6 Extra Curricular Activities in CV to Include

Feb 11, 2025
extra curricular activities in cv
Quick Summary

Quick Summary

  • Including extra-curricular activities in CV showcases your well-rounded skills and highlights them to potential employers.
  • You must present descriptions of extra-curricular activities in a dedicated section. 
  • Emphasise leadership and teamwork skills for freshers and professional competencies for experienced candidates.

Table of Contents

Adding extra curricular activities in CV can highlight your skills and qualifications to employers. This applies especially if you lack professional experience or are still in school. This special section highlights your involvement and emphasizes your employability. It matters as long as its relevance matches the industry or position you want to work in.

Enhancing your resume with extra curricular activities in cv can significantly increase your chances of standing out to potential employers. By showcasing skills such as teamwork, leadership, and time management, you demonstrate that you possess valuable attributes beyond your academic achievements. These activities provide concrete examples of how you have applied these skills in real-world situations, illustrating your ability to collaborate effectively with others and manage multiple responsibilities simultaneously.

What is Extra Curricular Activities?

Extracurricular activities, commonly known as ECs, encompass a wide range of pursuits beyond your regular academic studies. They play a significant role in fostering both personal growth and professional skills. These activities can range from joining clubs and participating in sports to volunteering and taking on internships.

Getting involved in extra curriculars not only broadens your skill set but also showcases your dedication, leadership qualities, and time management abilities.

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Learning how to write extra curricular activities in cv is important. It can help you strengthen your application. It can also compensate for the work experience you might lack.

Now, we will discuss what is extra curricular activities in CV. This guide will also look at other details associated with them. 

What are Extra Curricular Activities in CV?

Extra curricular activities in CV refer to programs outside of educational and workplace qualifications. These activities are important for personal development because they showcase your interests. They also enable your professional development by highlighting your personality. It means they showcase your ability to contribute. This means you can also stick to commitments and manage your time and priorities. Examples include:

  • Athletics
  • Student Government
  • Community Service
  • Employment
  • Arts
  • Hobbies
  • Educational and Academic Clubs

There is a major difference between curricular and co-curricular activities. The former relates to the academic curriculum. You can even grade or assess these activities. However, co-curricular activities are supplementary to the formal curriculum. They include activities such as sports, clubs, or community service.

Extracurricular activities in a CV refer to non-academic pursuits that demonstrate a candidate’s skills, interests, and personality outside of formal education. These activities can showcase leadership, teamwork, creativity, and commitment. Extra curricular activities in CV for freshers serve as an extension of your curriculum. It relates to your achievements in CV in academic high school, college, or other institutions.

Why Include Extra Curricular Activities in CV?

Including extra curricular activities in cv, in India is crucial for several reasons. These include:

  • Extra co-curricular activities in your resume showcase your soft skills and personality traits. Examples include leadership, teamwork, and communication skills. These are invaluable in any workplace.
  • They show your commitment. They also show your time management skills and ability to balance outside responsibilities.
  • They boost your profile for entry-level positions. They show evidence of practical skills and experiences beyond school.
  • Including extracurriculars makes your resume stand out. It shows employers that you are a well-rounded candidate. You have diverse interests and skills.

Hence, extra curricular activities in CV enrich your personal development. They also strengthen your professional appeal. This makes you an ideal candidate in the job market.

Types of Extra Curricular Activities to Include

Knowing what to add in extra curricular activities in cv makes your CV stand out. Here are the different types of extracurricular activities to include in job applications:

Types of Extra-Curricular Activities to Include
  • Leadership Roles in Clubs and Organisations:

Highlight positions where you led a team or organized activities. It must be within a club or organization. This shows your ability to take initiative, manage others, and contribute to success.

  • Volunteer Work and Community Service:

Include volunteer experiences. In these, you dedicated time to helping others or to community projects. This demonstrates your commitment to social responsibility and willingness to help society.

  • Sports and Athletic Achievements:

Mention sports you take part in or achievements you’ve attained. This shows teamwork, discipline, and perseverance. It also shows physical fitness. These qualities can be valuable in many jobs.

