Where to look for leadership opportunities?

[bainsstatic]

---

Members don't see this ad.

...

 

[thedelicatessen]

What are you interested in? Find something you love to do, and go from there. A leadership role will not mean anything if you're not into it. In other words, don't do it to pad your resume; do it because you want to.

 

[bainsstatic]

...

 

[hon abe lin]

If you like playing sports, try getting involved with a club on your campus. For the past year I've been the treasurer of UVM Cycling. It has been rewarding - perhaps more so than my research or clinical experiences - and has taught me to balance my time and energy.

Leadership roles don't have to be medically or scientifically relevant. Give something a shot.

 

[chandelantern]

Captain of a sports team is not irrelavant just because it's not medical. Also, "leadership experience" does not have to be a title or elected position at all. You can demonstate leadership in your job, in your research, volunteering, etc.

Since you mentioned you like mentoring/tutoring I would see if there is a "big-buddy" program in your town. I think ours requires 2 hours a week committment and you are assigned a lil buddy (usually in jr high i think) that you hang out with. There's also a boys home here that is a similar time committment. Or call up elementary or JH schools and see if they need after school tutors. All those things are both community service and leadership. Lastly - maybe a summer sports camp for kids? Have fun!

 

[xraygray]

coach. leadership+sports+teaching+fun. it's what i did and it was hella good time. contact local ymca or whatever youth centers there are in your area. they are always needing coaches with experience in a certain sport.

 

[thegenius]

Basically as the title states, where's a good place to start looking for leadership opportunities. Captain of a sports team may/may not help imo because of the lack of "science relation" but who knows (well actually, I'm hoping somebody here knows). I would like to do something else but nothing's come to mind for the past 3-4 weeks. I'm sure there are tons of things out there, I just am having a 'leadership block' I guess 🙂

Perhaps look in your backyard?

 

[notdeadyet]

What are you interested in? Find something you love to do, and go from there. A leadership role will not mean anything if you're not into it. In other words, don't do it to pad your resume; do it because you want to.

This is good advice. Real leadership opportunities are only given to folks who have a passion and dedication to a particular organization. You have to work your way up. I'm an assistant coordinator for the volunteers at my local ER because I've been there a while and worked hard at it. If I contacted them originally and asked for a leadership position, I'd've been laughed at.

It would be wise to work for non-college organizations, too. Being in a leadership position for a college club is great, but it's a leadership position run by college students for college students. Leadership off campus is more an achievement.

 

[roboyce]

 

[snobored18]

Greek organizations provide a great way of gaining meaningful leadership experience. It certainly isn't for everyone but being on the exe board of a large house is a terrific leadership experience as your are not just responsible for your running your chapter but also communicating and working with the chapters alumni and the administration of both your university and nationals. Its a lot of work because in a solid chapter there are lots of things going on from coordinating social and philantropic events, to educating members and the community etc. And eventually if you aren't satisfied with just your chapter you can run for an exec board position in IFC or panhel the organizations that oversee all of the frats and sororities on campus. A big plus is that most of the big fraternities and sororities run great leadership training programs and hold several conferences a year focused on producing good leaders...if you campus has a greek system you may want to check it out despite the stigma there are many houses out there that positively contribute to their campus and community in big ways.

 

[GuzzyRon]

Basically as the title states, where's a good place to start looking for leadership opportunities. Captain of a sports team may/may not help imo because of the lack of "science relation" but who knows (well actually, I'm hoping somebody here knows). I would like to do something else but nothing's come to mind for the past 3-4 weeks. I'm sure there are tons of things out there, I just am having a 'leadership block' I guess 🙂

Keyword: "find". I was a leader all through high school. I got to college and wanted some leadership opportunities but there was none. So, I looked around and found that there was no student Premed group on campus so I started one. And come election time, I was voted the president of the group. But you don't have to be the president of a student organization to be considered a leader. You can start looking in other areas...join the Student Leadership Council or the Student Ambassadors, or be a tour guide. All these count as leadership positions.

 

[Rafa]

Start a gang.

 

[Orthodoc40]

Basically as the title states, where's a good place to start looking for leadership opportunities. Captain of a sports team may/may not help imo because of the lack of "science relation" but who knows (well actually, I'm hoping somebody here knows). I would like to do something else but nothing's come to mind for the past 3-4 weeks. I'm sure there are tons of things out there, I just am having a 'leadership block' I guess 🙂

Sorry but, this seems like a silly approach to me. A true leader makes their own "opportunities" to lead. They see something that needs to be done, and they do it, or they make it happen. They just find themselves leading, and didn't realize necessarily that that is what they were "trying to do".

If you like to tutor, put up a bunch of posters offering tutoring. Or advertise on Craigs List, or whatever. Start with one person, and you'll build from there.