How societies can boost your CV

In our latest blog, Claire McKeown, Careers Coach here at WBS, shares how societies can be more than just fun, and a powerful tool for strengthening your CV. 

Many students are interested in joining societies when they start University, for a variety of reasons. Some students want to get involved in something that they enjoy, some want to learn something new, others use it as a way of meeting new or different people, and some have an interest in societies purely because of how they link to their future career interests.

Joining a society can certainly help strengthen your CV in many ways, and it’s important to highlight in your CV exactly what you learned and gained from your society experience, to ensure it is a valuable addition to your CV.

Enhanced employability skills through experience

Being part of a society, particularly in a leadership role, allows students to gain the opportunity to learn, apply and further develop key transferable skills through practical experiences. Even just attending events and activities as a member of a society will give students the opportunity to build their communication, collaboration and organisational skills, while also demonstrating their ability to prioritise academic workload and manage their time effectively. Executive roles will have students undertaking tasks that are a direct reflection of things they would do in a professional workplace- managing budgets, organising people and tasks, and solving problems. 

Some students can struggle to demonstrate “real” experience, and society activities (such as sports and volunteering) can provide concrete STAR‑style examples for applications and competency interviews. Second year BSc Management student Navya Sheth told us that:

“joining Warwick Women’s Careers Society and Warwick India Forum as an exec has put me in real, hands-on situations I can actually talk about in interviews, the kind that genuinely mirror what I might face in the professional world.”

Building your network

When you join a society, you will meet students from other courses and academic departments and year of study, who you might never have met otherwise. This means you can learn from their experiences and perspectives whilst building your professional network. Many societies invite alumni and industry speakers to events and may even offer mentoring schemes or industry specific CV advice. 

Junsu Lim, current Chair of Warwick Finance Societies, shared that members can reach out to over 80 alums for advice on applications, interviews, or to learn more about a specific company or job role, and he believes that this insight makes a real difference to students. Having access to people who are working in the industry that you aim to join is a great way to learn more about what the types of roles you are interested in are really like, and what is currently happening in that industry. This will help you to demonstrate your commercial awareness in interview situations.

Kenza Allouch, a second year BSc Management with Finance student involved in Warwick Entrepreneurs, Warwick Hyperloop and AIESEC UK at Warwick, said that:

“joining a society is a chance to build meaningful relationships and real friendships, while also strengthening the soft skills that prepare you for the professional world.”

Helping you to stand out 

We speak to many students who find applying to internships, placements and graduate roles challenging, especially as application numbers and competition increases. In CareersPlus and Employer Relations, we have been told by our clients that they are looking for “well-rounded” applicants with a variety of experiences, including societies, sports, volunteering and professional work experience.

Demonstrating leadership skills will help your application stand out, particularly if applying to consulting roles. Involvement in relevant societies or volunteering also signals genuine interest and commitment, showing employers your motivation to learn beyond your studies and pursue a career in that field.

Students don’t only have to join societies related to their career goals. Many students successfully draw upon their involvement in sports, music and volunteering during recruitment processes. You can develop useful, professional skills even when your extra-curriculars are not specific to your career interests, and it’s important to get involved in activities you enjoy and are motivated to continue with.