It’s been 7 years since my Bachelor in Sociology and 5 years since graduated my Masters in Human Resources and Sociology is still a relatively new subject for Romanians and goes through a rough time in establishing a reputation. However, sociology graduates can be found in a wide range of occupations.

A bachelor in sociology should appeal to both careerist’s and the idealist’s people and the truth is that no one with any kind of degree is going to just walk into a job nowadays.

In sociology you can:

• Learn how business works through the study of economic processes, organizations, institutions, human interactions – therefore sociology is probably better than business studies because having transferable skills will allow you to move between business sectors.
• Learn how markets are developing and shaping society, culture, religion, family – so marketing is a good choice for sociology graduates. Marketers are interested in mapping society, identifying different types of people and characteristics, lifestyle, choices, behaviors and attitudes in order to target a certain segment of the population for a specific product.
• Learn how society creates opportunities and inequalities and analyses these. If you add a bit of writing skills then you will have a great start in journalism. You could write on topics like politics, social affairs, social change, do research on certain events. Also this could relate also to an academic career by starting publishing academic papers in different journals or university programs.
• Also think about combining sociology with modern languages and by all means try to get a scholarship (for Europe an Erasmus Scholarship). This experience abroad will have a huge impact on you and your future career.

Another thing to do is presenting yourself and your skills in an employer-friendly manner. Society considers that sociology “it’s not about the real world” (I think mainly because many sociologist have criticize the social order and the status quo) and so you have to be pretty damn real in your presentation.

Good luck in finding your career path!

Versiune limba romana:

Au trecut 7 ani de cand am terminat facultatea de Sociologie si 5 ani de cand am obsolvit si Masterul in Resurse Umane iar Sociologia a ramas in continuare un subiect destul de nou pentru romani si intampina in continuare greutati in stabilirea unei reputatii. Cu toate acestea, absolventii de sociologie pot fi intalniti intr-o varietate de ocupatii.

O licenta in sociologie poate multumi atat pe cei idealisti cat si pe cei aflati in cautarea unei cariere. Oricum ar fi, in zilele noastre, indiferent de diploma pe care o ai este destul de dificil sa-ti gasesti un loc de munca, nu este sociologia un caz aparte.

Sociologia te invata:

• despre cum se misca lumea de afaceri studiind procesele economice, organizatiile, institutiile, interactiunile dintre oameni – astfel, sociologia este mult mai indicata decat studiile de business in sine pentru ca iti ofera abilitati si competente care iti permit sa te misti intre diverse sectoare de afaceri.
• despre cum se dezvolta o piata si cum aceasta creaza in jurul ei societatea, cultura, religia, familia – astfel marketingul este o alegere buna pentru absolventii de sociologie. Marketerii sunt interesati de felul cum este impartita societatea, de diferitele tipuri de oameni si caracteristici, de stil de viata, alegeri, atitudini si comportamente astfel inca sa vizeze un anumit segment din piata in functie de produs.
• despre cum societatea creaza oportunitati dar si inegalitati si cum le putem analiza. Daca adaugam si ceva abilitati de scriere atunci sunt sanse mari pentru un job in jurnalism. Se poate scrie pe teme politice, schimbare sociala, afaceri externe sau se pot face investigatii pe diverse teme. Toate aceste pot duce si spre o cariera academica incepand cu publicarea de lucrari in reviste de specialitate si programe din cadrul universitatilor.
• deasemeni, gandeste-te la combinarea sociologiei cu limbile straine si incearca prin orice mijloace sa obtii o bursa in strainatate (Erasmus). Aceasta experienta va avea un impact foarte mare nu doar asupra ta ci asupra carierei tale.

Un alt lucru de facut este prezentarea intr-o maniera prietenoasa dar bine pregatit in fata viitorului angajator.

Societatea considera inca sociologia ca neavand legatura cu lumea reala (cred asta din cauza sociologilor care de-a-lungul timpului au tot criticat ordinea sociala si au contestat status-quo-ul) si astfel tu trebuie sa fii cat se poate de real si autentic in prezentarea ta.

Mult succes in gasirea propriului drum in cariera!