Clubs offer benefits, grief
Elena Harding
Issue date: 5/4/09 Section: Opinion
Extracurricular activities can set an applicant apart in the eyes of an employer. For this reason it is tempting to become active in numerous clubs and organizations to rack up some entries on a résumé. However, this can be detrimental to the overall experience.
Campus clubs and organizations are tailored to specific interests, and not all of them are appealing to each individual. By participating in areas that do not hold an interest, they can become a chore rather than an enjoyable activity as they are intended.
I recently undertook a major project, and it has taken up practically all of my free time. Although the experience has been hectic and stressful, I have enjoyed it because my motivation for getting involved was genuine excitement, not just to get something to look good on my résumé.
This is not to say I am innocent of completing the requirements of a club in order to build my résumé, but the experience was far less enjoyable. I put in the minimal amount of effort required and loathed the work throughout the process.
The result was an award, but it did not enthuse me. It was a tedious process in which every step irritated me. Even the awards ceremony got on my nerves.
A way to gauge if the club is a good fit is whether the club duties and meetings become a burden or monotonous. When the project is nothing more than an unpleasant or repetitive chore, it is time to reconsider membership.
Reconsideration does not necessarily mean quitting immediately. Re-evaluate all potential positions or responsibilities and then decide if the overall club or one particular aspect is causing the friction. If no aspect is found enjoyable, then perhaps it is time to find a cause or project that is exciting or thrilling.
Not every situation is so obvious. In some instances there are areas of a project which can be fulfilling but the rest is not. In that case, there are two courses of action: first, concentrate on the part of the project that is interesting, or, second, decide the project is not worth the overall hassle, and move on.
When a task is undertaken for the right reason, out of passion, no matter how much work and effort it entails, it is still enjoyable and is a legitimate addition to a résumé because things were actually learned and real experience gained. If it is merely endured for the opportunity to add it to a résumé, the project will reflect a lack of effort.
Campus clubs and organizations are tailored to specific interests, and not all of them are appealing to each individual. By participating in areas that do not hold an interest, they can become a chore rather than an enjoyable activity as they are intended.
I recently undertook a major project, and it has taken up practically all of my free time. Although the experience has been hectic and stressful, I have enjoyed it because my motivation for getting involved was genuine excitement, not just to get something to look good on my résumé.
This is not to say I am innocent of completing the requirements of a club in order to build my résumé, but the experience was far less enjoyable. I put in the minimal amount of effort required and loathed the work throughout the process.
The result was an award, but it did not enthuse me. It was a tedious process in which every step irritated me. Even the awards ceremony got on my nerves.
A way to gauge if the club is a good fit is whether the club duties and meetings become a burden or monotonous. When the project is nothing more than an unpleasant or repetitive chore, it is time to reconsider membership.
Reconsideration does not necessarily mean quitting immediately. Re-evaluate all potential positions or responsibilities and then decide if the overall club or one particular aspect is causing the friction. If no aspect is found enjoyable, then perhaps it is time to find a cause or project that is exciting or thrilling.
Not every situation is so obvious. In some instances there are areas of a project which can be fulfilling but the rest is not. In that case, there are two courses of action: first, concentrate on the part of the project that is interesting, or, second, decide the project is not worth the overall hassle, and move on.
When a task is undertaken for the right reason, out of passion, no matter how much work and effort it entails, it is still enjoyable and is a legitimate addition to a résumé because things were actually learned and real experience gained. If it is merely endured for the opportunity to add it to a résumé, the project will reflect a lack of effort.
Be the first to comment on this story