Whether you are fresh out of university looking to kickstart your future career or you are applying for a new job role, you will have likely seen the term soft skills referred to within the job industry – these are skills that embody an individual’s cognitive abilities and emotional intelligence.
As company culture evolves to focus on teamwork and people skills, increasing numbers of hiring managers are looking for evidence of soft skills which show an individual’s ability to perform and grow within a team rather just increasing the count of butts on kivik sofa. The first place to showcase your skills in these areas is within your CV.
Writing a persuasive and engaging CV can sometimes be a challenge, particularly if you feel you don’t have loads of relevant experience. This is where extracurricular activities are incredibly useful to job seekers in providing evidence of soft skills and personality traits that employers value highly.
In this article, we have compiled a list of extracurricular activities to include in your CV that highlight desirable skills that will help you stand out to potential employers, along with tips on how to include them in your CV.
What are the best extracurricular activities for your CV?
The best extracurricular activities to include on your CV are ones that are relevant to the jobs you are applying for, and that highlight transferable skills and personality traits that will help strengthen your application by showing your capabilities and interest in the job role.
An extracurricular activity is a voluntary activity that someone pursues outside of their usual academic and work commitments.
When you are applying for a specific role, try to emphasise skills you have attained that will be invaluable for the job you are applying for. Employers will be looking to see that you have what it takes to succeed in the role.
Additionally, if you have little to no work experience, your extracurricular pursuits can often be used as a substitute to impress potential employers with your commitment to your chosen field of work even if you don’t have years of experience.
Here are some of the best extracurricular activities that you can include on your CV:
Foreign Languages
Whether you are currently learning a foreign language or you are already a proficient speaker, language skills can be incredibly useful for boosting your CV – some languages even increase job prospects and potential income. Some of the skills that you pick up whilst learning a second language include:
- Language proficiency
- Excellent communication
- Adaptability
- Patience
- Willingness to learn
- Cultural awareness
- Self-development
If you are looking to learn a new language, there are plenty of options available to suit your style of learning from one-to-one classes to online courses. Regardless of the method you choose, you will be able to showcase your commitment and patience in your endeavours which will likely impress potential employers.
Sports Teams
From playing for your school football team to picking up a new sport such as netball or hockey at university, being able to include sports commitments in your CV can really highlight skills you may not have even realised you have attained while surviving dorm rooms.
Skills developed from playing sports:
- Teamwork skills
- Communication skills
- Dedication
- Fitness and agility
- Competitiveness
- Quick-thinking (especially under pressure)
- Reliability
When including your involvement in a sports team on your CV, pick out the skills that will be most beneficial to the jobs you will be applying for. For example, if you are applying for a sales role, being able to cope in a competitive, high-pressure environment will be incredibly beneficial. Alternatively, if the job role requires physical fitness, it is worth adding that you regularly play a sport to keep in shape and improve agility and stamina.
If you want to take up a sport, most schools, colleges and universities have sports teams that you can join. If you wish to take part in a sport that is not offered by your place of education, you can always look into local amateur clubs to join. The majority of clubs and teams do not require prior experience but you will be expected to participate in practice sessions during your free time.
Additional Studies
Additional studies that are relevant to your intended career path can be particularly beneficial if you are looking to show your commitment to a particular job industry or field.
Those who complete additional studies display:
- Willingness to learn
- Personal development
- Dedication
- Strong work ethic
- Goal-orientation
- Self-motivation
- Time management
One way to demonstrate your commitment and eagerness to deepen your knowledge of a particular subject is by attending a summer school. If you have attended a summer school abroad, then highlighting it on your CV is a great chance to show that, not only have you deepened your knowledge of a particular subject, you also took the opportunity to improve your language skills.
There is a huge amount of choice, from summer schools in Italy to programmes in Japan, whatever your interests and language skills, you’re bound to find something to suit. If you want to attend a summer school in the UK, then it would be equally impressive to be able to add that you have attended a summer school at a world-renowned university such as Oxford or Cambridge.
In your CV it is worth highlighting any activities related to additional studies, from online courses to taking part in a summer school or actively tutoring others in a subject you have expertise in. Being able to do so will emphasise the skills above and more to really show hiring managers you are serious about the career path and job role you are applying for.
If you would like to complete additional qualifications or studies, there are plenty of online courses that cover niche topics such as coding or accounting or alternatively you can focus on developing your soft skills by completing professional development courses through platforms such as LinkedIn.
