🌷🍃 What can you do with a degree in English Philology?

🌷🌿 This interview is made possible thanks to the kindness and generosity of Ieva Rotomskytė, who graciously agreed to share her story and experiences with our community.

Every academic and professional journey is deeply personal, and sometimes moving forward means having the courage to make difficult choices and embrace something new.

🌿 Welcome—and enjoy the interview! 🌿

🌿🌷What did your path look like from graduation to your current job? How many different jobs have you held along the way?

I chose to study English Philology not because I had in mind to follow a specific career in the field, but because I fancied acquiring a key to the world through the language. Therefore, my career path has not been linear or in any way formulaic.

While still in my 4th year, I started looking into the options of continuing my studies in the UK - partly, because I had a newly woken curiosity to explore the country I had been learning all these years about; but, most importantly, I wanted to give myself more time to figure out what talents I had, to get to know myself better and understand what sort of career would suit me - because at the time, I still had no idea. Some people are lucky enough to know 'what they want to be when they grow up' already in their early childhood. I only discovered my true calling at 27 :)

Cutting to the chase, at first I landed in England, Canterbury, since I got an unconditional offer to study History and Philosophy of Art and Cultural Studies at the University of Kent. However, due to a bureaucratic hiccup and insufficient personal funds, to my dismay, I had to drop out after only several months of studies. I was heartbroken- the university was excellent, I'd felt so inspired there - but the only thing I could do was keep moving forward.

While waiting to hear from Scottish universities, I stayed put and picked up every job I could get: I worked as a seamstress, a cleaner, a sandwich shop assistant, a barmaid, a barista.. At some point I found myself doing 66 hours per week, and yet still finding time to spend with my newly acquired friends.

Eventually, 1 year into my UK adventure, I went to study Film & TV at Glasgow University. I still had to pay the tuition fees, but at least it was half as cheap as it was in England, so I went for it. It was tough. I had to work alongside studying, and on top of that deal with the city that felt entirely wrong for me. However, I tried to always aim for the jobs that I knew I could enjoy, at the venues I genuinely admired. This is how I got into the cultural sector. I started as an usher in nightclubs and theatres, did a fair share of volunteering at Glasgow Film Theatre - which was hands down the coolest cinema in town - and then they offered me a paid position. It was around that time that it hit me: there is a whole industry, called film exhibition! I'd been going to Kino Pavasaris all those years and never realised that people were working behind the scenes, compiling film programs and making all these exciting events happen! :) That was it for me, I finally found my goal to seek.

After getting my degree, I left Glasgow as soon as I could (as I knew I would right from the 1st step I set into it) and went to try my luck in Edinburgh. I started with a Box Office job at the Edinburgh Film Festival, made some connections there (alongside some useful pieces of advice). It took me a few years to consolidate my path, during which I held jobs at other arts venues, at the local Christmas Market, at a hostel - at some point I even did some life modeling :) And then eventually I got hired by Cameo Cinema. An old gem that just kept running since 1914 - it became my home. In my free time, I was busy organising independent film screenings of my own as well as with various collectives. Pretty much as soon as I settled in the city, I had a keen eye for opportunities to practice film curation: I coordinated Scalarama Edinburgh film season, spent 3 years volunteering with CinemaAttic and did a series of solo screenings. I felt exhausted, burnt out. And then, just before the COVID hit, I got promoted to a Duty Manager at the cinema. It seemed like a good opportunity to just focus on one thing at a time and give myself a much-needed break from everything. The cinema closed for about a year and after it reopened, I stayed in what felt like genuinely my cup of tea for another 3 years. I still did an occasional screening for my pals here and there to keep my curator's spark alive, but was resolute that I was not to return to the crazy levels of stress and exhaustion - perhaps I'm not the proverbial career lady after all, and I'm fine with that :) Sometimes ambition can be overrated. At the end of the day, the point is to be happy, isn't it?..

3 years ago, largely due to the circumstances in my personal life, I made a decision to fulfill my long-standing dream and move to Spain. I left everything behind and took a leap of faith into the new page of my life. I've been trying to build it all from scratch in Barcelona for just over 2 years now, and even though I can't say that my career didn't take a huge blow, I still find myself considerably happier than I was in the perpetual Scottish rain. Currently, I work at a hostel, learning my 6th language - Catalán - with the hope that it will open the doors for me to access jobs in the cultural sector again. If I could one day find myself managing one of the cinemas in Barcelona, I'd be on top of the world!.. x)

🌿🌷Which specific competencies gained during your studies are most useful in your current work?

