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When people
begin working on writing their
resumes,
many put emphasis on their previous working experience and career history.
However, little do they know that extracurricular achievements, from both extracurricular activities and co-curricular experiences, in a
resume could also have positive impacts.
The extracurricular activities on
resume s
how not only the potential and transferable skills of the applicants, such as leadership skills, communication skills, and language ability, but also their personality traits.
But what does it mean to have extracurricular activities on a
resume? Do you really need to include extracurricular activities in a
resume? And
how to present them on the CV?
In this article, we'll cover all things extracurricular activities on the
resume and s
how you some extracurricular activities examples.
TABLE OF CONTENT
What Does Extracurricular Mean?Extracurricular Activities vs. Co-Curricular ActivitiesThe
Best Extracurricular Activities for a
ResumeHow to Put Extracurricular Activities on
ResumeWhere to Put Extracurricular Activities on a
ResumeTips on
How to Include Extracurricular Activities on a
Resume Resume Example with Extracurricular ActivitiesWhat Does Extracurricular Mean?Extracurricular activities refer to various activities outside of regular school hours, curriculum, or courses that aim to cater to learners' interests. Since extracurricular activities are non-mandatory events, programs, and activities that are affiliated with the school, people choose to participate in them out of interest.
It is often advised to leave the extracurricular activities out of
your resume, but this only applies to experienced job hunters. For freshers with little to no professional experience, extracurricular activities on a
resume/CV are a great way to s
howcase the required skills and relevant experience.Extracurricular Activities vs. Co-Curricular Activities
Sometimes, extracurricular activities and co-curricular activities can
be used interchangeably; they are both related to the school and can both
be included in a
resume/CV. While it is a good idea to also add co-curricular activities to
your resume/CV, they are different from extracurricular activities.
Co-curricular activities and experiences are more closely related to
your chosen field of study, for example, sports, musical activities, debate, art, drama, debate, writing competition, etc.
The
Best Extracurricular Activities on
ResumeHaving extracurricular activities on
your resume/CV can
be very helpful, but you have to do it right.
So consider carefully what curricular activities to add to
your resume. While there are numerous extracurricular activities to put on a
resume, some extracurricular activities tend to interest the hirers more than others.
The following is a list of good extracurricular activities examples to put on
resumes for freshers and entry-level job seekers:
Great examples of extracurricular activities for
your resume/CV:Student CouncilClubs/SocietiesMulticultural OrganizationsForeign LanguagesStudy Abroad ExperienceSports TeamsTutoringVolunteer Activities/Organizations(Non-)Academic CompetitionsGovernment-Related Activities
1. Student Council
Student council experiences will provide students with abundant skills since participating in student council comes with great responsibility, and they need to work well with a group of students.
Student council experiences are a great extracurricular activity example to
be included in the
resume.
Engaging in student council could help students develop:
Engaging in student council could help students develop:Teamwork skillsLeadership skillsOrganizational abilityEvent managing skillsTime management
2. Clubs/Societies
Clubs or societies could
be fun and rewarding when you get to share
your passion, talent, and knowledge with others, as well as to observe and learn from others.
On top of that, skills gained in clubs and/or societies activities will look good on
your resume. Having clubs and/or societies as extracurricular activities on
resume/CV can
be a great way to s
how your unique personality and stand out among candidates.
By joining clubs or societies, you could:Improve on teamwork skillsHave
better time controlImprove on communication skillsWork on Self-improvementSharpen creative thinking
3. Multicultural OrganizationsCross-cultural communities allow students to connect with people from different backgrounds and develop a
better understanding of the world. As businesses increasingly value diversity and inclusion, soft skills you acquire from participating in multicultural organizations and events will come in handy when you mention this as an extracurricular activity on
your resume or prepare for a job interview.Joining a multicultural organization s
hows that you have:Interpersonal communication skillsForeign language abilityCultural awarenessSolidarityOrganizational skills
📚 Further reading:Tackling Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Interview Questions4. Language Skills
Language skills are another highly recommended extracurricular activity example that you include in
your resume. The recruiter values communication skills and language skills to guarantee smooth communication. By writing language skills in the extracurricular section, you will also have a
better chance among fellow applicants.
