When writing your CV it is not just your employment history and qualifications that will be of interest to the employer. They will also be interested in learning more about you as a person and your skills and qualities. A good way to do that is to include some extracurricular activities on your CV. These can demonstrate your skills and how you have applied them outside of work. Here are 5 extracurricular activities to include on your CV.
Sport
Playing as part of a sports team demonstrates many skills and qualities to a potential employer including teamwork, motivation, reliability and physical fitness. If you get the opportunity to undertake some coaching you could also demonstrate your leadership and communication skills.
A good place to start would be your school, college or university as they will be most likely to have several sports teams you could join. Your local community may also have some sports clubs you could join.
Volunteering
Volunteering is a great way to demonstrate your commitment to society and your local community. Plus you will get the opportunity to meet new people and learn new skills. There are lots of places you could volunteer including charities, local organisations or through your school, college or university.
Volunteering demonstrates that you are willing to dedicate time to a good cause thus showing your commitment and empathy.
More like this: Interested in volunteering?
Music or Performing Arts
Being able to stand up and perform in front of a crowd, whether it be playing an instrument, singing or acting in a drama, shows confidence and determination which are skills highly desirable to an employer. These skills are particularly beneficial if you are applying for a job that involves interacting with or presenting to people such as sales or customer service.
Whether you are a member of an orchestra, perform in a band, play an instrument on your own or perhaps attend a drama club there are lots of opportunities to get involved with music or performing arts. If you really want to show your dedication you could teach your skills to others i.e become a music or dance coach.
Clubs or Societies
Being a member of a club or society is another great to demonstrate your commitment. Plus being a member of a club can show your communication, interpersonal and timekeeping skills. Many clubs will allow you to take on additional roles such as president, secretary, treasurer, marketing assistant etc. These roles come with a variety of responsibilities which will be of interest to employers as it shows you are willing to go the extra mile.
Your school, college or university will have lots of clubs and societies you could join. These may be related to your field of study, specific interest or a hobby. There will also be clubs in your local community you could join.
Just make sure you avoid mentioning anything sensitive, inappropriate or controversial i.e membership in political parties.
Foreign Languages
Being able to speak another language is considered to be a very valuable skill for employers. After all, lots of organisations have offices and customers in other countries so they will be very interested in candidates who can speak an additional language.
Learning a new language (or several) shows dedication, a willingness to learn about different cultures and the ability to communicate well. Plus, research shows that employees who can speak additional languages are likely to be better at mulit-tasking, problem solving and interacting with others.
There are lots of ways in which you can learn a new language including online courses, mobile apps and short university/college courses.
More like this: Benefits of learning a new language
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