Is joining a club in your major or interest a waste of time? Well, you will only find out once you try. For me, a marketing major, I got more advantages from the marketing club than I thought I would. I went into the group with no expectations and came out with valuable experiences. Here are five details on how being a part of a university club of my major helped me.
1. New Friends
One of the biggest takeaways from joining the marketing club is the new friendships I have made. I have got to work with some incredibly talented people. Yes, in school and classes, I have met some fantastic people as well but in a club of your major or interest, you get to share similarities you are passionate about. You get to pick each other’s brains and share programs, software, and strategies that you may not have been aware of before which may come in handy in possible future jobs.
In my case, I found that people in the club are also more motivated to develop their skills and help one another succeed. The club became a healthy support system. Whenever I needed anything, I could count on the club to help get me there and I could help others reach their goals as well. Since everyone is different and carries a unique set of skills, we can provide strengths where a task can be someone else’s weakness and teach/share our knowledge.
I will be leaving with reliable lifelong friends, and who knows, I may even work with them in the future!
2. Hands-On Experience
Now I can’t speak for other clubs, but the MacEwan Marketing club gave me real-life experiences. In a marketing major, you get to learn a lot of theory behind marketing tactics and you do get to do practical projects. However, the club allowed me to broaden my university proficiency by allowing me to do marketing that you don’t necessarily do in classes. Some of the hands-on experiences from the club include:
· Running email marketing campaigns
· Designing and creating website content
· Learning and using Google and Page Analytics
· Learning and using search engine optimization
· Running paid ads
· Managing social media strategies
· Developing graphic design skills
· Coordinating and planning events
· Developing growth reports
· Conducting podcasts with people in the marketing industry
· Creating YouTube video content
3. Networking Opportunities
Another great benefit of being a part of the marketing club is that it has given me many networking opportunities with industry professionals. The club makes sure to be aware of any networking events happening with the school, other clubs, through other universities and businesses. As a result, I was always kept up to date with any opportunities of interest and was kept aware of how to attend. I have made great connections at these occasions and learnt a lot about myself and the field of marketing. Building secure connections at events through a club can help lead you to more open doors when looking for a job after school!
4. Develop More Employable Skills
Not only do you get to work in your passion in a club, but you will also attain employable skills. Now you may be thinking, “Oh, I can just get those in my classes.” Yet, you may not get to fully exercise your abilities potential. That is why a club helps you to fully demonstrate and learn more skills applicable to your interests. At least it did for me.
5. Push you Out of your Comfort Zone
The last reason the marketing club benefited me is that it pushed me out of my comfort zone to try new things. The club really helped me develop my time management skills on an even larger scale, I got to work in different areas of marketing that I have not attempted and I got to be creative on a new level.
Joining the marketing club has allowed me to gain practical experience and further apply the things I have learnt in all of my university classes. It is never too late to take a chance and find out if a university club will benefit you!
