(COPY) - My first post for Grads.co.uk
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Skill building outside your course
Whilst at
university you are given many opportunities. Many will develop your skills and expand
your career path without you even knowing. So it’s not just your course that’s
teaching you new things. You should take part in as much as you can, because
not only will you increase future possibilities, you’ll also have a lot of fun.
Here are a few things you can do:
1) Socialising
Although it may not sound like a skill building activity, it really is. University
life will offer many societies and teams to take part in. A huge benefit from
making new friends and doing something new is growing confidence. An essential element needed for all
career paths. Each society and sports team runs on a committee. As well as
having fun, you can opt to help the team/society grow. Become the chairman, or
the team captain enhancing your leadership skills. Or maybe the secretary or
social representative, increasing project
management and organisation. But what if there’s nothing you like? Well, many Universities’s allow
you to set up your own. By doing this you are showing innovative and entrepreneurship, two very handy skills bound to help
you in the future, especially with a business aimed career.
2) Rep/Ambassador
Open days. We’ve all attended them and found them a great help in
choosing our University. But the fact is this wouldn’t have been possible
without help from the students. Remember those students that answered all your
questions and gave you tours? Well you could become one of them. Becoming part
of the universities marketing team will offer you a tonne of new skills. You’ll
get the chance to further your skills though promoting your University. It
could be through creativity
and public speaking
by delivering presentations to schools and colleges outside of campus. Or telemarketing and data input from future students, or simply a
campus tour. There’s always something you can help with, and who knows, you
might even get paid for it as well.
3) Volunteering
A great way to stand out on your CV is through volunteering. Not only
will you be developing your skills and standing out, you will also be doing
something good for someone or a community. Taking part in volunteering allows
you to improve your time
management skills,
as you will have to perform a certain amount of hours each week, outside your
work and social time. Volunteering can be anything, from improving someone’s
life by mentoring a child in care, or saving the planet by planting new. Each
bit of volunteer work offers different skills to be learnt. You may end up teaching a class of children, trained to give advice on relationships, or maybe communicating
with the elderly or vulnerable. You might even volunteer your time and skills
that you already know to help someone to increase your portfolio. No matter
what the volunteer work, you are bound to learn something new, and gain
something positive in return.
So, what are
you waiting for? Get yourself out there, and make the most out of your free
time. Because after all, the more skills you have, the greater chance of being
employed.
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