I have a confession to make. I’m not the most engaged student. I really don’t like that many of my classes. But that doesn’t mean my parents are wasting their money on my education. I’ve learned a lot from college. It’s just a majority of my learning has come from outside the classroom, in student organizations. Because they just function more like the real world than my Russian Lit class ever did.
Want to get the most extracurricular bang for your buck? Looking for real experience to discuss in your interviews? Here are the organizations you need to join. Now, it’s a pretty long list, but they’re not mutually exclusive. If an organization meets several of these criteria, chances are it’s a good fit.
An organization where you gain leadership experience: Notice I say “experience,” not “position.” Recruiters and hiring managers aren’t overly concerned with your titles in student orgs; they want to know what you did. It doesn’t take a formal leadership position to be an influential member of a group on campus. In my Career Services Ambassador program, there are only five students on the formal leadership team, but every member is tasked with advising other students with resumes and mock interviews. Therefore they all lead. So ask yourself, were you responsible for planning events, managing a budget, or motivating people? Did other students listen to you and value your opinions? And why?
An org that has an application/tryout: Classes don’t function like the real world. You’re given individual grades, mostly based on individual work. Enrollment depends on a good registration time, not your past work. And you can skip class for the entire month of February and still get an A- (did it). But in selective organizations, the application or tryout process is a lot like interviewing for jobs. And if you get in, your success is contingent on meshing with other members of the group. Not pulling your weight? You get cut. Just like any real world job.
An organization that relates to your career goals: This ought to be a given. Getting your feet wet as a volunteer puts you in good standing for internships, which in turn, improves your job prospects. Here at Carolina, there are tons of pre-professional societies and organizations – from pre-med and business minded to museum work and college sports research. This is especially important for students outside of the professional schools, as your coursework may not have a strong focus or preparation for your field of interest.
An organization with grownups: I got involved with a career counseling organization off campus when I was looking to gain experience in the HR field. Each week, I work side by side with other HR generalists, recruiters, management consultants, and the like. When we have downtime between clients, I get to pick their brains and get advice. And since we work together, they know my strengths and abilities better than an HR panelist ever would. During a recent roundtable training session, I connected with another volunteer, who owns a search firm and finds executive level employees for organizations. We connected over LinkedIn and in one of her messages, she added, “If there is anything I can ever do for you to help in your job search, please let me know.” Seriously? Me? Basically, these organizations are the least awkward way to build your network with established professionals who have extensive networks of their own. Do a good job and make a positive impression, and they might be your “in” for your first post-graduation job.
So what are you waiting for? Get involved!
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