5 Impressive Extracurriculars You Should Add to Your Professional Resume

By Amelia Woolard

In high school, you probably repeatedly heard how important extracurricular activities were to your secondary school resume, and consequently, the college admissions process. In fact, we’re fairly certain that you received the same light chastising as every other kid in school – “You’ll never get admitted to college without [insert activity here]!”

Well, Mrs. Smith, we heard you, signed up for the chess club, and—you guessed it—successfully made it to college. Thank you for your guidance.

But, now that you’re here, it feels as though you’ve done everything required of yourself. You’re going to class, making the grade, keeping your head on straight… is there really anything else to it, really?

If you’re hoping to exit college with a strong record of your achievements (and we certainly hope you are!), then yes, getting involved with college extracurriculars is something to strongly consider. It may not feel like it just yet, but you’ll soon be trading freshly printed essays for expertly crafted resumes faster than you can say “adulting.” And if you assume you won’t be relying upon your college activities to land those first few interviews, you aren’t just wrong; you’re dead wrong. That’s a pretty intimidating level of wrong, in our opinion.

College activities are often viewed as indicative of a young adult’s skill set since they have little to no relevant job experience. According to a 2017 survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, over 75 percent of employers look for young candidates with skills relating to teamwork, problem-solving, and communication. If you ask us, there’s no better way to boost your skill set in these arenas than by participating in extracurricular activities that help you master these qualities and have fun while doing it!

Plus, it’s easy to get lost in a crowd at a huge university, but by involving yourself with student organizations, you will open yourself up to new opportunities such as meeting people you wouldn’t have otherwise and making a lasting impression on your peers, professors, and the campus community at-large. Just be sure to adapt a “quality over quantity” mindset when signing up for clubs and other extracurricular activities. You don’t want to come across as that person who “joined” all 25 student organizations on campus and maybe made it to the introductory meetings.

If you’re looking for a couple of fulfilling extracurricular activities while making yourself into a more viable candidate for jobs, graduate programs, and other future opportunities, check out uCribs’ list of 5 impressive extracurriculars to add to your professional resume.

Student Government

Student government, by many accounts, is considered one of the ultimate collegiate leadership clubs. It’s not hard to see why this activity is highly respectable – you’re making decisions regarding student life on campus, liaising with other go-getting peers, and oftentimes, meeting with management-level university personnel to achieve goals. You’re also most likely staying up to date on local events and regulations, further extending your reach to community ties off-campus.

Not to mention, a young person who joins student government—let alone holds a leadership position— is likely interested in the welfare of others, and in turn, is someone that their peers look up to. Who wouldn’t want to hire someone like that?

Best of all, student government can easily mirror the real-life climate of many career fields where aspiring leaders are called upon to propel their company forward with innovative, and sometimes, even inspirational, practices.  With all that being said, there are obviously multiple benefits to your future self when it comes to deciding whether or not you should become involved with your university’s student government organization.

Arts Organizations

When seeking to fill a position, employers aren’t just looking for the most intellectual person in the room. They’re also seeking individuals with passion, and very few areas necessitate a high level of passion quite like the arts.

Any artistic organization, whether it’s band, choir, theatre, or the like, will often require its participants to be front and center at school events or competitions. Not only will you function as a collegiate representative, but you’ll also learn valuable team-building skills and how to remain cool under pressure. After all, the show must go on, as anyone who’s ever forgotten their lines in the middle of a performance will mouth to you from the backstage wing.

Being involved in an artistic organization also indicates immense dedication to the craft, considering rehearsals often drag on for hours, marching bands must learn routines while toting heavy instruments in the hot sun, and choir practice schedules typically leave little room for frivolous behavior. You can bet that any employer who meets a past arts organization member will realize the value their unique skill set provides almost immediately.

