2008 Woodie Awards
Double majors find jobs easily in work world
Elizabeth Warren
Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: Perspectives
What makes you stand out from a crowd of highly qualified college graduates? An outstanding GPA is not enough. Due to the current slump in the job market, it is now more important than ever to make a name for yourself.
Minors and double majors could be the addition to your resume that is needed to send you over the edge. Believe it or not, your media studies minor could eventually land you your dream job.
According to a recent New York Times article, "having a secondary area of study can signal to a job interviewer that you have concrete expertise." Also, minors and double majors "could indicate you did more work than the average undergraduate."
So where do you begin? Start by contemplating which major or minor would be most relevant to your desired career path. Princetonreview.com offers tips for choosing the best fields of study for each type of job. For example, if you want to become a journalist, minoring or double majoring in English, communications, or political science is probably your best bet.
Next, research which classes must be taken in order to fulfill the requirements for the added major or minor. This requires dedication and a solid understanding of the curriculum.
Junior Carl Dzienkiewicz, a business administration major, is considering adding a minor in music.
"I have nine credits left if I want to make it official," said Dzienkiewicz.
While many students intend to add minors to their degrees, some have not yet finalized their decision. However, putting it off until the last couple of semesters can land you in some trouble. Taking the wrong classes and failing required courses are unexpected obstacles that can prevent you from attaining the degree.
Though not nearly as popular as a minor, a double major is yet another academic opportunity to stand out from the crowd. Double majors, as the name states, require double the effort and involve double the workload. Graduates who obtain a degree with two different majors are even rewarded for their hard work with two tassels on their graduation caps.
Minors and double majors could be the addition to your resume that is needed to send you over the edge. Believe it or not, your media studies minor could eventually land you your dream job.
According to a recent New York Times article, "having a secondary area of study can signal to a job interviewer that you have concrete expertise." Also, minors and double majors "could indicate you did more work than the average undergraduate."
So where do you begin? Start by contemplating which major or minor would be most relevant to your desired career path. Princetonreview.com offers tips for choosing the best fields of study for each type of job. For example, if you want to become a journalist, minoring or double majoring in English, communications, or political science is probably your best bet.
Next, research which classes must be taken in order to fulfill the requirements for the added major or minor. This requires dedication and a solid understanding of the curriculum.
Junior Carl Dzienkiewicz, a business administration major, is considering adding a minor in music.
"I have nine credits left if I want to make it official," said Dzienkiewicz.
While many students intend to add minors to their degrees, some have not yet finalized their decision. However, putting it off until the last couple of semesters can land you in some trouble. Taking the wrong classes and failing required courses are unexpected obstacles that can prevent you from attaining the degree.
Though not nearly as popular as a minor, a double major is yet another academic opportunity to stand out from the crowd. Double majors, as the name states, require double the effort and involve double the workload. Graduates who obtain a degree with two different majors are even rewarded for their hard work with two tassels on their graduation caps.
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