Wondering how you can add something extra in your CV? Extracurricular activities are not only one of the best mediums to show your individuality and interests, but they also prove to the recruiters that you have a wide range of important skills that could help the organization. Not sure how are they related to your job search? We will help you to find out whether you should include your hobbies in your resume. Here are some extracurricular activities to add to your CV.
Why it is important to add extracurricular activities in your CV?
Whether you are writing a high school student resume while applying for a summer job or creating your college student resume after completing graduation, mentioning extracurricular activities is one of the best ways to complete your job application. Just like adding volunteer work in your resume, extracurriculars can reimburse for a lack of professional experience.
Even if you find it unrelated to the job you are applying at first look, they have the power to improve your resume and set it apart from other competitors. The key is to add the right extracurricular activities.
Sports- This is one of the common extracurricular activities to add to your CV. Playing sports is one of the best ways to demonstrate everything from teamwork to dedication, so why shouldn’t you mention it in your resume? Whether you were a part of your school’s football team, you played hockey when in college, or university netball was your favorite thing- there are several sports that you could use to make your interests, abilities, and skills stand out. However, you must ensure that you associate them back to the profile you are applying for. If you do not show how it is relevant, adding the information to your resume will be a waste. The skills demonstrated by mentioning about sports include dedication, reliability, fitness, competitiveness.
How to get involved: Most of the schools, universities, and colleges have their own sports team or after school clubs that are dedicated to an activity- so all you need to do is join in any of those. Usually, you will not need any previous experience or skills, so providing the work you put in, it provides a great opportunity to learn new skills and improve the existing one.
Music, theatre, and drama- It takes a lot to perform in front of a crowd. It is this type of confidence that the recruiters want to see; mainly in those professions where speaking assertively is important. And with a wide range of activities available in music, theatre, and drama, there will be something to suit you and your personality. For instance, you might be a part of a music group, a band, or a solo artist- playing anything, maybe, rock, or classical. Or you could be a drama enthusiast or avid dancer-whether it is through participating in an afterschool club or even teaching the basics to youngsters. The skills it demonstrates are confidence, collaboration, self-presentation, attention to detail, and creativity.
How to get involved: This depends on the activity that you are interested in doing. For instance, if you want to be a part of your school’s orchestra, band or a music group, you will need to play a music instrument- so choosing one and asking your school about the lessons is the best way to begin. Lessons for activities like singing, dance, or drama may also be available- but natural talent and enthusiasm are also significant traits you must have.
Foreign languages– Not only does learning another language make yourself available for roles in teaching, translating tourism, and more; it can also strengthen your resume in various ways. For instance, the enthusiasm and dedication involved with learning outside of your general education will undoubtedly impress the recruiters. And with so many organizations operating on an international level- an ability to understand and translate languages of other countries will prove beneficial. The skills demonstrated by mentioning about foreign languages in your CV are dedication, lateral thinking, problem-solving, willingness to learn new things, and patience.
Student Council- It is one of the rare extracurricular activities to add to your CV. It takes effort, aspiration, and time to be a part of a student body in a high school or college. The responsibilities that the members of the student body have are an important resource of experience that can be added in your cv to show that you have all the necessary skills for that job.
Being a part of Student Council proves:
- Leadership skills
- Organizational skills
- Teamwork
- Event planning
- Problem-solving
- Critical thinking skills
- Decision making
- Fundraising experience
- Hard work
- Creative thinking
- Decision making
- Active listening skills
So, it is always helpful to add this extracurricular activity to your resume.
Fundraising & Volunteering- Volunteering, mentoring, or fundraising are excellent ways to show your contribution to society. Whether it is mentoring another student at your school, college, or university, raising sponsorship to participate in a charitable event, or volunteering for a local cause- you will be showing your resourcefulness, interest to help others, and communication skills.
And, if the event you participate is challenging, then you will be showing a complete host of other important skills, ranging from power to bravery. Some of the skills it demonstrates include ingenuity, entrepreneurship, leadership, and proactivity.
How to participate- Do research on charitable organizations that you are most fanatical about and get in touch with them directly. Fundraising for charities can be as simple as registering online to permit others to sponsor you for activities that you are carrying out. If you want to become a tutor, mentor, or student representative, ask your school or college about the type of programs they have.
Peer Tutoring- This is a unique way of giving your time to others. No matter whether it is a part of a formal school tuition program or not, peer tutoring shows that you not only have knowledge in a specific area, but you like to share the knowledge with others and help them grow in career. This trait is quite difficult to find in the workplace and believe me, hiring managers to value it! Peer tutoring shows:
- Specific expertise
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Flexibility
- Creative thinking skills
Job-specific activities- Though many of us do not realize, many extracurricular activities could be the initial steps we take towards our career. This is so because hobbies that relate to a specific industry often teach you experience and practical skills that are needed for a job. So, whether you write for a university paper, you take coding classes, or your learned photography, you are telling your future employers that you have the necessary dedication and abilities that the job demands. The skills it demonstrates include the ability to accept criticism, writing, IT, and creativity.
If you want to get involved in web design, media, or blogging- find out if you can apply your skills to your college, school, or university’s newsletter or website. You can also check out the after school clubs and classes. However, opportunities like this are mostly competitive, so being proactive is worth- whether it is building your own website or writing your blog.
Ok, so now you know adding extracurricular activities to your CV is important, don’t forget to add them next time.