  • Artistic Pursuits (e.g., Music, Theatre, Art):

If you have skills or achievements in areas like music, theatre, or visual arts, include them. These activities showcase creativity, dedication, and the ability to work in creative environments.

  • Academic Competitions and Clubs (e.g., Debate, Science Fairs):

Joining academic clubs or competitions shows curiosity. It also shows critical thinking and a passion for learning outside the classroom. It also demonstrates your ability to apply knowledge in practical contexts.

  • Internships and Part-Time Jobs:

Internships and part-time jobs outside your academic focus can show practical skills. They show industry knowledge and professional experience relevant to your career goals.

How to Write Extra Curricular Activities in CV 

Let us look at the steps that teach you what to write in extra curricular activities in cv. These include:

  • Relevance to Job Application: Choose activities that align with the job requirements and showcase skills or qualities valued by the employer.
  • Formatting Tips: Use bullet points for clarity and conciseness. Provide brief descriptions that focus on your role, responsibilities, and quantifiable achievements.
  • Action-Oriented Language: Use strong action verbs to describe your contributions, emphasizing outcomes and results.
  • Organizational Structure: Create a separate section with a heading like “Extracurricular Activities” or “Community Involvement.” Arrange activities in chronological order, starting with the most recent.
  • Tailoring Each Description: Customise each description to highlight relevant skills or experiences that complement your professional qualifications. Avoid detailed explanations and maintain a clear focus on showcasing your capabilities.
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Extra Curricular Activities in Resume for Freshers 

Learning how to add extra curricular activities in resume is essential, especially for freshers. Including these activities can enhance your profile significantly. Here’s how to showcase these experiences effectively:

  1. Introduction: Begin by introducing a dedicated section titled “Extra Curricular Activities” or something similar. This section highlights your engagement beyond academics and provides insight into your personality, interests, and skills beyond formal education.
  2. School and College Activities: List academic activities that show your participation and commitment. This could include involvement in clubs, societies, sports teams, or cultural events.
  3. Significant Projects and Team Experiences: Describe projects or activities to which you contributed. Emphasize your role, responsibilities, and the impact of your contributions. Examples include achieving goals, organizing successful events, or leading initiatives.
  4. Leadership and Responsibilities: Highlight any leadership roles you held, such as team captain, club president, or event organizer. Describe how you managed responsibilities, led teams, and made decisions that contributed to the group’s success.
  5. Balancing Extra Curricular Achievements: Provide insights into how you balance commitments with extracurricular activities. Showcase your ability to manage time, focus on tasks, and achieve results in both areas.

Extra Curricular Activities in Resume for Experienced Candidates

For experienced candidates, integrating extra curricular activities in CV can enrich your professional narrative and highlight critical competencies. Here’s how to present these activities effectively:

  1. Linking Activities to Professional Skills:

Find activities outside of work. They should match the skills needed in your industry or desired job. For example, highlight leadership roles in clubs or volunteer organizations. Do this if you are applying for a managerial role. It will show your ability to lead and motivate teams.

  1. Showing Continuous Learning and Personal Growth:

Include activities that reflect development and learning outside your professional career. You could attend workshops, get certifications, or join industry associations. This would show your commitment to staying current and growing your knowledge.

  1. Including Recent and Impactful Activities: 

Focus on activities that have significantly impacted your career progression. Highlight achievements or initiatives. You made measurable contributions. For example, in fundraising, projects, or community impact.

  1. Activities Related to the Desired Job: 

Customise descriptions of your extra curricular activities in CV. Make sure to emphasize skills or experiences relevant to the job you are applying for. This alignment helps recruiters understand how your diverse experiences contribute. They show your professional capabilities and suitability for the role.

Examples of Well-Written Extra Curricular Sections 

You must learn how to write extra curricular activities in CV to guide your interviewer about your achievements. The following examples will teach you how to add such activities for a marketing, technical, and management position. 

Example 1: For a Marketing Position

The following example shows how you can highlight your activities as formal responsibilities in your resume. This assures the interviewer that your activities have a bigger role to play in your professional development, too.  

