Provided by Selesti Limited
When it comes to writing your CV, it can be difficult to know what activities outside of your studies to include. Below, we’ll look at four things that top graduate job candidates have on their CVs, which you can work towards while at university.
First aid volunteering
Taking part in volunteering activities looks great on a CV, helping to show your well-rounded character. Becoming a first aider is a hugely rewarding and valuable skill to have, adding to your personal development. Not only that, first aid skills are also useful to your future employer. Employers are responsible for the wellbeing of their employees, which includes ensuring there are enough first aiders at work.
If you already have a first aid certificate, make sure it’s still valid before you put it on your CV. That’s because due to a recent change, there is no longer a grace period after a first aid certificate expires, so if yours is out of date, you cannot call yourself a first aider any longer. As with anything on your CV, you should be able to back it up with evidence if questioned about it.
Helping to run a club or society
With countless clubs and societies on your doorstep, there’s a wealth of opportunity to bolster up your CV by taking part. But rather than going out and joining as many clubs as possible, it’s better to only get involved in one or two and play an active part in its running. For example, if you play for a sports team, work your way up to become a team captain, or help lead training sessions. Or if you’re in a society, put yourself forward to become elected for a committee position, such as treasurer or secretary.
In a leadership role, you’ll learn lots of great skills that can help you stand out when applying for jobs. This might include motivating and leading a team, taking charge of your club’s financials as treasurer, learning negotiation and decision making skills in committee meetings, as well as showing good people skills by getting elected for your role.
Writing a blog or getting involved in student media
A great way to improve your writing skills is to get involved in in student media such as The Epinal, or contributing to a blog on topics that interest you. This is a great way to build up your portfolio if you’re looking to enter industries such as journalism, advertising, or marketing.
With blogs existing on almost every topic imaginable online, there are countless opportunities to publish articles on your interests. Blogs are often on the lookout for guest authors, so it’s simply a case of getting in touch with those that do and pitching an idea for an article. You can of cause also set up your own blog using software such as WordPress or Blogger.
Developing your digital skills
Experts predict that by 2017, the UK will need 750,000 skilled digital workers to keep up with the growing technology industry. However, in 2011 the UK produced just 56,000 computer science graduates, suggesting a growing deficit in digital skills.
Even if you’re not looking to enter the technology sector, the truth is that the internet is increasingly important in all industries, whether for making sales, acquiring leads or for customer service. As a result, web skills are becoming a necessity, for example learning how to update website content on a CMS, updating email marketing lists or even basic coding.
A great way to get started is to take a free online course with Codecademy or setting up your own WordPress blog.
What other skills do you have?
Think of any other activities you take part in outside of your studies. What skills have you developed by taking part? Are these skills relevant to the role you’re applying to? If the answer is yes then add it, and remember to prepare for your interview by being able to discuss each activity at length.
