Extra-curricular experience means faster progress at work

Emma Finamore
19 Oct 2015

What better excuse to stick with that death metal band you started in school?

Employers say graduates with extra-curricular experience progress more quickly and are more successful in the workplace, and only a quarter of employers believe that life experience doesn’t matter on a CV.

School leavers and graduates who take part in extra-curricular activities stand out among job applicants, make more successful employees and progress more quickly within companies than those who do not, according to a new study of 500 UK small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

The research, sponsored by World Challenge, shows that at a time when the employment market is more competitive than ever, 70% of SMEs employers think extra-curricular activities – volunteering, educational trips, sports and music – make young people stand out from the crowd when it comes to applying for jobs.

Two thirds believe that candidates who take part in extra-curricular activities are more successful employees once they start working at a company, due to the experience and range of transferrable skills they possess, while 57% say these young people progress more quickly within the company than those who have not taken part in these experiences.

Just one in three employers place more importance on academic record in job applications than the ability to be able to demonstrate life experience, while only a quarter believe that life experience doesn’t matter on a CV.

“The research demonstrates that at a time when 16-24 year olds are nearly three times more likely to be unemployed – the largest gap the country has seen in 20 years – and when there is a fight for jobs for those making their first step onto the career ladder, businesses want to see the person behind the CV to help them differentiate between otherwise indistinguishable applications,” said Matt Eastlake, Group Managing Director of World Challenge, which sponsored the research.

“Extra-curricular activities allow young people to let their personalities shine through in an extremely competitive environment and also provide them with the skills they need to thrive in the workplace and progress quickly, including resilience, leadership, teamwork and cultural awareness.”

The research also demonstrated interesting regional differences. For instance employers based in London were more likely to look for excellent communication skills, creativity and cultural awareness in job applicants, due to the city’s multiculturalism.

In addition, respondents from the North and Scotland value extra-curricular activities on a CV slightly more highly than other areas of the country, with the Midlands placing the least importance on such experience.

Medium sized SMEs with a bigger employee base were also more likely to value applicants with good extra-curricular experience than smaller or micro businesses, and consider those applicants more likely to progress quickly within the organisation.

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