Originally written by Juliana de Souza at the UBC Career Centre
Employers are eager to bring Arts graduates on board to help them grow their organizations. However, in the competitive world of work, where employers are looking for candidates with a broad range of experiences and competencies, your degree alone may not guarantee you a fulfilling job.
Make the most of your Arts degree by participating in extracurricular activities, and you will gain a powerful and diverse range of skills to wow employers. Strategically describe those skills on your resume, and you may move closer to landing your next great opportunity.
Know the opportunities available to you
While your Arts degree teaches you important skills and mindsets, including problem-solving, analysis, and collaboration, an extracurricular activity allows you to practise and apply these approaches in a non-academic setting.
Here are 5 ways you can make the most of your degree and enrich your academic experience:
1. Find opportunities on campus
UBC offers a wide range of opportunities on campus for students interested in gaining meaningful experience. As the second term begins, keep an eye out for opportunities available to you. Pay special attention to application closing dates, as most opportunities will have unique deadlines.
2. Apply for co-op
The Arts Co-op Program will allow you to experiment with jobs in different industries, test your assumptions, and practise the skills you’ve learned in school. Some employers, especially those in the public sector, look for students who are enrolled in a co-op program. If co-op isn’t an option for you, don’t get discouraged as there are a range of summer positions that you can apply for on your own. Note that many employers will start their summer hiring in January. Access CareersOnline to find paid and unpaid work opportunities for you to gain experience.
3. Volunteer for a student organization
Organizations like the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) or departmental student associations and clubs provide excellent opportunities to gain relevant professional competencies that your future employer will value. Creating meeting agendas, taking minutes, making executive decisions, and organizing events are some of the skills you may gain that will look great on your resume.
4. Leverage your entry-level part-time job
Serving tables in a restaurant or helping customers in a department store can do more than pay your way through university. While working in entry-level part-time positions, you are developing the skills many employers seek in new graduates. Remember that time you calmed a difficult customer or created a system to serve more tables in a short period of time without compromising the quality of work? These are the kinds of stories employers love to hear in job interviews.
5. Add a minor to your Arts degree
Complementing your major with a minor in an area that interests you may help you gain practical skills. Before choosing a minor, take the time to talk to people working in your field of interest to help you make an informed decision.
Narrow down your options
There are many ways you can make the most of your degree and explore the different opportunities available to you. If you are unsure about which experiences to choose, ask yourself the following questions:
- What do you hope to gain from this experience?
- What has worked well in your previous experiences?
- Do your intended plans align with your needs and wants?
Your answers should help you narrow down your options. Regardless of the direction you decide to go, make notes about the discoveries you make along the way. Why? As you live through these experiences, your likes and dislikes related to the world of work may help guide your career path after graduation. These opportunities will also provide content for compelling stories of your skills and strengths to use in your resume, cover letters, and job interviews.
As the new term begins, explore the opportunities available to you and make a commitment to try new extracurricular activities and enhance your academic experience. 2020 is your year!
Keep your career in mind throughout the academic year. Employers and alumni events are happening across campus and provide incredible avenues to network and discover new opportunities. Check out upcoming events:
Have questions or want to have a career conversation? Sign up for an appointment with Arts Career Strategist Robyn Stalkie through CareersOnline by clicking the “Advising” tab at the top.
