One of the things that came out of our social media survey that we did back in the Fall was the request to learn ways to build resume depth while remaining on campus. That suggestion has inspired this post, which is just one in a series that will showcase various opportunities and/or tips to building your resume up while you are on campus.
By Vladimir Stroe ’16
Building resume depth is one of the most important ways to communicate your skills and expertise to employers. Whether you are just starting at Bucknell or you’ve just decided to become more involved, starting out can seem daunting. This series of blog posts aims to make it easier to get ideas on where to start out and how to tackle this issue proactively.
My first recommendation is doing a bit of introspection first. Some questions to ask yourself are: What do you like doing? What were some of your favorite extracurriculars in high school? What would your dream profession look like? Is there anything you are curious to explore? Starting something new, even if it proves to be something you are not ultimately interested in, still gives you valuable experience and knowledge of you as a person and what you like.
If for example, in high school you were part of a debate club and really enjoyed your experience, you can naturally transition that into your college life. Sometimes, what you were passionate about in the past may be currently unavailable at Bucknell. That can prove to be a wonderful opportunity to take on the leadership position as a president of a new club.
College can be a time to discover new interests as well. If you join a club, you can participate without making many commitments at first to get a feel to whether they suit your interests.
Here are a few ways you can discover what to do on campus:
- Attend Bucknell’s Involvement and Community Service Fair on campus! This semester’s took place on the 21st of January, however there will be more opportunities to attend these fairs as more are organized each semester.
- Ask your friends! Have a conversation with your friends on what they do extracurricularly. Have them detail the day-to-day activities that they do for their club and what they find rewarding to get a sense of what joining that club would entail.
- Ask your academic advisor! Academic advisors are happy to help students find their place at Bucknell and many of them are knowledgeable about events currently happening on campus. After working with them for a while they might know just what might fit your personality and skillset.
- Go on the Involvement Network page (found at https://getinvolved.bucknell.edu/)! Clicking on the organizations tab will take you to a page with all the registered organizations on campus that you can browse. There are currently 256 organizations to explore on campus. Some of them give you the option to sign up directly from the InNetwork page, while others give you contact details which you can use to reach out and express your interest.
Once you have found an activity that suits your interest, you can be as involved in it as you see fit. Taking on new responsibilities can be a gradual process. As you become more and more active in the club, you should consider taking up a leadership position as well. Better yet, members will notice your efforts and encourage you to apply as well!
Getting involved in activities across campus can be challenging and time intensive, but it will not only make you better equipped for the professional world, but also give you the opportunity to establish lifelong friendships!