<p>I'm just wondering how much does it matter to be involved (not a leadership position) in clubs when in undergrad. For example, I attend Baruch College, and although I'm an accounting major, I am considering joining their club called "Finance and Economics Society". I feel as though employers do not see this as anything beneficial to the applicant, but I could be wrong.</p>
<p>In terms of whether I personally will or will not gain from it is a different story. I understand that it provides me some possible networking opportunities and knowledge from upperclassmen that I may find useful, etc. However, all I'm asking is whether being a member of a club is beneficial to one applicant over another.</p>
<p>Clubs can’t hurt you…as long as you aren’t sacrificing your academics and professional opportunities for it.</p>
<p>Generally, clubs aren’t necessary to obtain meaningful employment, if that’s what you’re asking. Then can certainly help, but no club position will ever be as meaningful to a prospective employer than your GPA, work experience (including internships), and your personality in the interview.</p>
<p>I would recommend you join clubs if you’re actually interested and have a passion in the subject matter. Don’t do it for professional gain because the impact will only disappoint you.</p>
<p>If you think it’s going to hurt your grades or academics, I wouldn’t do it. You could always learn something new though or make new friends. Also, with clubs like these, there’s a high chance you’ll make connections, which are important in your future field. </p>
<p>I would at least go to one message to see what they’re about.</p>
<p>I understand that it can be beneficial in terms of knowledge or networking, but can being a member of a club make a difference of whether one obtains the job or not? Assuming that the job was not recommended by a fellow club member.</p>
<p>“but can being a member of a club make a difference of whether one obtains the job or not?”</p>
<p>No, it does not make a difference. Nobody is SIMPLY going to hire you because they were also a member of the Row Club or XYZ Fraternity.</p>
<p>And for anyone who is about to throw out the hypothetical of 2 identical applicants where one was a club member and the other was not, bull****. That situation will NEVER happen.</p>
<p>Like I said, join a club because you actually have an interest in it and want to meet new friends and have some fun social outings. Don’t join it if your intention is for professional gain.</p>
<p>I agree with the above posters. Especially for cut-and-dry majors like accounting (your major) and engineering, the concrete stuff like GPA, internship experience and skills (eg: I can use XYZ accounting program proficiently) will be much more important to land a job.</p>
<p>For more open-ended majors like philisophy, who knows? But lets keep the focus on cut-and-dry majors like accounting and engineering here :D</p>
<p>The benefit of clubs is not membership in them but leadership and skills associated with them. If you are in a finance club, that will never really help you get a job in finance; if you are the treasurer of an a cappella group that has a $100,000 budget, that might help you get a job in finance. Basically, at best, leadership in a club can act as another section on your resume. Instead of that job washing dishes when you were 16, it’s probably more relevant to talk about the work you did to help your club turn a profit during the year you were its treasurer.</p>