Why Joining A Society Committee Is A Great Idea

Joining relevant Societies while being an undergraduate student, and even starting your own Society, is one of the best things you can do to enhance your university experience and boost your employability. I was a Committee member of the Pro Bono Society and the Commercial Law Society during the final year of my degree. In this article, I will outline some of the benefits of joining a Society Committee as an executive member.

It showcases your proactivity

Proactivity is an invaluable skill which all employers look for nowadays and joining a Society Committee is a great way to demonstrate this. As young adults, it is important to learn to take matters into your own hands and give new opportunities a go. After all, if you never try, you will never learn.

You can join a Society’s Committee in multiple capacities such as by becoming a President, Vice President, Communications Officer, Finance Officer and many more! I was the Vice President of the Commercial Law Society as well as the Finance Officer and Fundraising Director of the Pro Bono Society. In order to get these roles, I had to demonstrate proactivity and a willingness to be part of something that would enhance student experience.

You would also likely be required to put forward an application to persuade a panel that you are the right candidate for that role. This also goes a long way in terms of developing application writing skills as it allows the candidate to reflect on the skills they already have while working towards developing new skills for the future.

It encourages teamwork

Being a member of any team will demonstrate that you are able to work with multiple people at once. This is an invaluable skill for the workplace, encompassing various other micro skills such as emotional intelligence and effective communication. Being part of a Society Committee will also allow you to transfer these skills to your studies if you are required to undertake a group project for example.

I worked on various team projects across the two Societies I was representing such as fundraising for the LawWorks Law School Challenge and putting together events such as insight evenings and commercial awareness sessions.

These were fantastic opportunities to work with a host of different people and develop vital skills for the workplace.

It provides you with network-building opportunities

While being on the Pro Bono Society Committee, I assisted in the planning and organisation of the annual Pro Bono Fair. This was a fantastic opportunity to meet and network with lawyers from leading global firms and organisations such as Ashurst, Freshfields and Amicus. Networking itself is a skill and, if developed through the conscious effort of attending career-building events, can prove instrumental in launching your career.

As a Committee member, being on the administration side of an event rather than simply attending gives you a deeper insight into project management, how to effectively schedule priorities, meet deadlines and, crucially, how to communicate professionally with new people. These are all skills which are very sought-after by legal recruiters and being part of a Committee can help you develop those skills.

It is a dynamic way of developing commercial awareness

Think about it. Any organisation needs good management in order to run effectively. As a Committee member, you are an integral link in that management chain. Depending on your role, you will oversee different aspects of a Society such as social media marketing, contacting people for events or perhaps seeking sponsorships from external organisations.

Businesses, and law firms in particular, have similar branches, their behind-the-scenes, if you like. Every law firm will have a team responsible for brand image and marketing, someone overseeing financial records and the list goes on. So if you are interested in joining a Committee, it can get you thinking about the wider business and legal landscape. It is also great for showcasing in applications and interviews!

It helps you build resilience

During the final year of my degree, I was balancing multiple roles and responsibilities and there were definitely some difficulties I faced along the way. However, I came to realise that any challenge is simply an opportunity to polish your approach and ultimately become more efficient in what you do.

Taking on many responsibilities has allowed me to improve my approach to scheduling and time management immensely. That way, I was able to balance my studies effectively with my extra-curricular commitments in order to reap the benefits from both.

A word of encouragement

Your university experience will be what you make of it. Make sure to make it as enriching as possible by taking on as many opportunities as you can and enjoying the process. You will be amazed at how much more you are capable of and how quickly you can develop your skills if you have the willingness to say ‘Let me give it a go!’

Many thanks to Andrei Dohotaru for this helpful insight into the reasons for joining a society committee. Here's how he describes himself:

I am a First Class City Law graduate currently studying on the LLM SQE1&2 course at BPP University on a scholarship. I have developed a deep-rooted interest in corporate and commercial law and hope to become a qualified solicitor in one of those fields or something similar.