One of the main goals that students in college strive for is to position themselves as the best candidate for their chosen job field upon graduation. Perhaps the most important quality students must learn to develop during the college years is that of leadership. Regardless of major and intended career goals, employers in all industries are always impressed by individuals that clearly show a capability of serving in a leadership role.
So what’s the best way for students to obtain the characteristics that contribute to such a quality? Below are just a few effective leadership roles students can become involved in to achieve this goal:
Club Officer
Not involved in a campus club or organization yet? Start looking for ones to consider joining sooner than later. Already in a club? Then you’re already well on your way to working towards a leadership position. What does that mean exactly? While it probably varies on the actual club, a couple of ways include volunteering to take on additional tasks/duties without needing to be asked and contributing your thoughts/ideas during meetings.
If there are certain steps towards being promoted into an officer type of position, find out the requirements and begin going through the process.
Working up the ranks in such a way will result in a leadership position that you can maintain and undoubtedly gain tremendous benefits from in the long run.
Orientation Leader
As the name implies, an orientation leader is the head person in charge of educating/informing incoming students and their families about life on campus and providing tips for a successful experience.
This position also entails working with staff and other students to coordinate the orientation event each semester and ensuring that everything goes smoothly. It involves a lot of time and effort but when done well, it definitely helps turn students into natural-born leaders.
Editor of the School Paper or Magazine
Journalism degree majors in particular have a huge opportunity to rise above the ranks by joining the campus newspaper or magazine. Not only does this allow students to build their portfolio of samples and strengthen writing skills, it provides them with the chance to lead their team as an editor. Student editors juggle a handful of responsibilities, all of which develop and enhance skills sought out in the workforce as it relates to leadership and management roles.
Resident Advisor
Becoming a resident advisor is one of the most direct ways to get involved with activities on campus–specifically within the dorms. Resident advisors have a lot on their plates during the semester but while the job description can be intimidating, those that do it well stand to gain a lot of experience in both a leadership and team environment. Not only do RAs assume a position of authority, they are required to be skilled at problem solving, working with fellow staff and the general student population, as well as enforce rules and regulations. This type of position is one that embraces all qualities that any individual must possess in order to become an effective leader.
