City career and uni- would you employ someone with a history degree?

[NaturalBlondeYeahRight]

DD wants to work in London after a degree in a busy, young, fast paced corp. Preferably PR but open to other suggestions. She is naturally wordy, outgoing.
Her first choice for a degree is Modern History in a popular uni but would this be ok for that kind of career? I always thought I'd encourage a vocational type degree but the obvious ones do not play to her strengths. Work in a school and DO NOT want her to end up teaching - most of my friends with history degrees do.

A History degree teaches you to be analytical, to lay out an argument and to think about the context. These are all very valuable skills in the workplace. Many no doubt do go in to teaching, though others do a range of different jobs.

I've had a 20+ (shudder to think, soon to be 30) career in marketing/media/advertising and come across many other history graduates in all sort of different roles in commerce.

It's certainly not a dead end and is of value if looking for a career than involves writing. Having advertised and recruited for graduate level jobs you see lots with vocational degrees and lots without - it's how you present yourself and make yourself relevant to the employer that makes you stand out in most cases - not your degree.

I've got a history degree btw, and specialised in the history of architecture. Lots of other things may have held me back but not AFAIK that.

A history degree from a good university will open any doors.

My last graduate trainee before I left corporate London had a Classics degree.

good university probably being key for a humanities subject like History.

By popular do you mean relatively high tariff op ?

My DD did a Theology degree . She now works for a legal publishing company in London. She got in the door as she had a First - they weren't really bothered what subject it was in. Then she interviewed well. To be honest she says they were more interested in the volunteer work she had done abroad than her degree. I would say to your DD to do the degree she wants but try to achieve a 2:1 or a 1st then the door to many jobs is opened up.

I know various city types with humanities degrees including History, and where I work at least one of the fund managers has one (as well as further qualifications). Other history grads I know of are vicars, research librarians, consultants, TV producers etc

I should have expanded a bit there. DD went to a RG uni if it makes any difference.

Also her job is full of young people and is fast paced and sociable. DD is a naturally outgoing person and her job suits her well. She also gets to travel the world which is a big plus for her.

I know quite a few people who read History who became accountants.

I think it's fine - agree that overall it's better to do a subject you love and will get a good degree in. However, I would also suggest that she considers a gap year, makes a list of firms she would like to work for and gets on the blower arranging visits, finding out about internships, getting any information she can about the kind of thing they are looking for when they recruit.

I have a history degree and I am a solicitor. I am more West End these days but still London and have worked in big firms. The question is very much where she is going to get her history degree as most of the posters have said.

Oh, thanks for these replies. It went a bit quiet here and wasn't expecting any when I logged on. Glad to see your general experiences with History degrees are good and really varied.
Yes, she's hoping for a RG uni- only in yr 12 ATM and I love the fact that it in theory could take her in a few directions if she changes her mind. Will definitely encourage a bit of travel/volunteering. Internships seem to be the starting point as well at the moment (I'm not entirely in agreement with those but can see why they exist)
You've actually put my mind at rest a bit. Thanks

She should also look for ways to make the degree work for her. For example, she should look for modules/papers that are taught in seminars, so that she gets lots of group work and presentation experience. If she has to work during the term, she should look for some way to connect back with those employers she's keen on - again, what would they suggest, could they use somebody doing ?research online from a distance? (clueless myself!) Also it's quite often possible to learn/continue to learn a language free at university - helpful for history itself and great for employment. I pissed this opportunity away myself - once she knows what the companies are looking for, she should really try to go for this - Russian? Chinese? Spanish? German?

Lots of city lawyers did history degrees so it is very varied what you can end up doing with one

I'm a recent history graduate from a Russell group university. Not something I would want to do with it, but a lot of my coursemates have gone on to do this. It's a very logical and popular progression from history. Lots of top companies target history graduates.

Definitely History is ok for a range of careers in the City. Best investment banker I have seen in a previous life studied English Literature and was a choral scholar.

DH did history at a non RG uni and now works in the City, they actually thought his history degree was great as it gave him great analytical skills.