Around midway through higher education, students suddenly shift gears, preparing for life after school. A huge percentage of that work goes towards building a strong CV that can help them contend with an aggressive job market.

If you’re in such a place right now, any pointers could help push you that much further professionally. One aspect of a CV that people fail to understand sometimes is the extracurricular section. Why are they necessary, and which would fit a CV well? Stick around and find out.

The Importance of Extracurricular Activities on a CV

It can be difficult to build a cv for students with no experience. Some might think it’s not worth the time, especially when considering all the aspects that go into making a good CV. However, taking your time to figure it out could make life after school much easier.

All sections, from academic achievements to extracurriculars, must be equally stellar to give you the best chance of landing a good job. While the educational aspect might be clear-cut, one might wonder why extracurriculars are needed.Employers use these activities to measure skills that might be vital to a role in whatever company you apply to. Here are some skills and attributes that could be inferred from your extracurriculars.

Proof of Great Leadership

Having a list of successful events you took the initiative to organize showcases your merits as a strong leader. It isn’t easy managing multiple people and getting them to apply themselves towards the same task effectively.

This is one of many skills that can extend to any role you manage to get. Having these extracurriculars on your CV communicates to any potential employers that you are comfortable being in the driver’s seat. With a substantial list of events, your professional trajectory might be a lot more impressive than without. Even when you start at lower positions, climbing shouldn’t be a problem.

Teamwork and Relational Skills

This particular combination of skills is essential when applying to a team of any size. You’ll have to interact with coworkers to get things done, and even the smallest disconnect could significantly impact productivity.

As such, companies might look to your CV for signs that you work well with others. A clear indication of this is in certain extracurricular activities. Join a club or two, and prove through experience that you have no problem setting differences aside for a common goal.

An Attractive Skill Range

It’s one thing to be academically qualified for a role; it’s another thing to have the right skill set for it. When employers glance through your CV, they could also be looking for indications that you have the skills necessary to be effective at the required position.

To give yourself a fighting chance, you could choose to pick up as many extracurricular activities as possible. Joining a literary and debate club could help you perfect communication, and a club like chess could help with critical thinking.When considering other activities, consider what new skills you can learn from them. It’s possible that the little programming you pick up from a computer club will land you a job in the future.

The Ability to Solve a Problem

Gone are the times when a degree was enough to guarantee a job. Now, companies are trying their hardest to solve problems. When a firm you apply to has a problem and decides to hire, they are likely looking for someone to help them solve it.For this reason, just getting to an interview might be impossible if you don’t have a particular set of skills outlined in your CV. A good way to showcase versatility is through the extracurriculars you participate in.

Signs of Emotional Intelligence and Stability

As long as you’re working with other human beings, there is a chance that personalities will clash. People don’t always get along, but it shouldn’t spill over into the workflow. As such, one essential skill employers look out for in applicants is emotional intelligence.A good way to showcase this through the extracurricular section of your CV is to include activities that require you to work with large groups of people. You could join a band, pick up a sport, and include that in your CV.

Willingness to Take Initiative

Taking orders and staying in your lane as a professional is easier. People learn to survive with this mindset, afraid to take on more responsibility than they signed up for. However, employers might be looking for someone who isn’t afraid to show initiative.

There’s beauty in the options in every profession. There’s very rarely one way to tackle a problem, and finding new, cost-effective ways to provide solutions is an invaluable skill for any employer. If you know you have this, having extracurriculars on your CV is a convenient way to show it.

Include any events you have organized, and when summarizing your contributions, mention ways you broke boundaries and revolutionized the space. 

Activities that Look Good on Your CV

Hopefully, the previous section has properly expressed the importance of having extracurricular activities on your CV. Now that you’re onboard, the next logical question would be to figure out what activities you should include on your CV.

If you aren’t the extracurricular type but want to show initiative and join an endeavor, this next section might be perfect for you. We will be taking a look at some activities that look great on a CV and what skills and attributes they can help highlight.

Subject or Professional Societies

A society allows like-minded individuals to come together and further their interest and passion in a related field. Joining one of these will showcase your deep interest in the topic or profession. For instance, if you choose to enter a campus filmmaker’s society, it would showcase your love for the medium.

It’s worth noting that having a society on your extracurriculars list allows you to include any projects you might have worked on under the society’s banner. If you’re an active member, you’ll have a lot to write that might persuade potential interviewers that you’re the right person for the job.

Any Form of Sports or Athletics

Having a sport you played in college on your CV clearly indicates your physical and mental strengths. Some sports are very demanding, and your achievements in this field might impress a potential employer. So, don’t overlook the importance of doing just that.

Also, depending on the sport you include, you could show that you work well with a team. If you played a leadership role while on any of these teams, the team’s success during your stay will demonstrate your effectiveness as a leader.

You also showcase your communication skills and range when it comes to working with others. Teamwork takes time to develop, but people with experience working with others tend to integrate faster.

Student Media

If you’re planning to head into the media industry, such as TV, Radio, or more, then joining a student media team is an excellent way to showcase that you have the right experience. Working on a school newspaper indicates appropriate writing and editing experience. You could land a job at a magazine with this and the right qualifications.

If you have a nice voice, then consider being a part of the school radio. It’s an effective and consistent way to proactive communication over the air and curate the right tone for broadcast. You can’t simply dive into a major radio gig and expect to be good without prior experience.

Even if you have no plans of doing media after school, joining some of these clubs and activities is a great way to step out of your comfort zone and learn effective communication.

Charitable Endeavors and Volunteer Work

Here’s a way you can give back to your community. It also looks good on your CV. If you like to volunteer, it’s worth noting that the time you put into these charities should be on your CV. Some volunteer activities can be physically intense, while others work your mind instead.

A good way to get started is to look into mentorship programs in your school. Another student could benefit from the knowledge you offer, and you never know how much impact you could make by choosing this.

Having volunteer work on your CV shows a willingness to be a part of something bigger than yourself. It shows a tendency to selflessness and speaks volumes on your character.

Campus Politics

The political scene on some campuses can be even more intense than real-world politics. If you can show on your CV that you thrive in high-stakes situations such as this, then you’ll be a prime candidate for high-level positions, provided you also have the qualifications.

Whether or not you plan to go into politics after graduation, it helps to be involved in student affairs. Politics on campus provides a unique opportunity to learn how to lobby and cater to people’s egos. You never know when this skill might come in handy.Companies will trust you to interact with clients once you’ve demonstrated that you can be convincing. And a good way to build the confidence needed to close is through school politics. So, don’t hesitate to give it a try.

Chess, Debate, and Programming Clubs

Programming is understandable, but you might not immediately see the line tying all three together. An instrumental attribute of a successful professional is critical thinking. Sometimes, the answer isn’t so obvious, but a solution still needs to be found.Sometimes, you need to think outside the box and unconventionally to find an answer; this is where these clubs come into play. Each of them challenges the mind differently to help people build their problem-solving skills. 

Chess and programming can even scale beyond school and become something more. You could dive into the computer science field and make something out of that if you get good at it. With chess, you can play in tournaments and raise your rating and recognition.

Conclusion

While your academic achievements and traditional qualifications will get you through the door, employers are looking for more substance nowadays. Companies now have a clear idea of who they want to hire, and you might be written off before you even get the chance to advertise yourself.Give yourself the best chance at success by diversifying your interests and investing time into other activities outside your learning; you’ll be glad you did. It’s not going to happen overnight but you will eventually get the desired results. Just make sure you follow the tips above and discuss with your school’s guidance counselor.