The skill of learning a language is in itself a very specific competence that allows one to pick them up faster, pronounce better and unlock people's hearts from so many places in the world! Every time I address someone in Arabic or Ukrainian, most native speakers will melt at that very instant and there you have it - a connection :)

The ability to write emails that adhere to a proper standard is also a thing of daily importance. It implies the clarity of communication, logical links, appropriate register and tone for every occasion - a well written email can leave people at ease, feeling that their problem is being handled by someone who is competent. I can't stress enough how important this skill has been to me every step of the way as I was looking for work. Not to mention how much it mattered as I was scanning potential candidates as a hiring manager, often making judgement based on people's ability to express themselves well in writing. It's not just about knowing the formula of a cover letter - it's also about the ability to introduce your subject to the audience in a clear and captivating way, which is what writing all those essays, assignments and theses trained me to do.

Every time I present a film selection for my screening, I feel grateful for those presentation lessons that everyone used to hate :) Public speaking is an incredibly important skill to have. Like any other skill, it may be difficult or even painfully embarrassing to practice at first, but as you keep at it and stay adamant about learning from your mistakes, you will gradually get better and more effective, as long as you add some spark and personality to it.

🌿🌷What skills are most valued in today’s job market? What should graduates have “in their backpack” when entering the workforce?

It's a complicated question, because each sector will have its own job market with its own standards and expectations. I, for one, have always avoided corporate entities because they largely clash with my worldviews and I feel highly uncomfortable, bored and alienated in the corporate world.

Looking at the President of the United States today makes me think that all that matters is unabashed self-confidence :) But in clear conscience, I could never advise anybody to slide into a narcissist's costume.

To be honest, I think a strong work ethic is universally valued, regardless of the position you hold or what's trendy on the job market(s) at a given time. Nothing beats the feeling that you can trust your employee or colleague to do a good job, and not because you had to chase them :) Consistency and good communication are also very valuable. Otherwise, each job will likely come with a specific set of skills that it requires - it's not a 'one-size-fits-all' situation.

🌿🌷Did you need to learn new things after graduation to adapt to the demands of the job market?

Naturally :) I've had a very long path of building self-confidence and self-esteem. Unfortunately, by far not every university will care about cultivating these personal strengths in students. Some will still retain the Soviet mentality and prioritize hierarchy over helping students reveal their true potential.

🌿🌷What has been your biggest professional challenge so far, and how did you overcome it?

I would say it's people management - especially when you have to do it in a foreign language. Particularly because there are so many hidden linguistic and social nuances you need to navigate to have the desired effect. This is one of the main reasons why I couldn't just jump into an equivalent management position after changing countries - it takes a fair bit of time to catch up with the subtleties of language if you have the ambition to manage people in their local tongue, yourself being a foreigner. The ability to pick the right words at the right time will command more respect than any multitude of gold stars on your CV :)

🌿🌷Do you have any advice for current students who are just starting to think about their career paths?

No matter what - stay authentic, stay true to yourself. Follow your intuition and don't waste your time and energy on a job that is not the right fit for you, because you'll end up living a miserable life!

If you don't see a clear path in front of you - don't worry, it will materialise eventually, as long as you keep moving and trying new things. You'll be surprised to see how every small decision you make to learn something today will end up shaping your unique path. Base it on what makes your heart flutter!

Don't beat yourself up for failures. It is a normal process of life; everybody fails at some point or other. Try to learn from it and move on!

Also, don't stay silent if you find yourself being exploited or treated unfairly at work - because that's exactly why they get away with it. Don't let them; break the chain. Even if it costs you the job - you deserve a better one that doesn't cost you your dignity.

🌿🌷In your opinion, what are some of the “invisible” benefits of studying English Philology that only become clear once you start working?

English is your window into the world. You may climb through it yourself or receive some guests - either way, you will feel connected. Academic English will command a certain regard and allow you a far wider range of job opportunities than street English. Of course, colloquial English has its own merit and you will definitely need to pick up on it too if you haven't had the chance yet, but having a strong grammatical base and a rich vocabulary that allows you to discuss a variety of subjects in depth will allow you to create deeper and more meaningful connections and be seen as an equal by most native speakers.

🌿🌷Thank you, 𝗜𝗲𝘃𝗮, for sharing your story, your experiences, and this part of your journey with us. 🌷🌿🌷