Sociology Degree Was A 'Great Asset' For A San Francisco Author
A degree in sociology can open many doors to a respected career in San Francisco. Whether it means teaching at the high school level, working in health services or moving on to attend graduate school - sociology students will have a host of employment options in the Bay Area upon graduation. For career advice, BJ Gallagher, an acclaimed speaker and best-selling author whose books have been featured on the CBS Evening News, the Today Show and others, took a few moments to explain why her sociology degree helped with her success.
How does your education relate to your current profession?
"I majored in sociology, a field of study that taught me how to watch, listen, analyze, and understand human behavior. This was a great asset in my early career in human resources and later as an author of career and business books. Business is all about relationships – between bosses and employees, employees and customers, and team members working together. Understanding what makes people tick is a great skill for anyone in the business world."
What type of services do you provide?
"I'm very fortunate that I get to use my gifts of teaching and writing to help others. My training and consulting company, Peacock Productions, provides workshops, training videos, and work style assessment tools to workplace consultants and corporate training departments. I also work with two Bay Area publishers (Berrett-Koehler in San Francisco and Viva Editions in Berkeley) to produce business, career, and self-help books to help others be successful. For instance, my latest Viva Editions book, "It's Never Too Late To Be What You Might Have Been," teaches people how to reinvent themselves and their careers."
What advice can you share with sociology students?
"A degree in any of the liberal arts is great for almost any career, as you will learn how to read, write, think, and speak. Sociology is a great field of study because it teaches you about people – how they think, what motivates them, how they behave in groups etc. The better you understand people – and the better you are at relating to them – the more successful you're likely to be in your chosen field."
Randy Yagi is a freelance writer covering all things San Francisco. In 2012, he was awarded a Media Fellowship from Stanford University. His work can be found on Examiner.com Examiner.com.