College Activities To Help Your Resume Stand Out From The Crowd

Published on Tuesday, January 17th, 2012 by Emma Quigley Category: Career Development College Tips

To cope with graduating into today’s tough jobs market; you must make the most of your college experience by taking part in extracurricular activities. There are a number of different ways that you can develop your skills set at college. If you already have a career path in mind, college activities can help you gain experience to start you on your way; even if you have no idea what to do once you graduate, college gives you the freedom to explore various avenues. Participating in extracurricular activities is a benefit to all involved as they help to build and sustain a sense of community amongst students, as well as forming individuals into well-rounded adults.

Teams, clubs and societies:

Joining a sports team is not exclusive to the skilled athletes on scholarships; anyone can join, whether you are trying something new or revisiting a sport you used to play. Sports teams are not only a great way to have fun and stay fit; they also introduce you to new people.

Of course, there are many other forms of college teams, clubs and societies to join as well, from debating and choirs to poker and computer games. If you can’t find a group you like, start a new one. All these groups need a president, vice-president, secretary and book keeper, to continue running; consider how these responsibilities will look to prospective employers.

Media:

All colleges will have a newspaper; some will also produce a magazine, radio station and/or television station, and all these can be linked to their own website. These various forms of media require a number of skills sets; they need writers, photographers, editors, designers, technicians, host personalities, etc. Whether you have a little or a lot of experience, you can get involved in these areas. This can be a particularly great learning experience for individuals interested in those career paths.

Learn a language:

Most colleges offer the chance to learn a language because they know how valuable a skill it is to have in today’s culturally diverse working world. Sometimes taking a language course can even be done for credit towards your overall degree. Having an extra language certificate on your resume is sure to impress employers.

Represent:

Volunteering yourself for a student representative or council position will show employers leadership skills and that you are able to work well with different groups of people. You can also share your college experiences in your sophomore/senior years by becoming a mentor to first years or by acting as a college ambassador and leading campus tours on open days.

Work experience:

It is possible to gain work experience whilst studying, either by working a part time job or by volunteering. Your college careers department is there to help you build up your resume. The staff will have knowledge of paid and unpaid work placements in the local area; contributing your time to local projects will not only be a great overall experience, you could even find yourself acquiring new skills that will be applicable to your career path. It will be important to employers to see how you spent your free time, this includes holiday breaks; temporary jobs, or volunteering, and work experience placements during your holidays will boost your resume for when you leave college, by filling it with up to date experiences.

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