Kassi Cher-Aime joined the Office of Career Development in July 2019 as a graduate assistant Career Advisor. She was born in St. Marc, Haiti and grew up in Nassau, Bahamas as well as several cities in south and central Florida. She graduated from the University of South Florida in May 2016 with a bachelors in mass communications with a concentration in public relations. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in college student affairs here at Nova Southeastern University.
Interested in environmental sustainability? Want to volunteer with animals in shelters? Do you value self-care? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then I have great news: there’s a club for that. Not only are student organizations a great way to get more involved with the things you love, they can also help prepare you for the workplace. Even when applying for internships, you need to be able to put some kind of experience on your resume, and student organizations are a great way to start. So here are a few ways that joining a student organization can help you stand out to employers.
Learning to work with a team
In most workplaces, there is a very low chance that you will be working alone with little interaction with your colleagues. By joining a student organization, you have the opportunity to experience working with a diverse group of people to achieve a common goal. When planning events, general body meetings and even community service projects, you have to work with a committee or an executive board to iron out the details and ensure that things run as smoothly as possible. In the workplace, there may be disagreements and conflict with colleagues, but student organizations give you the opportunity to learn how to professionally navigate conflict without negatively impacting the overall goal of the team.
Building your network
Whether you are joining a pre-professional organization, a cultural organization or one based on your hobbies, one of the biggest perks that a student organization provides are networking opportunities. You get the opportunity to meet new people, build a network and form relationships that will help you with your job search now and in the future. Some organizations,
like fraternities, sororities and pre-professional organizations, are nationwide, which allows you to network with members at NSU and across the country.
Building on your soft skills
Soft skills are skills that cannot be proven through tangible evidence, such as attention to detail, communication and time management. Student organizations allow you to build on these skills. Balancing student organizational commitments, course work and maybe a job or internship shows time management. Leading general body meetings, sending emails to other members or reaching out to guest speakers shows communication. Participating in recruitment activities shows that you are a people person. Being able to build on these soft skills and explain how you have used them will help you stand out in the applicant pool.
Showcasing your leadership
Employers want to see that you have leadership experience because this shows that you will be able to take on projects and lead a team without the need for constant supervision. You can showcase your leadership abilities through student organizations by heading committees and joining an executive board. When writing a resume, if you lack work experience, a “leadership” section can allow you to showcase the transferable skills and relevant work you did as a student leader.
Gaining insight into your field.
Organizations, like the Accounting and Business Students Association (ABSA), American Marketing Association (AMA), Florida Engineering Society Student Chapter at NSU (FES) and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSSA), allow you to get more insight into your fields. These organizations host events, like ABSA’s “A Day In The Life of a CPA,’, which allows you to gain a better understanding of your industry by interacting with an industry professional.
Written: Kassi Cher-Aime
Photo: A. Distel
