Extracurriculars, clubs and volunteering

Choose the activities where you had a role, made a contribution or reached a notable level, and present each like a small job: role, organisation, dates and one or two bullets. Activities with real responsibility tell employers far more than a list of club names.

Example:
"Events Coordinator | University Business Society | Sep 2024 – Jun 2025

• Organised four networking evenings with local employers, each attended by 60–80 students.
• Managed a team of five volunteers and a small events budget."

Practical tips:

• Use a heading such as "Activities", "Leadership and Activities" or "Volunteering".
• Put the most relevant or substantial activity first.
• Combine minor memberships into one line: "Member: Photography Club, Arabic Debate Society".
• Leave out activities you only joined briefly or where you did nothing you can describe.

Include school activities only if you are still at school or in the first years of university, or if they were exceptional.

Include activities that show responsibility, commitment, skills relevant to the job, or a high level of achievement. Leave out ones where you were only a name on a list.

Worth including:

• Leadership or committee roles in clubs and societies.
• Regular volunteering.
• Competitive sports, especially at team captain, university or national level.
• Debating, Model United Nations, student media or performing arts with real involvement.
• Activities linked to your target career, such as a finance society for banking roles.

If you are unsure, ask: "Can I describe something I did here in one specific bullet?" If not, it probably does not belong.

List it briefly if it is relevant to the job or shows a real interest, but do not give it a full entry. Membership alone says little about what you can do.

Options:

• A single line: "Member, IEEE Student Branch; Member, Photography Club".
• Leave it out if space is tight or the club is unrelated.

If you took part in something specific as a member, such as a competition, project or event, describe that instead: "Took part in the club's annual robotics showcase, presenting a line-following robot."

Show the size of the society, what you led and what changed under your leadership. A senior society role is strong evidence of leadership and organisation.

Example:
"President | Engineering Society, University X | Sep 2024 – Jun 2025

• Led a committee of eight and a membership of about 200 students.
• Launched a mentoring scheme pairing first-year students with final-year students.
• Secured sponsorship from two local engineering firms for the annual industry night."

Useful areas to cover:

• Team size and how you organised the committee.
• Events, projects or new initiatives.
• Money raised or managed, sponsorships, or partnerships.
• Growth in members or attendance, if you know the figures.

Avoid listing duties like "chaired meetings" with no result. Focus on what you achieved and how you worked with others, as those are the skills employers look for in this kind of role.

Describe the budget you managed, how you tracked money and any results, such as funds raised or costs saved. A treasurer role shows trust, accuracy and financial skills.

Example:
"Treasurer | Cultural Society | 2024 – 2025

• Managed the society's annual budget and recorded all income and expenses in a shared spreadsheet.
• Reconciled receipts monthly and presented accounts at the annual general meeting.
• Negotiated lower venue costs for the annual cultural night."

This role is especially useful for finance, accounting and administrative jobs. You do not need to state the exact amount of money if you prefer not to.

Show organisation and communication: meetings you coordinated, records you kept and messages you managed.

Example:
"Secretary | Debating Society | 2024 – 2025

• Prepared agendas and minutes for fortnightly committee meetings.
• Managed the society's email list of 300 members and sent weekly updates.
• Coordinated room bookings and event schedules with the student union."

These are directly relevant to administrative, coordination and project roles. Highlight any improvements you made, such as a new booking system or newsletter.

Describe the event, its size, your role and what made it successful, using numbers where you have them.

Example:
"Lead Organiser, Careers in Tech Evening | Computing Society | Mar 2025

• Planned a panel event with four industry speakers and about 120 attendees.
• Managed promotion on Instagram and the university email list.
• Coordinated catering, room setup and a team of six volunteers."

Event organising shows planning, communication, budgeting and teamwork, which many employers value.

Present it as a founding role with the club's purpose, how you set it up, and how it grew. Starting something is strong evidence of initiative.

Example:
"Founder and President | Sustainability Club, University X | 2023 – 2025

• Founded the club with three classmates and gained official university recognition.
• Grew membership to around 80 students over two years.
• Organised campus clean-ups and a recycling campaign in student housing."

Make sure the title "Founder" is accurate. If you co-founded it, say "Co-founder".

Include sports if you play at a competitive level, hold a role such as captain, or if they show commitment and teamwork relevant to the job. Casual sports interests can go in a short interests line, or be left out.

Examples:

• "University Football Team (2023 – 2025): played in the inter-university league; trained four times a week."
• "Captain, School Basketball Team (2022 – 2023)."

Sports show discipline, teamwork and time management, especially when combined with good results in your studies. Keep the entry short unless it was a major commitment.

Describe the team, the level and the leadership tasks you took on, such as organising training, motivating players or representing the team.

Example:
"Captain | University Cricket Team | 2024 – 2025

• Led a squad of 15 players in the inter-university league.
• Organised training schedules and coordinated with the sports office for fixtures.
• Team reached the league semi-finals."

Captaincy is a clear example of leadership. Put it in a "Leadership and Activities" section, near the top if you lack work experience.

Give it a clear entry with your level, years and main results. Competing at a high level shows dedication, discipline and resilience, which employers respect.

Example:
"National Swimming Team (Junior), UAE | 2020 – 2024

• Competed in regional and international championships in the 200 m freestyle.
• Trained up to 18 hours a week alongside full-time study."

If it took a lot of your time, this also explains why you may have less work experience. Keep it to two or three lines so it supports, rather than takes over, your resume.

List volunteering like a job: your role, the organisation, dates and one or two bullets on what you did and what it achieved. Volunteering is real experience, and it can show skills employers want.

