Your university days are crucial as whatever you learn and achieve will help you grab the job of your dreams! However, it is challenging to stand out from the pool of candidates.
Gone are the days when you only have to work hard to score well in your academics. Nowadays, recruiters hire candidates with experiences, hobbies, and achievements other than academics.
So it becomes essential to invest your time and energy in both your academics and extracurricular activities. And to help you get started, we have prepared a list of top extracurricular activities that you can take up to boost your resume and land the job you desire!
Blogging
Blogging is a fantastic way to display your writing, research, and language skills on your resume. Additionally, it helps you establish your online presence and enhances your personal brand.
If you think you have a creative mind and hone your writing skills, then starting a blog is undoubtedly a good idea! Remember, not everyone is perfect when they first start doing something new. It takes a lot of practice and determination to see results.
You can begin your blog in a niche that interests you or a specific industry in which you want to pursue a career. For instance, if you’re going to make a career in sales, you can start writing about the latest developments in the industry or can cover the basics of sales.
Moreover, it is a brilliant opportunity to present yourself as an expert in your field to recruiters. So, register with a free blogging platform like Medium, WordPress, Blogger, etc.
Foreign Language
Recruiters all over the world value candidates who know two or more languages. Having bilingual or multilingual people in the company helps expand its outreach and open up new revenue streams.
Moreover, learning a new language requires time, dedication, and hard work, which pays off well by making you a good communicator and self-motivated individual with strong knowledge of a culture other than theirs!
So whether you want to learn Spanish, French, Chinese, or Arabic, start your learning while you are still in university. For that, you can buy a good language learning book to cover your basics and, later, take up a course nearby or online to receive professional training.
Student Clubs
Participating in student clubs is an integral part of your university life. Apart from your academics, employers are eager to know what were your hobbies and interests back in university and how well you performed in them!
There is a club for everyone at university, be it drama, singing, media, sports, art, or cooking. Even if you can’t find a club that fits your interest, you can always start a new one with the help of your university’s student union!
You can join as many student clubs as you want, especially when you want to learn something new. Furthermore, it is a fantastic place to network with like-minded folks and expand your knowledge!
Internships
Your main priority should always be working hard for your studies, but if you have some free time, you can utilise it in doing something productive like taking up internships. That way, you will earn money as well as skills and experience to showcase on your resume!
It is a good idea to have some industry experience before you apply for a full-time job. Even if you change your mind while doing your internship and want to switch your industry, the overall experience provides you with transferable skills that are required in every industry!
Moreover, in today’s digital era, you can work internships even from the comfort of your home. Thus, eliminating the obligation of commuting to the workplace every day. So while sitting inside your student accommodation in Cork or student accommodation in Dublin, apply for the internship roles that match your career goals.
Volunteering
Volunteering is one of the best extracurricular activities to list on your resume as it demonstrates some essential business skills like communication, teamwork, decision-making, excellent work ethic, etc. Moreover, it makes you a confident person who knows how to deal with people.
Besides its professional advantages, volunteering makes you feel good about yourself. You work for a good cause without pay; it is your chance to give back to society selflessly.
You can take up various volunteering opportunities at your university, non-profit organisations, local community centre, hospitals, online events, etc. Also, remember that the volunteering has no set duration and can last for a few hours, a couple of days, a month or two, etc.
So be prepared for the tiring but exciting experience, which will help your resume and make you socialise better!
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Author: Harshita Anand is a postgraduate in English Journalism and a graduate in Hotel Management. She has worked in diverse industries and with people of all kinds. Her fulfilling experience kindled her interest to view the world with a curious perspective and enlighten others through her writings!
