I've been caught in a dilemma for a long time. Although I'm majoring in English, I've found myself more interested in sales and marketing.

I want to be a successful businesswoman, not an interpreter or English teacher. So, I've concentrated on applying for jobs related to marketing.

Marketing is in fact one of my required courses and I've had a lot of practice off campus. I worked part time for an international cosmetics company in Nanjing during my first year at college and did quite well.

I thought that I was just as good as many marketing major. But, to my disappointment, many recruiters still don't have much faith in a non-marketing major.

My confidence got another blow when I was applying at Guangdong Telecom two weeks ago. The man glanced at the cover of my resume, turned up his nose and pushed it back: "We are looking for professional marketing majors. Take your resume."

Disappointment seems to have been my companion for the last two months.

Even if a chance does come, I have trouble in making a decision.

Last week, a big company gave me an offer in marketing, but I wasn't sure whether I should take it.

If I accepted it, I might be in the countryside learning how to manage a business for at least two years, meaning I would get little chance to practise my English.

Also, my parents didn't want me to accept the offer and said it was too tough for a girl. My parents think I should take a job with good returns and less pressure, like teaching or a government job.

I said I would never do that and had a fight with them and insisted that my interest lay in marketing.

"I remember clearly that you said you loved English before entering the university," was my mum's reply.

"Now you've switched your love to marketing."

Well, it's true, I can't say I will enjoy marketing forever. But at least I should have a try, in order not to regret anything in future.

Anyway, I can't make a decision now. I'm still looking forward to finding a job that is the perfect combination of interest and major.

The author is a fourth-year international business communications major at Nanjing University.

(China Daily December 12, 2002)