Ultimate guide to Extracurricular Activities that can help.
When you’re looking for a job after university you need to have more on your CV than just your academic achievement. Make the most of all opportunities to pursue extra-curricular activities. Pursuing your hobbies and interests at university through being involved in student societies can really improve your chances of getting an internship or graduate job. Time and time again, recruiters and executives at top employers tell us how much they like to see extracurricular activities on a CV.
The key thing is to be passionate about the interests and extracurricular activities on your CV. This way you can talk about them in depth therefore setting yourself ahead of all the other applicants.
Check out our blog on tips for Graduate Assessment days for information on what to expect.
Why do extracurricular activities help?
Participating in extra-curricular activities will give you skills to show future employers that you can put effort in to things your passionate about. The precise skills and achievements you can gain will vary according to the role you take on. You could learn time management, showing that you can fit in regular commitments alongside your studies. Gain Social and interpersonal skills, being in social situations with others from a range of backgrounds can also show you can build positive relationships with clients and colleagues. Leadership skills, emotional intelligence, communication skills to name a few more. These are all core skills to include on your CV so you can be one step ahead of other applicants.
What sort of activities count?
- Societies – oriented societies
- Sports clubs
- Entrepreneurship societies and programmes
- Taking on an ambassador role or special project at your university
- Student TV, radio and newspapers
- Volunteering, charitable and fundraising groups
- Campaigning or political societies
- If your still not sure ask your university careers team.
When it comes to sharing these skills on your CV/online application forms, make sure you emphasise on what you have learnt and how it has helped you. Put these skills you have learnt to work when you answer the questions on application forms.
Questions can appear like “Tell me about a time when you disagreed with someone, how did you resolve it?”, “Describe a time when you worked in a team”, “What’s your most significant achievement?”. Due to you doing extracurricular activities you could have a whole list of examples to reel off when your asked!
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