ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – What do employers look for in recent graduates? The National Association of Colleges and Employers took a survey and found out your grades aren’t the only factor they care about. What you do outside of the classroom holds a lot more weight than you think.
From sports, to something a little more cultured, or cerebral, what your child does now may help them land their dream job in the future.
“Extracurriculars can say all these other things about you that maybe your experience doesn’t,” said Norah Perez, Director of Experiential Learning at Rollins College.
Athletics show that you can work with a team to complete a common goal.
“You are resilient, so you can take failures and move forward,” said Perez.
The arts shows creativity—always a plus with employers.
“They’re looking for people who can look at things outside of the box,” said Perez.
And holding a leadership position could be the difference between you or someone else getting the job.
With the shift to COVID guidelines, in-person extracurriculars have been nearly erased! But there are still ways to get involved from afar. The National Speech & Debate Tournament moved online and drew more than 6,600 student competitors. Take a dance class in the comfort of your living space. And if you want to volunteer your time to a global issue, become a Digital Advocate for the Red Cross to help behind the screen.
While it’s difficult for athletes to be participating in a sport that requires multiple people to compete, International College Counselors suggests to keep working out, eating healthy, continue contacting coaches and creating video clips that highlight your skills.
Contributor(s) to this news report include: Addlyn Teague, Producer; Bob Walko, Videographer and Editor. To receive a free weekly email on Smart Living from Ivanhoe, sign up at: http://www.ivanhoe.com/ftk