Philanthropies

These days, just about every reputable business or organization actively supports at least one philanthropy with many workplaces organizing paid service days and group activities dedicated to local charity work. Many employers look to hire people who are socially responsible, show empathy towards others, and possess a good deal of emotional intelligence (we’re looking at you, Taylor Nolan!) as they do a well-balanced skill set. The same can be said for admissions officers when considering desirable graduate candidates.

For that reason, adding philanthropic work to your resume is an excellent way to showcase passions towards certain causes that may not otherwise be evident on paper. It’s also a great way to draw attention to what makes you tick—  as philanthropic work can actively showcase one’s passions unlike your chosen degree, which you could have picked for a number of reasons. (i.e. Did someone say student loans?)

Best of all, assuming that you’re working with an accredited and respected philanthropic organization, there’s really no wrong way to go about helping others. Allow your imagination to run wild because in your volunteer work, there is no right or wrong direction; you have the freedom to choose a cause you truly love. No doubt about it, your future employer or graduate school advisor will be overjoyed to learn that you care not only about your grades and other matters concerning yourself, but you are also genuinely concerned about the well-being of others.

Athletics

If you’re an athlete, chances are, you’ve been hearing about the importance of teamwork for as long as you can remember. Well, the business world isn’t too different with many companies’ day-to-day tasks involving goal setting, hands-on interaction, and of course, plenty of collaborative teamwork. And many of the soft skills that employers want in a top-tier candidate, which include leadership, a strong work ethic, and creative problem solving, are on par with the skill set of a student athlete.

It’s also well-established that many big-name corporate CEOs were once athletes. Among the list are former Whole Foods CEO Walter Robb (captain of the Stanford soccer team), Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan (rugby player at Brown), and even Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (an accomplished member of his high school fencing team). Additionally, a 2014 study co-conducted by Ernst & Young and espnW, the sports network’s female-friendly division, found that of 821 female executives, or an incredible 90 percent, had played sports in the past.

So, is there any coincidence that some of the most accomplished individuals in the world were once athletes? We think not. While there are plenty of reasons why young athletes grow up to become successful adults, studies generally agree that the hard work and dedication associated with athletic activities later manifest into a successful career trajectory.

Major-Relevant Clubs or Internships

If you’ve got a passion for your major, dedicate a bit more time to it and consider pursuing extracurricular activities and/or internships that go hand-in-hand with your career field of choice. Not only will this help to expand your knowledge of your major, but it will also help you gain insight on the field itself while introducing you to people with a similar mindset.  Additionally, it will convey to hiring managers that you are truly passionate about your studies and future career path— so much so that you even choose to fill your free time with it!

Chances are, there are plenty of major-relevant clubs on your campus. If you’re on the medical track, for example, you could join a chemistry club or an academic honor society, which will look excellent on your application to med school. On the other hand, students pursuing a media studies degree might want to consider a role on the student newspaper staff or that film club production, while social science students might try out sociology, psychology, anthropology, or cultural-based clubs.

If you’re hoping to land an internship, schedule a session with your on-campus career advisor or department advisor, who can direct you towards the current opportunities available within your university’s location. You may also have luck using online search engines, like internships.com and internmatch.com, or on-campus message boards to connect with potential employers. Several colleges also offer on-campus job fairs designed to help students discover opportunities nearby. An internship in college will speak to your career readiness, suggesting that you have already mastered many of the preliminary skills needed to excel in a professional environment. Plus, internships offer an invaluable way to get comfortable with the day-to-day work associated with your field of study and provide an excellent way to break up the minutiae of college life!

While the college experience can be fun, it’s normal to feel as though your schedule is a bit blah. If you’d like to introduce a few extracurriculars into the mix, why not get involved with a few student activities? Not only will you nurture your current skill set beyond that of your regular, required coursework, but you’ll also give yourself a leg up during your inevitable job search. With a little guidance from your friends here at uCribs, you can choose to stand out instead of blend in. It just starts with this simple question: “How fulfilling do you want your overall college experience to be?”

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