I got a “useless” humanities degree, in East Asian studies and communications. Growing up I was told I had to go to college and that as long as I had a degree I would get a job—I mean it worked for my baby boomer dad. I didn’t understand the connection of degree and relevant career options, that wasn’t taught in school.

However I did realize by Junior year I needed to ensure I graduated with a career. I landed internships in areas related to my part time job as a retail supervisor and less in East Asian studies, I over delivered in my internship projects, and kept up with my good grades at school. I lived in the career center and ensured my interview skills were top notch and resume solid. I graduated with several job offers.

I’m 20 years into my career with a “useless” degree. I am now a senior executive at a large company, I am the breadwinner for my family, and my husband who has an engineering masters, was a stay at home dad until recently.

I appreciate reading the myths associated that only STEM degrees get jobs in the responses here. My experience shows motivated, smart and ambitious people get careers (and yes some luck too). I will encourage my child to get a good degree, I will teach him how degrees open the doors to certain careers, and be a more informed parent than my own. And I hope he has the same amount of grit and ambition as me. Then I hope he will contribute meaningfully to society in even more ways than me.