A blog about all things linguistic by Gretchen McCulloch.
I cohost Lingthusiasm, a podcast that's enthusiastic about linguistics.
I'm the author of Because Internet, a book about internet language!
Linguistics Jobs: Interview with a Freelance Editor, Writer and Trainer
Today’s interview is a nice reminder that there is always space in a job or a career path for more linguistics. After 30 years in the finance sector, Howard Walwyn has returned to his love of language, becoming a freelance writer, editor and trainer. You can find out more about Howard’s work through his consulting business Prism Clarity, or his Twitter .
What did you study at university?
Istudied English Language & Literature at the University ofNewcastle-upon-Tyne. There was an equal split of modules betweenlanguage and literature: on the language side I did Syntax, Phonology,Old English, Additional Old English (essentially Beowulf) and Old Irish.
Butit was the Syntax and Phonology which really fired me. So, encouragedby my tutor, Professor Hermann Moisl, who still taught at Newcastleuntil 2014, I managed to get accepted for a PhD in ComputationalLinguistics at the University of Edinburgh. But then at the very lastminute I decided not to do it, and to accept a job on a graduatetraining programme at the Bank of England in London instead.
Ina trice my academic career as a linguist was over, before it hadactually started. Instead I spent the next 30 years channelling my loveof language into a finance-related career; writing letters tostockholders, reports, analysis, newsletters, briefings, minutes,articles, regulatory applications, you name it. I also did a Masters inEconomics at the University of London along the way, which helped.Gradually I forgot that I was a linguist at heart and become a fullyfledged finance person specialising in risk management and regulation.
What is your job?
Well, it’s different to what it was! Two years ago I decided to jack in corporate life and commit to working with language full time. I retrained with the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP) and set up my own freelance business. I now spend my day writing, editing and proofreading different forms of content for mainly financial services clients. I work on strategy documents, business plans, applications, blogs, articles, regulations, white papers, anything my clients need.
I also teach a 10-week short course in business writing at City, University of London and do private and corporate training. And I am writing a book on Clear Business English in Financial Services, which tries to bridge the worlds of finance and language. I also write my own blogs on different language, finance and content topics.
How does your linguistics training help you in your job?
In my corporate career it helped me generically. I was always the one in the office who could write and edit, and knew about language. But I was ambivalent about it. I wanted to thrive in my finance career so kind of deliberately shelved my passion for language and tried to become an economist instead. But frankly I was always a better linguist than I was an economist. It just took me 30 years to really realise that and honestly accept it.
In my freelance career I regard it is essential, especially the teaching/training and writing my book. I guess my students are more interested in the fact I am an experienced finance practitioner; but my language background certainly gives me more confidence when standing up in front of a class, even though I can hardly claim to be a professional linguist.
Do you have any advice you wish someone had given to you about linguistics/careers/university?
I wish someone had advised me to have the courage to take more risk in my decisions, and that a successful career isn’t necessarily linear and can take a winding and unpredictable path. There’s more than one way to use your linguistic skills and background. I should have stayed true to that and not been diverted into trying to become something I wasn’t.
That doesn’t mean I wish I’d done the PhD, but there was probably a more direct way to build a career doing what I loved than the path I chose. Still, it’s never too late.
Any other thoughts or comments?
Love your work, whatever it is. That way fulfilment lies. If you do, earning enough money can and will follow, despite your worst fears.
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