Will joining the wrong university society hurt my job prospects?
I've been told to choose any societies I sign up for in freshers' week carefully as membership of some more unusual ones could harm your chances of getting a job. Which are good ones to join?
Full marks for forward thinking; it's good that you're considering future employability but don't let it dominate at this stage. University is about a lot more than the job you get at the end. Student societies are a great way of exploring new things and making friends. You'll be spoilt for choice. Membership is often free for the first month so it's normal to sign up for too many before committing to a manageable number. Employers like to see participation in traditional or subject-based societies, The Fetish Society will not be as well regarded as the Debating, Civil Engineering or History Society.
Chess, athletics or cricket are less likely to trigger alarm than Extreme Ironing (have fun, look tidy). Don't be fooled by the names though, they're mostly about socialising. And remember, it's up to you which memberships to reveal on a future CV. You could use your first year to experiment with activities that appeal, moving to ones that enhance employability later.
One to explore in this context is Bright Futures (bright-futures.org.uk). Formerly known as the Student Industrial Society, it brings students and employers together providing lots of networking opportunities and employability skills events. Not every university has an active society but any student can become an associate member. Even better would be to start a Bright Futures society at your university - now that would look impressive on job applications.
* First published in the Guardian, September 07, Reproduced with permission.
