Get a Head Start on Your Career with Student Organizations
Have you ever been in a club or other group at a school you went to? If so, you've been in a student organization!
A student organization is what it sounds like – a group of students brought together by a common interest or goal. They go by many different names, like clubs and associations, but they're effectively the same thing.
You can find them at almost any middle school, high school, or college. They also range from small and local up to State and National levels. One great thing about student orgs is that they're diverse. No matter what you're interested in, you'll probably be able to find one that suits you. Student orgs can fall into categories like:
- Community Service.
- Cultural.
- Academic.
- Career/Technical.
- Religious/Spiritual.
- Hobby/Leisure.
No matter which type of group you decide to join, most have the same perks. Here are a few ways they can help you.
Benefits of Joining
Some students shy away from organizations because of the time commitment. They would rather focus on school work and feel as if a student group may take time away from their schooling. It's true that being in an organization makes your schedule fuller. However, being in one can really pay off in a handful of ways. Because of these benefits, a fuller schedule is a fair trade-off to make.
It's a network.
Joining a student organization opens you up to a network of other students with the same interests as you. When you start looking for your first "real" job, networking will be important. When you're in a student organization, you're already building a network! Your fellow students may even serve as professional contacts in the future. You'll also have plenty of references to use when you apply for jobs.
It helps you explore and build your talents.
Organizations let you explore your interests. You may find out what you're good at, what you love, and what motivates you in life. They also give you the opportunity to apply what you've learned in your classes.1 And this doesn't just extend to career and technical orgs, you can get this out of almost any student group.
It can help you grow important career skills.
When you get your first job, skills such as teamwork, time management, and leadership will come in handy. No matter what your career path is, these "soft skills" are a huge plus and a student org helps you grow these "soft skills." For example, teamwork is an important part of many student orgs. These groups have a strong sense of community and kinship between members. In many groups, members have a chance to take on leadership positions as they usually have "officers" like a president, vice president, and treasurer.
As mentioned earlier, you'll have to balance your school work with your role in the org. However, it's not impossible, and tons of students make it work! It might be hard, but you'll leave school with a great sense of time management and responsibility. In a student group, you'll learn how to make your own commitments and stick to them. Being a "self-starter" really helps as an employee, and student orgs can help you get there.
It can prepare you for a career.
Being in a student org exposes you to many different experiences and is great for your future career. The skills we mentioned above aren't the only things you can put on your resume; you can customize it to make yourself stand out more. For example, think of what kinds of activities and projects your group did. Think about what you added to the group and find something you'd want employers to know.
It's likely that you'll interact with diverse groups of people in a student org. In the working world, you'll be in the same situation. Because of this, it's great to expose yourself to different personalities, cultures, subcultures, and more while you're still going to school.1
Being in a student org may also give you experience in your career field. In fact, there are groups specifically for this called Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs). Illinois has hundreds of CTSOs for every job field you can think of. If you're interested in joining one, check out ACTE, which supports many of them.
Next steps
To explore the different student organizations in Illinois, head over to our Student and Trade Connections search tool. If you're looking for local campus organizations, you can also check out local college, high school, or middle school websites.
Sources
1https://www.bentley.edu/news/12-reasons-why-you-should-join-student-organization