Participation in a foreign language extracurricular will also equip you with:
Participation in a foreign language extracurricular will also equip you with:Foreign language proficiencyCross-cultural communication skillsThe persistence and hard work in learningHigh awareness towards a different cultureHighly engaged in self-development
5. Study Abroad Experience
Studying abroad might
be a game-changing experience for some students. They will
be tested on their ability to get outside of their comfort zone and will
be faced with the chance to solve problems on their own. Writing
your exchange program in the extracurricular activities section in
your resume can help demonstrate those qualities.
Having a study abroad experience could provide students with:Strong adaptabilityHigh cultural awarenessGood stress resistanceForeign language abilityIndependence
6. Sports Teams
Sports is an activity where a high amount of hard work, teamwork, communication, and dedication are emphasized. These are qualities that most hirers are looking for. Sports team experiences are also good extracurricular activities on
resume.
Engaging in sports could also s
how:Time managementLeadership skillsWorking ethicSell improvementActive
7. Tutoring
Including tutoring experiences in
your resume will s
how the recruiter that you are knowledgeable and sharing and have excellent communication skills. These can also
be good examples of extracurricular activities for a teacher's
resume.
Other skills that could
be s
hown by tutoring include:
Other skills that could
be s
howed by tutoring include:FlexibilityCritical thinkingPatientCommunication skillsSubject knowledge
8. Volunteer Activities/Organizations
Having volunteering activities/organization experience is almost the same as having work experience. The only difference is volunteering is often unpaid.
By including these experiences, you can s
how the recruiter
how dedicated and committed you're to learning and achieving some goals. The recruiter can also learn
your personality traits and passion, which can help you to stand out from other candidates.
Volunteering comes with the images of having:
Volunteering comes with the images of having:Teamwork abilityOrganizational skillsWorking ethicStrong motivationInitiative
9. (Non) Academic Competitions
Participating in non-academic competitions could present
yourself as
being ready for challenges. Considering this extracurricular activity example for
resumes as they can also s
howcase good interpersonal and soft skills.
Taking part in competitions could also demonstrate:
Taking a part in competitions could also demonstrate:MotivationGoal-orientedHard workAbility to withstand pressureCreative thinking
10. Government-Related ActivitiesGetting involved in government-related activities could imply: Getting involved in government-related activities could imply:Organizational abilityCommunication skillsActive and motivatedWorking ethicTime management
How to Put Extracurricular Activities on
ResumeNo matter what
resume format you're writing, a
resume for freshers or teachers, extracurricular activities can
be very helpful for
your application.
However, they will only
be helpful if you properly write extracurricular activities on the
resume.
Now that you know what extracurricular activities mean and some extracurricular activities examples, the next step is to learn
how to list extracurricular activities. Follow the steps
below to list extracurricular activities on
your resume for
your job applications.
🖋Step 1. Mention the name of the organization.Mentioning the name of the organization in the extracurricular activities section in
resumes will increase the credibility of
your experience. If you are serving in some well-known governmental organization or volunteering in some international NGO, this information might bring the extracurricular activities in
your resume to another level.🖋Step 2.Mention
your position in the organization.
By including the position in the organization, the hirer will have a clearer idea as to the scale and
how closely involved the applicants are in the organization.
Being a leader will also provide you with leadership qualifications that might put you with more advantages compared to other applicants.🖋Step 3. List the dates you participated in the activity.
S
howing the dates of participation will allow the hirer to have a brief idea of
how recent and former
your experience is. The duration will also s
how how much effort and dedication you have put into this extracurricular on
your resume.🖋Step 4.Descri
be your major responsibilities, accomplishments, or awards.
This section is very important and
should be wisely customized according to the job opening. You
should include the responsibilities that might help you to procure the position and whether you have any transferable skills or experience for the current job.
Including accomplishments or awards in bullet points will also s
how how dedicated and hard-working you are in the field.🖋Step 5.Add testimonials or references.
You could also include testimonials from
your boss, teacher, leader, or even classmate, as they could provide first-hand information about working with you. A generous and honest review will also improve
your credibility and qualification considerably.Transform
your resume from good to great. Our intelligent
resume analyzer spots improvement opportunities you might have missed.Improve My
Resume
Where to Put Extracurricular Activities on a
ResumeThere are
many places on a
resume where you can write
your extracurricular activities, and the ideal place to put them depends on the job and the relevance
between the job and extracurricular experience.