Extra Curricular Activities:

  • Digital Marketing Club, President (2018-2020)
    • Led a team of 15 in executing social media campaigns that increased engagement by 30%.
  • Blogging and Content Creation
    • Managed a personal blog with 10,000 monthly views.
    • Focused on SEO strategies and content marketing.
  • American Marketing Association (AMA), Member
    • Participated in workshops on brand management and market research.

Example 2: For a Technical Position

You may have worked in numerous technical fields before applying for a job. The best way to showcase these extra activities is to highlight them in a particular section of your CV. 

Extra Curricular Activities

  • Hackathon Competitions
    • Won 1st place in the regional Hackathon XYZ
    • Developed a mobile app that streamlined customer service processes.
  • Coding Club, Vice President (2019-2021)
    • Organized coding workshops and led a team in developing software solutions.
  • Open Source Contributions
    • Contributed to projects on GitHub, focusing on enhancing usability and functionality.

Example 3: For a Management Position

A management position requires behavioral and soft skills expertise, too. You can showcase the same in your activities section as follows. 

ExtraCurricular Activities

  • Toastmasters International, President (2020-2022)
    • Improved public speaking skills and mentored members, resulting in a 20% increase in club membership.
  • Volunteer Leadership
    • Managed logistics for charity events.
    • Coordinated teams of volunteers and oversaw fundraising efforts that raised $50,000.
  • Business Management Society, Treasurer (2018-2020)
    • Managed a budget of $10,000.
    • Organized networking events and workshops for 200+ members.

Adding Extra Curricular Activities in CV

Extra curricular activities in CV are vital in enhancing a resume beyond academic achievements and showcasing valuable skills. Freshers can differentiate themselves in a competitive job market by selecting and presenting these activities. The benefits of adding these activities to your CV include:

  • They reflect a candidate’s time management abilities, and qualities like leadership, teamwork, and initiative. 
  • Participation in clubs, sports, or volunteer work indicates you have practical experience. This translates to workplace success. 
  • Highlighting these activities provides employers with a view of a candidate’s strengths and contributions.
  • Personalizing extra curricular experiences highlights relevant skills and showcases a candidate’s active nature.

Where to List Extracurricular Activities in Resume?

Here are some popular ways to include extracurricular activities on a resume for fresh graduates:

  1. Standalone “Extracurricular Activities” Section: This is perfect if your involvement aligns closely with the skills needed for the position.
  2. “Education” Section (under your university information): This is effective for highlighting relevant activities that took place during your academic career.
  3. “Volunteer Experience” Section (if relevant): If your volunteer work is significant, it merits its own section, particularly if it relates to the job.
  4. “Achievements” Section (if you can quantify your results): Use this space to highlight impressive accomplishments from your extracurricular engagements.

Which are the best extracurricular activities in a CV?

Extracurricular activities listed on a CV encompass any interests, hobbies, or pursuits that occur outside of academic or work obligations. Showcasing these activities can highlight important traits like leadership, teamwork, and dedication, all of which are highly regarded by potential employers.

These activities showcase essential traits such as leadership, collaboration, and dedication, which are highly sought after by employers. When incorporating them, keep in mind:

  1. Relevance: Customize your extracurricular activities to align with the job you’re pursuing, focusing on those that are most pertinent.
  2. Authenticity: Ensure that you only list genuine activities—steer clear of exaggeration or embellishment.
  3. Measurable Outcomes: Whenever feasible, highlight achievements or results from these activities to illustrate your impact.

Examples for Job Applications

  1. Leadership Roles: Taking charge of a student organization or team, coordinating events.
  2. Volunteer Work: Involvement in community service or charity initiatives, reflecting social responsibility.
  3. Hobbies: Pursuits that showcase relevant skills, such as coding for technology roles or writing for content-focused positions.

