For most students, when you enter college you usually have little to no experience on your resume. Perhaps, in high school you had a part-time job or two. Other than that, you’re lacking professional work experience. Luckily, joining a college club helps fill the gaps in your resume for when you enter the workforce after college — you just have to mold your participation in them to the requirements of your future career.

Joining a debate club secures you public speaking experience at any conference, competition, or school that the club travels to. It adequately proves that you have great communication skills. When you join clubs in college, they easily beef up the skills and experience sections of your resume, and also your achievements/awards section if you have one. So if you end up winning that debate competition, make sure to throw it on there for future employers!

For any student looking for writing, editing, designing, or publishing experience, start adding to your portfolio by joining their college’s opinionated or literary magazine club on campus. These publications need student writers, editors, and designers in order to be published every semester and are constantly looking for fresh faces. After graduation, you proudly add these projects to your resume and explain how publishing them prepared you to work in an actual publishing house. College club experiences like these provide a jumping off point —  they offer transferable experience and skill in addition to the projects and classes you took to get your BA/BS degree in your desired field.

Even if you’re getting a business degree or looking to get into an administrative role after graduation, there are student activity boards on campus that allow students to plan the school’s events for the year and hire speakers, artists, and lecturers to come to campus. Running and planning large school events, all while monitoring thousands of dollars of the school’s activity budget, boost your resume with organizational, leadership, and budgeting skills. Working closely with the school and handling the school’s money lands you connections with the college’s staff as well, if you plan on coming back to work at your college.

Students who plan to become teachers gain resume experience from education clubs on campus that work with the local community and schools to plan events and activities for children. They also allow students to travel and attend education conferences to help them understand the reality of being a future educator and gain exposure from current educators from across the country.

No matter your major, chances are that there is a club on campus for you, and if there isn’t, start one. College clubs are made and run by students for students.

Whether you are just starting college or you are a senior, don’t miss out on the amazing club opportunities your college offers. College clubs are such a simple way to build your resume while getting your degree and set yourself up for getting into your field after graduation. Make sure to take advantage of them and have something more than just your degree to show for when you graduate.