As a washed-out senior who is in the trenches applying for big girl jobs, it is only fitting to do a resume review. The past three years have flown by quicker than I could have ever imagined, and coming back to campus this semester, I started to question if my resume was up to par with the rest of the applicant pool.Â
Despite my internship experience, my resume lacked on-campus involvement. It quickly dawned on me that throughout the whirlwind of my college career, I had forgotten to get involved. Hence, I am here to urge all the underclassmen to get involved while you can. As an underclassman, it is difficult to lock down an internship opportunity, so here are a couple of ways to stack your resume with on-campus experiences that will display to any recruiter that you apply yourself all around campus.Â
- Join Clubs for Your Major
One thing I wish an upperclassman told me when I freshly arrived on campus is to join the club associated with my major. I guarantee almost every major out there has an affiliate. Whether it be the AMA, American Marketing Association, or the Biomedical Engineering Club, there is something for everyone.Â
Even just saying you were a part of something that allowed you to use the skills from class in real-world applications will be a great talking point in any future interview. Plus, if you are new to campus, this is a great way to get to know people in your major and make a group of friends.
- Take on Leadership Positions
Once you become a general member of your campus clubs, show initiative and take a leadership position. Most clubs have a variety of positions open to any member of the club, regardless of status.Â
This will be a great opportunity to hone in your leadership skills in a college environment. Employers are looking for individuals who voluntarily seek out ways to foster their education and skills aside from job experience.Â
- Participate in Philanthropy
Aside from exclusively job experience, job hunters are seeking individuals who care about ethics and corporate social responsibility. There are hundreds of philanthropies across college campuses that are so simple to join.Â
Specifically, here at Penn State, look no further than joining a THON Committee. It is an easy way to get involved, meet new people, and have a great talking point for future employers. Everyone likes someone who cares about social and ethical issues, so get out there and make some change.
- Become a Teaching Assistant
Although this may apply more to Juniors and Seniors, it can be something to start planning for as an underclassman. Starting a position as a teaching assistant is a great way to not only learn more about your career path, but will also pair you with a professor who can act as a mentor.Â
An extra bonus is that many of these positions are paid. If you aren’t able to secure an internship right away, adding on-campus job experience is just as valuable. It will demonstrate to recruiters that you are invested in furthering your education and will help build time management skills.
- Use Your College Resources!
Your college spends so much time and energy putting together events and networking opportunities for students and the majority of them have low attendance. Every day there are events around campus you can add to your resume that will assist you in your future career goals.Â
Use these to your advantage because they are free and extremely beneficial. Plus, more often than not, they have free food, so win-win!
Happy job hunting collegiates. Hopefully you will be wise and start building your resume earlier than I did!Â