<p>What sorts of people are these who are telling you that ECs are so important to employers? (If it’s your fellow students who are saying it, how would they know?) I’ve been in the workforce for 30 years, and don’t recall ever having been asked about my outside activities. And as someone who interviews and hires, I really could not care less how a potential employee spends their free time.</p>
<p>The only big application situation you’ve experienced is college admissions. Colleges definitely look at the whole package; they want you to be good at the job of being a student, but they also want someone who will contribute to the life of the college as a whole. Employers are different. They want someone who can do the job – period.</p>