Example:
"Volunteer Tutor | Fictional Learning Centre, Sharjah | Oct 2024 – Present

• Tutor three secondary school students in English every week.
• Created simple reading worksheets now used by other volunteers."

Tips:

• Use a "Volunteering" section, or include it in "Experience" with "(Volunteer)" in the title.
• Put relevant volunteering higher on the page.
• Mention regular commitments, such as weekly sessions, because consistency matters.
• Use figures you know: hours, people helped or money raised.

Only include volunteering you really did, and describe your role accurately. A volunteer coordinator can also be a good referee.

Regular volunteering is usually more valuable, because it shows commitment. One-off volunteering is worth including if it was substantial, relevant to the job, or you had a defined role.

Examples:

• Regular: "Weekly volunteer at a food bank, 2024 – present."
• One-off but strong: "Volunteer team lead at a 5,000-participant charity run, March 2025."

Several small one-off activities can be grouped: "Event volunteering: university open days, charity fairs and a beach clean-up (2024 – 2025)."

Include hours if they are substantial or if the employer or programme asks for them. Hours can show commitment, especially for healthcare, teaching and community roles.

Examples:

• "Hospital volunteer | 2024 – 2025 | around 120 hours"
• "Weekly, 3 hours per session"

Only include hours you can reasonably confirm, such as from a volunteer log or certificate. If you do not know, describe the frequency instead.

Yes, if you want to. Volunteering through a religious organisation is still volunteering, and the skills are what matter. You decide how much to reveal about your beliefs.

Options:

• Name the organisation: "Volunteer, Ramadan iftar programme, Fictional Mosque, Dubai".
• Describe it generally: "Volunteer, community meal programme".

Focus your bullets on what you did, such as organising food distribution or coordinating volunteers. In some countries, such as the UK, anti-discrimination law covers religion or belief, but employers can still form impressions, so choose the wording you are comfortable with.

List your role, the event, dates and what you did, including the scale of the event if it is publicly known. Large events often give volunteers real responsibility in visitor services, logistics or media.

Example:
"Visitor Services Volunteer | International Sporting Event, Doha | Nov – Dec 2024

• Guided spectators at stadium gates during matches.
• Answered questions in English and Arabic and resolved ticketing issues with supervisors."

Include any training you received and any leadership role, such as team leader.

List it if you did something meaningful and can describe it. Required service still counts, as long as you describe what you did.

Example:
"Community Service (IB CAS) | 2023 – 2024

• Organised a weekly reading club for younger students at my school.
• Planned and ran a fundraising bake sale for a local charity."

You do not need to explain that it was required. As you move through university, replace school service with more recent activities.

List NSS (National Service Scheme) or NCC (National Cadet Corps) as an activity with your role, years and what you did, plus any certificate or rank.

Examples:

• "NCC Cadet | 2022 – 2025 | 'B' Certificate; attended annual training camp."
• "NSS Volunteer | 2023 – 2024 | Organised a blood donation camp and a village literacy drive."

These are well known to Indian employers and can show discipline and community work. For international applications, write the full name, not just the abbreviation.

Yes, if you held a role, earned notable awards, or stayed involved for several years. Scouting and Guiding show leadership, teamwork and practical skills.

Example:
"Patrol Leader | Scouts | 2020 – 2024

• Led a patrol of six younger scouts on weekend camps.
• Organised first aid practice sessions."

Once you have university or work experience, you can shorten this to one line, or keep it if you are now a leader or volunteer helper.

List the award and level, the year, and a short note on what you did for it. Some versions are called The International Award for Young People in other countries.

Example: "Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Gold | 2024 — volunteering at a care home, kayaking skills and a four-day expedition."

This award shows commitment over a long period, and UK employers and universities widely recognise it. Put it under "Awards" or "Activities" and keep the description short. Once you have a degree and some work experience, shorten it to one line or remove it.

List MUN with your role, the conferences, the committees and any awards. MUN shows research, public speaking, negotiation and writing skills.

Example:
"Model United Nations | 2023 – 2025

• Represented assigned countries at four conferences in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
• Wrote position papers and co-authored resolutions in the Security Council committee.
• Awarded Best Delegate (2025)."

If you organised a conference, for example as Secretary-General or chair, include that role.

List the debating society or team, your role, the competitions and any results. Debating shows research, quick thinking and public speaking.

Example:
"Debating Team | University X | 2023 – 2025

• Competed in six inter-university tournaments in British Parliamentary format.
• Reached the semi-finals of a national university championship (2024).
• Coached new members in weekly practice sessions."

Debating is especially relevant for law, consulting, sales and policy roles.

Describe your position, what you worked on and any changes you helped bring about. Student council roles show representation, teamwork and negotiation.

Example:
"Academic Affairs Representative | Student Council | 2024 – 2025

• Represented 600 business students at monthly meetings with faculty leaders.
• Collected student feedback through surveys and proposed extended library hours during exams, which were introduced."

Focus on results and your specific role rather than the council's general duties.

Describe the events you helped with, the people you spoke to and any results. Student ambassador roles show communication, reliability and representing an organisation.

Example:
"Student Ambassador | University X | 2024 – 2025

• Led campus tours for visiting families and school groups.
• Answered questions about courses and student life at open days and education fairs.
• Trained new ambassadors on tour routes and key messages."

If the role was paid, you can list it under work experience instead.

Describe who you mentored, how often, and what you helped them with, plus any outcomes.

Example:
"Peer Mentor | First-Year Support Programme | 2024 – 2025

• Mentored five first-year students through regular one-to-one meetings.
• Helped them plan study schedules and find university support services.
• Received positive feedback in the programme's end-of-year survey."

Mentoring is relevant to teaching, HR, coaching and people-management roles. Respect your mentees' privacy and do not share personal details.