School Leavers: What distinctions do you have?

For those of you who are contemplating on leaving school, or are actually in the process, writing up your CV can be a daunting task, especially when you are unsure how to 'sell' yourself, or when your experience is limited.

Below I have outlined some ideas that you may wish to consider when thinking about your Point of Difference i.e. what makes you different and special in your own unique way. To help you think about this you will need to reflect on your distinctions, here are some idea starters to get you going:

  • Youth Club member (e.g. archery)
  • Youth Group member (e.g. church – but do not put the denomination)
  • School debating team
  • Scouting/Girl Guide Leader
  • Peer Support Leader
  • Drama Club or similar
  • School Librarian
  • Contributions to the school magazine (e.g. writer, editor, photographer, etc)
  • School prize winner (e.g. essay)
  • Merit certificate(s) (e.g. Merit Certificate in English – 1st in Class)
  • Prefect
  • Head Captain, Class Captain, etc
  • Duke of Edinburgh Award (Gold, Silver or Bronze)
  • AFS Student (e.g. AFS Student exchange to France)
  • School orchestra, choir
  • Student Representative
  • Representations in school sports (e.g. Colours in swimming, representative in school hocky team, etc)
  • Awards
  • Scholarships
  • School activity clubs (e.g. computer, history)
  • School productions
In fact think of anything that shows your active involvement in the school community.
Written by Paula Stenberg

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