Avantika Vaishnav
Your student union is a hub of student activity organised for your benefit. It is dedicated to make your time at university as social and active as possible as well as providing you with all the support you need. There are so many fun advantages in becoming active within the SU, and it is also a really great way to boost your CV. The student union is the secret weapon to your career success, and here is why.
Network, network, network!
Both staff and students make up the force behind your university’s Student Union and it is a great way to network, create contacts, and build professional and personal relationships with peers and staff members. Furthermore, getting to know your SU staff by attending SU events and making yourself known, could also lead to potentially reference opportunities for your CV.
Emotional support
Becoming involved within your student union is a wonderful way to boost your confidence as you begin to start building a career portfolio. Confidence is needed in any job, whether it is confidence in applying for your dream job or having the confidence in putting yourself out there in a professional environment. We all need people to encourage us, believe in us, support us, and remind us that we are not alone. For students, this is the support the Student Union provides through careers advice and employability help, to name a few. This help can make a huge difference in your career prospects, as self-confidence is crucial.
Societies
Your SU will provide you with opportunities to take a well-deserved break from your studies, and offer a broad range of societies, some that will surprise you! If there isn’t a society you wish to join, then you can always start your own! Did someone say wine and cheese society?
The great thing about societies, other than making friends, is that SU affiliated societies offer positions such as President, Treasurer, Social Media Manager and many more that cover a wide set of skills and interests. This is a fantastic way to stand out to potential employees, showing off your leadership skills and proving that you are dedicated and trustworthy.
Need to earn some extra cash?
As stated before, the SU is a combined force of students and staff, and there are job positions available in your SU at the desk, at the campus coffee shop, and at the campus bar. These roles require a diverse set of skills that will be transferable to work life situations. Not only are transferable skills pivotal to kick-starting your career, but many employees will recognise the skill of balancing university life with a job as an advantage.
Sporting success to working success
One of the most popular things about most Student Unions’ is their sports teams. Not only do sport teams such as football, rugby and netball have great night’s out, but they help to encourage teamwork and communication skills, critical to career success. You are also guaranteed to make friends and release endorphins, forgetting the stress that comes with university life, if only, for a short while.
Volunteering
Lastly, the SU encourage students to volunteer, which can be one of the most rewarding experiences. As well as the personal gains, it shows good initiative and highlights certain characteristics that are desired by employers. You can volunteer as little or as much as you like in places such as your local food bank or at a kids after-school club and trust me, you will feel greater for it.
Your SU, as great as it is for drinks and for the cheeky night out to your campus club, also provides a lot more that can be crucial to advancing your career and boosting your CV. Every university has a Student Union and it is your job as a student to take full of advantage of everything that it has to offer and make it into your secret career weapon.
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