Does anybody know the history and purpose of minors? Is there ever a place for them on a resume? Is there a reason to get a minor instead of just taking extra electives in multiple areas? The reasons I see for declaring a minor are to either to pursue an interest outside of your major or to fill the prerequisites for a graduate program, i.e. a nonbusiness major minoring in business administration to ease entry into a MBA program. As far as putting them on a resume, I can see mentiong your minor when applying for a job that relates to your minor. What are your thoughts?
There's nothing wrong with including your minor on your resume. Although usually overlooked, it can provide a benefit to you in cases where the minor is a specialty within your field. If, for instance one holds a B.S. in Information Systems with a minor in Artificial Intelligence, one would obviously have an advantage when applying for a job requiring knowledge of AI systems.
Declaring a minor means that you have taken at least a small concentration (usually 5-8 courses) in a subject that is distinct from that of your major. Go ahead and declare your minor on your resume. It is an acceptable thing to do and may show that you have some breadth beyond your major field of study. When deciding between two otherwise equal candidates, I know many hiring committees that have considered a cadidate's minor. Tony Piña Faculty, Cal State U. San Bernardino
I never declared or intended to get a minor, but I ended up with one in Communication because a lot of my electives were in that area. I list it on my resume, but I can't say that it's been particuarly helpful.
I think a minor is helpful when it is somewhat related to the person's major, as in TexasBlack6's example. But in some cases, the minor makes the recipient appear to be a dillettante. I guess the key is to only list a minor on your resume or CyrusVanover if it supports the career goal you are ostensibly pursuing.
Some people may, indeed, consider one with a minor that is distinct from a major as being the mark of a dilettante (amateur or dabbler). However, in my experience in over a decade of sitting on various hiring boards, I have never witnessed this. The person is usually seen as being "well-rounded", rather than a dabbler. I have seen people for whom the minor actually gave them a slight edge over the competition for certain positions. Granted that my experience is primarily in academia. Other environments may be different. Tony
