepare strong applications through one-to-one guidance, workshops, employer events and online resources.
Particularly valuable are the career sector guides, which provide tailored insights into different industries, recruitment processes, key work experience and vacancy sources and the skills needed to succeed in specific career areas.
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