I’ve also gained invaluable life experience doing many of the jobs that Magius has mentioned through my time at uni, it’s amazing how differently the world looks when you’re the guy answering the phones surrounded by people who collectively could probably scrape together one gcse. So many people at my uni have no idea what the real world is like, no idea how to deal with Joe Bloggs or just how thick he can be sometimes. Not that they all are, or that being thick means you can’t be a great person.
A philosophy degree will get you a job in any non-specific vocation. Journalism, banking, accountancy, management, advertising, marketing, you name it, a philosophy degree is good enough to get you into it. It’s just one of those transferable degrees, but has the added bonus of you being able to say you’ve learnt how to look critically at others arguments and analyse the relevancy of points to a far higher level than most normal degrees, as well as the degree usually opening your mind a bit more.
Thing is, Philosophy isn’t a degree that give you a definite direction, as I’m finding out much to my distress now, I have no idea where to start on deciding my career, but I do know that the degree I just got will serve me well in whatever field I choose. The only door that will be closed to you will be degree specific vocations such as being a lab analyst or architect or something like that.
Obviously if you have a vague plan on what you want to do, you should start picking up activities which will show you have a commitment to the field, if you are interested into moving into broadcasting, join the uni radio station, journalism, the paper, politics, you really should hold at least one position of vague importance within the union or its affiliates, (for example I do have a vague plan of moving in to it at some point and was a Hall president, a fairly important position with the union). That kind of thing is very hard to make up for later down the line, though the door won’t be completely closed you may have to do some voluntary work or at least take a more junior position. And if you want to get into serious money you should check out what academic requirements you’ll need, I know that in England the better financial graduate jobs are closed to anyone who hasn’t got a 1st or a high 2:1 (with good extra-curricular activities, often something like having been involved in the union). I’m not interested in that kind of thing, and not especially good at sticking to deadlines (I lost 100% as late penalties on at least 3 essays, whoops) so I chilled more, focused on other stuff, while enjoying the degree. As Magius said, it’s what’s your ambition, do what you’ll enjoy!
But I do warn you, not all philosophy is interesting to everyone! Some of it’s a right pain in the arse to read (I still shiver whenever I hear the name Kant ), but I truely have developed a passion for it while I studied it.