Is the desire to build a resume driving students at American universities away from being exceptional?
There are two things that motivate the masses to attend campus programming activities at colleges, free food and the phrase "resume building".
Interestingly enough, two of America's leading problems are obesity (too much free food) and the lack of the entrepreneurial drive (too many bright people eating that corporate salary).
I won't delve into the free food issue, leaving you to draw your own conclusions on that one, but I will attack the words "resume building".
Let's start with what the employers are telling students today. First, they see a lot of resumes. Spell something wrong, and you're out. Second, a lot of resumes look the same. They hint that they want you to do something that stands out, but the more conservative of the bunch hint at the fact that they would prefer you not stand out too much.
When we head back to actual campus programming (by students, staff, and faculty) it appears as if things fell of deaf ears. Students are baited into joining clubs by the statement that it is a "resume builder".
Unbeknown to many college students, joining a club doesn't make you any better at your job. Being President of the club? Maybe, but certainly not showing up to a meeting once a month of the university economics club.
Students sink countless amounts of hours into these clubs in order to raise enough money to go to a conference where they learn next to nothing.
That's the cycle folks. Join club, sink time into club, put that you were in club on resume.
What you get as a result of this cycle is graduates who are barely more prepared to have a career in their field of study than those that stayed in their dorm room playing video games all day.
A generation of students are competing for jobs largely on the footnotes on the bottom of their resume. Student government, law club, business club, chess club.
If we're looking for, and students are preparing to be, the next great leaders by the extra curricular activities listed at the bottom of resumes, we are screwed.
What is the alternative? How do you stand out as a college student?
Blog, podcast, join professional organizations and participate (those are ones in which everyone works in the field and you're that young kid that shows up, people will love you and want to hire you, trust me), read about your field (if you know the talk, you can talk the talk), get involved in public speaking, travel to areas in need and volunteer (I hear New Orleans could use you).
Increase your world view, build the brand of you, and being exceptional will just happen.
All these things add up to one key thing. Communication. Being the best communicator of the bunch puts you light-years ahead of everyone else, being a member of the Business Leaders Association doesn't.
