Step 8: Activities

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For most jobs, you will want to show your leadership and community involvement whether that be in a professional organization or community association. You can title it “Leadership Experience” or simply “Activities.” To show leadership skills, you should demonstrate how you have gone above and beyond normal expectations, took the initiative, and facilitated a team or group. You should also include what position you held within those organizations. 


What should you put in the Activities section?

• The name of the organization
• The position held
• What you accomplished in that position 
• Keep your experiences to about 3 – 5 positions

Should you include political activities?
It’s not uncommon for someone to belong to an organization or association that has political connotations. There is nothing wrong with being affiliated with most of these organizations, but your resume is not the place where you want to advertise it. This is in no way stating that you shouldn’t be who you are!
The exception would be if you are looking for a position within the organization or the company that you want to work for supports your political cause.
Always list your activities in the order of importance to you. Why? Because this is how the prospective employer will view it as well.


Where should you list any honors or distinctions you received in school?
If you are or were some whiz kid or decorated soldier, you could put your activities and honors together in one section. Perhaps it can be titled “Activities and Honors” or “Honors and Activities” which section is titled first should be what you start with. Once again, the ones that are most important to you should go first. You can also separate the two if you have numerous entries that you want to list. Also, honors and distinctions may be listed in the Education section under the school and degree for which the honors were received. If you have a military background, you should put them where you put your military experience.

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​EXAMPLES:
HONORS & ACTIVITIES
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Recipient
Committee on Women in Science, Engineering and Medicine, Chairperson
Junior Achievement, Volunteers

ACTIVITIES
National Society of Accountants
Professional Development Committee
Intramural Sports
basketball, tennis, volleyball

ACTIVITIES
President – Women’s History Month
Led weekly meetings and organized various events during the month
Secretary – March of Dimes, Utah Chapter
Organized participation and scheduled volunteers for March of Dimes walkathons
Marketing Committee – La Bella Dance Troupe