Here’s are the extracurricular activities:

  1. Volunteer Work and Fundraising: Demonstrates passion, entrepreneurial skills, and ethical handling of funds while supporting important causes.
  2. Sports and Hobbies: Shows discipline, teamwork, and transferable skills, especially when directly relevant to the job.
  3. Teaching, Tutoring, and Training People: Highlights leadership, mentorship, patience, and instructional abilities.
  4. Speaking Foreign Languages: Reflects cognitive flexibility, intercultural communication, and adaptability in diverse environments.
  5. Performing and Speaking in Public: Builds confidence, communication, and presentation skills that are valuable in client-facing roles.
  6. Student Life Activities: Displays involvement, leadership, and project management abilities from participating in clubs and student councils.
  7. Studying Abroad: Demonstrates adaptability, independence, and the ability to thrive in diverse and unfamiliar environments.
  8. Fulfilling a Work-Study Program: Provides practical, field-specific experience, enhancing your qualifications and hands-on skills.
  9. Arts and Creative Interests: Showcases creative thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills through artistic pursuits.
  10. Resident Advisor Experience: Reflects leadership, conflict resolution, and responsibility in managing and guiding peers in a community setting.

Conclusion

Including extracurricular activities in your CV can significantly enhance your profile by showcasing a well-rounded personality and diverse skill set. These activities demonstrate qualities such as leadership, teamwork, and time management, which are highly valued by employers. They also provide insight into your interests and passions beyond academics or professional experience. Highlighting relevant extracurriculars can set you apart from other candidates, making your CV more compelling and memorable. Overall, they add depth to your application and can be a key factor in securing job opportunities.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Q1. How many extra curricular activities should I include in my resume?

Ans. There is no strict rule on the number of extra curricular activities in CV. Focus on activities that compensate for limited work experience, especially for entry-level positions. Ensure these activities showcase your proactive attitude, transferable skills, and personal initiatives. Analyze how these activities provide skills or experiences that help potential employers understand your worth.

Q2. Can hobbies be included in the extra curricular section?

Ans. Hobbies can qualify as extra curricular activities in CV. This applies especially if performed in an organized setting or as part of a club or team. Include only those hobbies that you engage in regularly and contribute to your skills or personal development.

Q3. Should I list activities from high school on my resume?

Ans. You can list activities from high school if they showcase valuable skills or achievements related to the job you are applying for. However, focus on more recent and significant activities if you have advanced experiences. Align these experiences with the specific sections of your resume.

Q4. How do you describe extra-curricular activities on a CV?

Ans. List activities tied to skills mentioned in the job description to show potential employers their relevance. Use action verbs to outline your responsibilities and achievements, and quantify your impact where possible. For example, “Led a team of 10 members” or “Organised an event attended by 200 people.”

Q5. Can online courses be considered as extra curricular activities?

Ans. Many institutes provide online extra curricular courses. These are for skill development that have the added advantage of time flexibility. It enables you to manage your extra curricular and regular academic classes. Including these courses on your resume shows your commitment to learning and self-improvement. All these online courses account for extra curricular activities in CV.

Q6. How do you put extracurricular activities on a resume?

Ans. When crafting a functional resume that emphasizes skills over experience, position the extracurricular activities section ahead of your work history. However, if you’re using a reverse chronological format, place the extracurriculars after detailing your work experience.

Q7. आप सीवी पर पाठ्येतर गतिविधियों का वर्णन कैसे करते हैं?

Ans. यह सुनिश्चित करें कि आपकी पाठ्येतर गतिविधियाँ उस भूमिका से संबंधित हों जिसके लिए आप आवेदन कर रहे हैं। केवल अपने “पद” या क्लब का नाम लेना ही काफी नहीं है; बल्कि, आपको अपनी ज़िम्मेदारियों और महत्वपूर्ण उपलब्धियों पर भी ध्यान केंद्रित करना चाहिए। अपने रिज्यूमे के उपयुक्त अनुभाग में अपनी पाठ्येतर गतिविधियों को शामिल करें।

Q8. What hobbies to put on a CV?

Ans. Incorporate hobbies that reflect your abilities and character, like volunteering, participating in team sports, indulging in reading, blogging, coding, capturing moments through photography, and exploring new places. These activities can demonstrate traits such as collaboration, creativity, and a desire for personal growth.

Q9. How do I mention extracurricular activities?

Ans. List your extracurricular activities in chronological order. For each activity, include the organization’s name, your role, and the duration of your involvement. Feel free to highlight any accomplishments you attained, using strong action verbs to enhance the impact of your achievements.

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