How to Leverage Your Student Organization Experience: 3 Steps to Success

There are countless student organizations at Boston College. From dance groups to service, there’s a place for every student on the BC campus to call their home! But what if we told you that these experiences have a lot to offer towards your internship or employment applications? By taking these three steps, you can use the amazing skills from your club involvement for your resume, cover letter, and interviews!

Step 1: Learn About the Core Competencies

Core Competencies are the skills that employers look for the most in their applicants! These skills are keywords that describe what employers expect of their (potential) employees. An example of some of the core competencies are communication, leadership, teamwork, and service to others. Each of these skills is regularly displayed not only in your work experiences but also in your club experiences!

Step 2: Brainstorm What Experiences Have Helped You Gain These Competencies

The next step is to reflect on your student organization experiences. What clubs have you held leadership positions in, such as an executive board? Even if you are not in a leadership position, brainstorm other skills you may have utilized in your participation in the club. Maybe you have worked with specific technology to contribute to the social media account in the group. Have you used communication skills to promote various events and activities on campus? In every role, in every club, there is an opportunity to showcase your incredible contributions to the clubs and the specific core competencies that you have developed!

Step 3: Let’s Get Specific

Once you’ve paired your club organizations with core competencies that you want to highlight, it’s time to narrow down how you have developed these skills. The best way to show employers your growth and expertise in a core competency is to explain how you used the competency in a project, event, or volunteer opportunity! For example, you could demonstrate teamwork by employing your personal strengths, knowledge, and talents to complement those of others for the Showdown performance in the spring semester. Every experience is a great way to showcase how your student organization experiences have helped with your professional development!

There you have it! In just 3 simple steps, you can show your potential employers the fantastic skills you have learned and developed here at Boston College! If you want to talk through these steps, the Boston College Career Center has great resources, including our Peer Career Coaches and Career Coaches who can coach you through the brainstorming process.

– By Becca Speer, MCAS ’23, Peer Career Coach