When writing a CV, it isn’t just your academic achievements that matter. Your extracurricular activities at university can also make a difference!
Some extracurricular activities are more relevant than others, admittedly. But there are many things that you can add to your CV for different reasons, including the following…
1. Clubs, Societies and Politics
Most students get involved in societies at university. Whether or not you include these on your CV will depend on the specifics: as fun as LARPing might be, there are relatively few jobs to which it is directly relevant.
(Photo: RalfHuels, Anja Arenz, Chris Kunz, Dossmo, Niamh, Paolo Tratzky, Svenja Schoenmackers)
Consider the skills you’ve developed from your involvement in clubs and societies and how they might transfer to work situations, such as organising events or meet ups. If you’ve been involved in your student union, this can look especially impressive.
2. Student Media
Another popular extracurricular activity is getting involved in student media. This could be radio, a student newspaper, or even TV and film making.
Even if you’re not looking for a media career, you can use your involvement to demonstrate your communication skills and dedication.
3. Sports
Although there aren’t many careers where your abilities as a footballer or cricketer will be directly relevant, being involved in student sports can boost employability.
(Photo: bottomlayercz0)
As well as showing your enthusiasm, teamwork and time-management skills, you might be able to boast of your leadership potential if your captained a team!
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4. Volunteering
Student volunteering looks great on any CV, especially if you’ve gained experience in a particular field or developed skills through your voluntary work. If you’ve made any connections through volunteering, you can also ask them to give you a reference.
5. Drama, Music and Art
Drama, music and art activities are obviously most relevant if you’re looking for work in the creative industries. But they’re often worth including on your CV even if this isn’t the case.
As with other extracurricular activities, the arts can demonstrate your ability to work with other people, manage your time effectively and work towards particular goals.
It all depends on what job you’re applying for and what your creative experiences have been. Think about how your creative skills might apply to your application.
6. Foreign Languages
It’s not necessarily an extracurricular activity in the strict sense, but if you speak a language (or languages) other than English, you should definitely mention this on your CV.
Employers always value the ability to communicate with people in other parts of the world. So even if this isn’t part of your job description, speaking a foreign language is a great bonus!
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