If you really want to round out your experience as a college student, it’s a good idea to look for leadership opportunities. You often have to step outside of the classroom to find them. You can join a club and run for office, organize a volunteer project for a local organization, or even seek a leadership role in an honors society. Student leadership roles don’t just help you become a better student. These experiences will also benefit you in a few different ways once you graduate and enter the workforce.
Build Out Your Resume
When you graduate, you want a resume that sets you apart from the competition in some way. If your resume shows one or more leadership roles, this will stand out to employers. They’ll see you as someone who is ready to step up, take initiative, and lead others. Your leadership roles will also give you something to talk about in interviews. When an interviewer asks you questions about leading a team or influencing others, you will have actual experiences to draw on. This will set you apart from candidates who have to give hypothetical answers when asked about their leadership style, experiences, and opinions.
Exude Confidence
Being in a leadership role teaches you confidence. You learn to stand up for the decisions you make, explain them to others, and be the backbone of a team. This confidence will transfer to so many other situations. When you sit down for an interview, you’ll come off as more poised and confident. When asked to tackle a new project, you’ll be more assured that you’re capable of doing it. You’ll also be able to speak with confidence to clients and peers in the industry. Employers want to hire confident team members, and confident team members excel in most industries.
Work Well With a Team
You may not start off in a leadership role in your first post-college job. However, your leadership experience will still help you work effectively as a part of a team. You’ll better understand where your leaders are coming from and the tactics they are using to lead. You’ll know how you would want your team members to operate if you were the leader — and you can act accordingly. The communication skills, confidence, and compromise skills you learn in leadership roles can be an asset in any role.
Move Into Management Faster
Most entry-level jobs don’t involve a lot of leadership. However, your supervisors may be watching you and evaluating your performance to see when you’re ready to move into a leadership role. If you’ve had previous leadership experience before college, you’ll move up the ranks more quickly. You can make your employers more aware of your student leadership roles, which may encourage them to promote you sooner. You can also demonstrate your leadership roles in the workplace, which will show your employers that you’re ready.
When you do move into a management role, you will feel prepared and ready. Without that student leadership experience, moving into the same role might feel like a bigger change or challenge.
As a college student, you often need to seek out student leadership roles. It’s worth putting in the effort. Whether you become a chapter leader for your honors society, president of a campus club, or organizer of your town’s cleanup project, this experience will transform you. You’ll emerge with meaningful resume content and the confidence to excel in post-college employment.
