10-26-2011, 07:36 AM
(10-21-2011, 02:35 PM)RétroX Wrote: True fact: nobody really cares what your major is. They care about a résumé and what you've done in the past; that's far more telling than a major.
The only case when people care about your major is when you've just graduated from college and haven't done any actual work experience yet. This is a very bad idea; you should find some kind of job in your field before you graduate. In those cases, people are less likely to hire you because they're not as sure if you'll deliver.
You contradicted yourself in your own post. While you're partially right and your major isn't a particularly important factor in finding most jobs, it does generally determine your field so regardless, it's going to be important for that first job. Beyond that though, most people aren't going to spend the time and money required to get a degree and then ignore it for a second or third job (it happens, but infrequently) so it does at least define a path. On top of that, for the most part, it does play into getting a job anyway. After all, a network security firm isn't going to hire someone with a degree in (and, by implication, a major in) English Lit.
So, to answer the original question, I actually graduated in May with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and am currently working for a firm in NYC.