Have you ever thought that participating on a sports team or volunteering at a local nonprofit could benefit your career? Employers often mention how important extracurricular activities are when searching for a candidate. Recruiters are looking for well-rounded individuals and your extracurricular activities can help you stand out in a pile of resumes.
Extracurricular activities are any activity outside your academic programs. Activities can include volunteering, membership in campus clubs and organizations, sports teams, and associations. Taking part in these activities can help you develop a range of useful skills that employers often look for.
Time management is one skill that you can gain from taking part in extracurricular actives. Balancing your activities along with your academic work can translate into effectively managing your time in a professional environment. Your involvement in activities can also build your leadership, team building, and social skills. All of these soft skills that you gain from being involved in extracurricular activities can arm you with the tools future employers are looking for.
In addition to standing out to employers, extracurricular activities can also aide in your career development. These activities can serve as a great career exploration tool. They can help you expand your interests and possibly help identify a career that you would like to pursue.
Networking is another benefit of being involved in extracurricular activities. Your involvement gives you the opportunity to connect with new individuals with shared interests. This allows you to easily build your networking skills and form relationships that could be very valuable in future employment searches.
Employers often want to know you from the personal side. They want to see what you are passionate about. Extracurricular activities give employers concrete examples of what motivates and interests you. They can also show your connection to the community and demonstrate skills that cannot be fostered in a classroom alone.
Extracurricular activities can be a great advantage to your future career. You do not need to be involved in a large number of activities. Quality over quantity is important. Choose activities that you are passionate about and will keep you interested. Start with one or two and see where it takes you!
Begin your extracurricular search with the BU Student Activities office, BU Athletics, or the BU Community Service Center.
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