100 Extracurricular Activities for Your Resume: Examples and Tips
Experience doesn’t just come from a 9-5. Here’s how you can use extracurricular activities to your advantage in your resume!
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Experience doesn’t just come from a 9-5. Here’s how you can use extracurricular activities to your advantage in your resume!
Extracurricular activities are activities that high school students participate in outside of school and college. These activities can range from a wide variety of interests to hobbies and pursuits, such as sports, clubs, arts, community service, academic competitions and more.
While participating in extracurricular activities isn’t an obligation, they do give students the opportunity to develop qualities like leadershipskills, teamwork, time management and communication skills, while also providing space for personal growth and building friendships.
Extracurricular activities are often overlooked when it comes to resume writing. People assume that valuable experience and relevant skills are only learned through a regular job when, in reality, after-school activities are a great space to gain experience and abilities that you’ll use in a job setting.
We know it might be easier for you to visualize a resume with extracurricular activities, so we’re here to help you! Keep reading to see our list of after-school activities you can put in your resume, resume examples and extra writing tips.
Here’s a detailed list of extracurricular activity examples organized by category.
The impact of your high school extracurricular activities on your resume and future will depend heavily on your goals. That being said, some activities are more recognized than others and have the potential to influence your future prospects.
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No, extracurriculars and after-school activities are also available outside of school. As a high school student, you can:
Absolutely! Hobbies can count as an extracurricular activity, especially if you’re actively involved and dedicated to them outside of school. Maybe you’re not part of your school’s film club but you like creating small films on your own and have a small portfolio of your work; maybe you prefer to paint on your own instead of being part of a club or class.
Whatever the case, hobbies can provide the same benefits as a traditional extracurricular activity. If you’re going to include them in your resume or college application, be sure to highlight them in a way that demonstrates their relevance to your goals and the skills they have helped you develop. For example, if you enjoy photography as a hobby, you could mention how it has improved your attention to detail, creativity and ability to capture and edit images effectively.
No, a job is technically not an extracurricular activity. Despite it being something you do outside of your academic curriculum, extracurricular activities specifically refer to voluntary activities that students participate in to enrich their academic experience, develop professional skills and pursue interests beyond the classroom. Jobs are primarily focused on fulfilling work responsibilities, earning income and gaining practical experience in a professional setting.
However, sometimes certain aspects of a job may overlap with extracurricular activities, particularly if the job involves leadership roles, community involvement or activities that align with your interests and goals.
There is not a set number of after-school activities you should include in your resume, however, we recommend focusing on relevance. Include only the extracurricular activity that’s relevant to the job or college program you’re applying for. Focus on the skills or qualities that are most important for the job or program.
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