About

Ask a liberal arts major what he or she plans to do after college, and you won’t hear “I’m going to become a captain of industry.”  Too bad, since it means business leadership is left to those who are steeped in the hard analytics, planning, performing and measuring outcomes in financial terms, considering and creating a future serving economic outcomes first, or perhaps exclusively.

This is a blog to encourage liberal arts majors  to re-consider their prospects—business needs you and you ARE exceptionally qualified for careers in business!  It’s also for liberal arts faculty and advisors—help your students understand that good communication skills, the ability to analyze, and see things from others’ perspectives are essential elements of business and business leadership.

And to any hiring managers who find themselves here, let me add this:  It’s tempting to whittle down huge stacks of resumes by weeding out those without very specific, hard technical skills.  I know; I’ve done it myself.  But maybe it’s why most managers are still and constantly wringing their hands about their employees’ shortcomings, like the ability to write, speak, live with ambiguity on the job, or to gauge where others “are coming from” (the heart of teamwork).

I majored in English in college, then went on to a 25-year career in corporate technology management.  I was successful because of, not in spite of, my education.  Accounting is easy–a little convoluted, sometimes, but very rule-governed.  Understanding human motivation is anything but.  Today, I’m committed to helping students understand what they have to offer and to helping faculty understand how what they’re teaching is essential to leadership.

Susan de la Vergne
323-246-9040
susan@liberalartsadvantage.com