16 College Clubs That Will Help Build Your Résumé

Getting involved in a club on campus can be beneficial to you during and after college.Your experience in different organizations provides you with skills that can easily transfer onto your résumé. It’s even better if you hold leadership positions in these organizations as it shows that you can work on a team, communicate with others, and take initiative. Ready to get started? Read on for a list of different groups that will help boost your résumé and seriously impress future employers.

Greek Life: Joining a fraternity or sorority isn’t just a great way to make friends. Meeting new people through Greek life allows you to build social skills, which can help you with networking in the future.
Community Service Organizations: Participating in volunteer work and providing services to others is an easy way to boost your résumé while also helping make the world a better place. According to Deloitte, 82% of interviewers prefer applicants with volunteer experience.
Athletic Teams and Clubs: While everyone may not be able to play on a division or sports team, there are other options like intramural athletic clubs you can join. With scheduled meals, study sessions, practices, and games, student athletes not only gain time-management skills, but also a develop competitive mindset—two equally important skills for the workforce.
Resident Hall Committees: These groups are made up of students who vote on decisions for the residents living in their dorm. If you’re interested in improving the community you live in, this is another great way to acquire and build professional leadership skills.
Mentoring: While being a mentor can seem daunting, it comes down to lending a helping hand to someone in need and sharing your knowledge for the benefit of others. Spending time advising other individuals shows a great deal of leadership. College Mentors for Kids, The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and Big Brothers Big Sisters are all organizations which provide mentoring opportunities.
Student Government Association: Get real-world experience advocating for the students on your campus. Student government is a great way to get involved and is crucial to the student body. Show future employers that you’re able to make a change!
Student Media: Write for your campus newspaper or report for your school’s TV news program or radio station! This teaches you to be aware of what’s going on around you and gives you the skills needed to meet deadlines on a daily basis. Student media also provides you with writing samples and real-world content that you can include in your digital portfolio (which you’ll need to send to potential employers).
Dance Marathons: Hosting events requires a lot of planning, marketing, and promotion. Miracle Network, a movement and non-profit organization that raises funds for more than 170 pediatric hospitals in North America, states participating in dance marathons offers valuable nonprofit business experience, including working with a team and raising money.
Art and Music Clubs: These types of clubs include choir, band, and more. Not only will they provide you with additional opportunities to build a portfolio, but you’ll be able to gain experience working with and leading others in a creative field.
Major Relation Organizations: The classroom isn’t the only place you can learn while in college. Clubs that are related to your major will often take field trips and bring in speakers to talk about relevant topics in your field of interest. Members of the daily newspaper or campus news team may visit television and radio news studios, whereas fashion merchandising students may hear from successful people in the fashion industry or alumni that attended the same program. This will give you both the opportunity to learn new skills and network with professionals in your field.
Speech or Debate Team: Joining a speech or debate team requires critical thinking and accurate research. Not only will this look great on a résumé, but it will boost your interviewing and public speaking skills as well.
Language Clubs: Don’t limit your foreign-language learning to one class. Practicing your speaking abilities with others will get you get one step closer to becoming bilingual or multilingual, which can open doors to many more career opportunities. Learning a second language demands a strong work ethic is an additional qualification which can set you apart from other job applicants.
Cultural Clubs: The purpose of these student organizations is to build an awareness of other cultures while promoting the acceptance and understanding of their own communities on campus. Whether it’s a Black Student Association, an Asian-American Association, or the Multicultural International Student Association, these clubs are a great way to learn about other perspectives and enhance multiculturalism at your college. You never know when you’ll get an opportunity to connect with a future employer who will want you to bring a new point of view to a project in the workplace.
Tour-Guide Organizations: Sure, this one may be a bit more intimidating. But speaking in front of groups of people frequently can seriously improve your communication and presentation skills. Typically the admissions office hires students to conduct tours for prospective students. Some offices even have specific tour guides for each department.
Performing Arts: Looking to brush up on your presentation skills? Join a performing arts organization like drama club and learn how to memorize lines, speak in front of a crowd, and think on your feet. You’ll be thanking yourself when you get a surprise question in your next interview.
Honor Societies: This is an organization students are invited to join based on specific GPA requirements. Because you must demonstrate high academic standards, an honor society membership shows that you’re seriously dedicated to your work ethic (which potential employers will admire).