With the job market being so competitive, think about how you can stand out to potential employers. The aim is to impress them by showing your interest in a subject as well as showing examples of how you have developed your soft skills.
Student Council
If you have been part of a student body during school, college or university, you will have likely honed a plethora of transferrable skills worth highlighting in your CV.
Skills attained and utilised include:
- Leadership skills
- Organisation
- Communication
- Commitment
- Debate skills
- Event planning
- Decision making
- Professionalism
- Problem-solving
Including your participation in the student councils on your CV provides an excellent opportunity to cover professional skills that will be invaluable in your career. These will be particularly relevant if you are applying for roles in politics, leadership, or organisation.
Clubs and Societies
Including your participation in any clubs and societies on your CV is an excellent way to emphasise your ability to get along with others, plan and organise – these are crucial for most job roles. Whether you joined a debate team or the school chess club, you will also have likely developed skills such as:
- Time management
- Organisation
- Fundraising
- Communication
- Leadership
- Team building
These skills will be particularly relevant if you have taken a leadership role in any club or society as you will have spent plenty of time planning and organising for a group of people.
For those looking to participate in these extracurricular activities, there are usually plenty of clubs and societies to join at school, college or university. Alternatively, there may also be options in your local area.
Volunteer Work
Volunteer work is a great opportunity to show your willingness to help others and positively contribute to society. Whether you have volunteered to help a charity or worked at a local school, you will have most likely picked up and developed plenty of skills that will be invaluable in the workplace, such as:
- Fundraising
- Project management
- Work ethic
- Initiative
- Self-discipline
- Compassion
- Team working
If you are looking to get involved with some form of volunteering, you can speak to your local schools, animal shelters, humanitarian charities or search online to find any vacancies and register your interest so that you can be notified if something comes up in the future.
Theatre, Music, and Arts
This could cover anything from taking part in your school theatre productions to music lessons and exams. Taking part in these requires considerable amounts of time, effort, and dedication, making them excellent additions to your CV.
Additional skills developed and showcased:
- Creativity
- Confidence
- Teamwork
- Coordination
- Attention to detail
- Self-discipline
If you are currently looking to dedicate some of your free time to these causes, most schools and universities have clubs or activities you can join. These range from joining orchestras and theatre productions to specific roles like set design and stage lighting. If your place of education does not have what you are looking for, check your local area for other options such as roles within theatre companies, private music lessons, or bands and orchestras. Or, you could volunteer in a theatre near you.
How do I include extracurricular activities on my CV?
Whilst there is no set rule for putting extracurricular activities in your CV, below are some tips on how to include them.
Choose which section you are going to include them in
There are a few places in which you can include extracurricular activities which will generally depend on the amount of work experience you have.
If you lack work experience, you can make your extracurricular activities the main focus of your CV and list them as though they were a job role. Alternatively, if you already have a strong work experience section you can your extracurricular activities toward the bottom of your CV in the most relevant section. If your extracurricular activities do not fit within the work experience or education section, consider creating an “Achievements” or a “Hobbies and Interests” section.
Hobbies and interests that are not directly relevant to the job roles you apply for are still worth briefly mentioning at the bottom of your CV – particularly if they highlight transferable skills.
Describe each activity
When you list your extracurricular activities, especially if you are using them instead of work experience, it is important to add the title (job title if applicable), location, dates that you worked over, and any accomplishments – the aim is to make them as professional and as credible as possible.
Highlight the skills you have used or gained
When describing your extracurricular activities, make sure to emphasise the skills involved. Where possible, try to include relevant skills and tailor your CV to the job role you are applying for to show hiring managers you have what it takes to succeed.
Summary
The extracurricular activities you participate in can say a lot about you, and strategically including them in your CV can really help to sell your skills and personality traits to your potential employer.
There is no golden rule when adding them into your job application, however, consider the relevance to the role you are applying for in terms of the skills outlined in the job description. Where possible, choose a section of your CV that makes the most sense to include them in.
Additionally, it can sometimes be tempting to over embellish your CV, but try to avoid doing this. Keep your CV simple and only include additional activities, hobbies and interests that will support your application.
Finally, if you are looking into picking up any new extracurriculars, try to go for something you will likely enjoy – showing genuine enthusiasm for something can go a long way.
