College students are regularly asked, “what’s your major?” But how about, “what’s your minor?”
In college, I minored in French. While I was excited to be a communications major, my French minor provided an additional benefit. A minor can be truly valuable for your college career and beyond. If you aren’t convinced, here are three reasons why declaring a minor can be beneficial.
- Live Like You’re In The Real World
In your career, you’re never going to do just one thing. So why study just one thing? Having a minor that’s unique from your major replicates what you’ll experience post-graduation. When I had to switch from French poetry to a visual communications course, my mind was definitely stretched. While my day job doesn’t require me to make such harsh transitions, I do have to pivot from hardcore research mode to interviewing awesome students. The practice of switching tasks has proved to be very helpful.
- Stand out in the job search.
Having a minor can set you apart from other graduates when applying to jobs. During my job hunt, I never hesitated to bring up my French minor in interviews. It was on every résumé I submitted. Employers took note and it gave me a bit of an edge. Just like having an about.me page, a minor gives your future employer more context about you and your interests, hopefully making them more interested in you as a candidate.
Learn why having a college minor can help you in the job search on campus.about.me.
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Zoë Björnson is a College Outreach Coordinator with about.me. She is a graduate of Tulane University. You can find her on Twitter @kzoeb.