Below are four different sections on
your resume where you can put extracurricular activities:
1. Work Experience Section
You could include those extracurricular activities in the work experience section on
resume if the roles and responsibilities you have during the extracurricular activities are closely related and relevant to the job you are applying for.
S
howcase
your relevant skills in order to
be qualified for the job even without professional experience.
Example of the experience section:ExperienceVolunteer |Animal Rescue Center | Frazier Park, CA10/2019 - 10/2020Treated wounded wild street cats and dogs that were administered into the shelter.Promoted wild animal care in booths across California.
2. Education Section
Briefly include the extracurricular activities in the education section when you only have subordinate roles but are still relevant to the job opening.
Example of the education section:EducationBachelor of Business AdministrationUniversity of Pennsylvania2016 - 2020Mem
ber of Student CouncilOrganized school charity events.
3. Achievements Section
You could enrich the achievement section on
your resume by including extracurricular activities in it. Also, make sure to
be confident, converse in an active voice, and include quantifiable results.
Example of the achievements section:Led the 2019 University of Minnesota New International Students completed enrollment registration.Helped to organize the 2018 The Voice of University of Minnesota Competition and reached more than 10,000 audiences.
4. Extracurricular Activities Section
You could create a single section specifically for extracurricular activities in
your resume if you have several different extracurriculars that are related to the job. The section could
be la
beled as “Extracurricular Activities” or “Leadership Experience” to make them stand out a little bit more than the education section.
Example of the extracurricular activities section:Leadership ExperiencePresident of CMYK Choir of 58 mem
bers and performed in California Cultural Art Expo.Vice President of Korean Student Association and annually submitted visa renewal application forms to the Korean embassy.
Tips on
How to Include Extracurricular Activities on a
Resume💡 The activity
should be relevant to the position you are applying for.
Make sure that the list of extracurricular activities for the
resume is relevant to the position you are applying for.
For example, if you are applying for a position in a Spain-based company, the extracurricular activities in the Spanish club might increase
your qualifications in terms of language as well as culture. If you are trying to
become a teacher, extracurricular activities like tutoring experiences and student council experience would
be helpful on
your resume.
💡 Mention the details of the extracurricular activity (name of organization, title, etc.) to increase credibility.
List the information of the extracurricular activities in
your resume as completely as possible to make
your extracurricular activities
resume look more professional. You could include details such as the name of the organization, the title of roles, the responsibilities, the achievements, and even the duration of serving.
This way, the extracurricular activities on
your resume will have more credibility and look more competent in the eyes of the recruiter
because they are something that can
be verified.
💡 Take advantage of soft skills gained from sports activities.
If you are including sports as extracurricular activities in
your resume, it would
be best to highlight the soft skills that are acquired. Leadership skills and the ability to perform well under pressure, for example, are sought after by
many companies. Achievements such as the num
ber of goals might not have great importance in this case.
Resume Example with Extracurricular ActivitiesExtracurricular activities on
your resume are pretty useful, especially if you have inadequate working experience to support
your qualification with.
The skills and the experience that is attained during extracurriculars might make up for the absence of not having working experience, exclusively if they are pretty much related and have practical, transferable skills that might come in handy in the position.
Here is an extracurricular activity on a
resume:
Jean Milly
880 Mul
berry CrestSan Clemente, CA 92672(333)-333-3333
[email protected]
Professional Summary
A Foreign language graduate, fast learner with excellent verbal language ability, and proficient in Spanish, Latin, and Japanese.
EducationBachelor in Foreign LanguagesUniversity of Minnesota2015-2019
Extracurricular Activities
English Debate Club PresidentUniversity of Minnesota - Minneapolis, MNJanuary 2019- January 2020
Led English debate club into 2019 state championship
Mem
ber of Chess ClubRainbow College - Minneapolis, MNAugust 2017 - Decem
ber 2018
Won second-place in 2017 Minneapolis Chess Competition
Volunteer in Mexican Refugee CampCamp Sunshine - Texas, TXJuly 2015 - Septem
ber 2015
Helped set up tents and foods for child refugee
Skills
LeadershipCritical thinkingProblem-solvingHospitalityCultural awareness
AchievementCompleted annual city tours for international students in the University of Minnesota for 3 consecutive yearsCertifications
IOFM Accounts Receivable certification
NACPB Quickbooks certification
Interests
PhotographyCreative writingWild animal carePublic speakingLatinConclusionCake
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--- Originally written by Fedrik Hansen---