In my talks with hundreds of executives and HR professionals through my work with the College Entrepreneur Organization at UC Berkeley, the number one characteristic employers are looking for is leadership. Hence, I would urge anyone having trouble finding a job or an internship to take a look at their resume with one thought in mind: does my resume make me look like a leader?

Have I taken initiative on campus and started or organized anything whether it be an event, a student organization, a rally, etc.? Have I attained any leadership positions in any of the activities I have participated in? Does my work experience show instances where I took initiative, made a decision, and got results, or is it full of average achievements where I simply did what I was asked to do and nothing more? What awards have I earned which showcase my leadership experience?

If you are now worried that you may not have any leadership experience, fear not, these are experiences you can get by simply starting something. If you are still a student, take time to look up your school’s processes for starting a club, find a faculty member, and begin recruiting members and organizing events.

If you have already graduated, take the time you are spending applying to jobs to also start a community service project or web project and find a few interested individuals from your own personal network (friends, family, and beyond) to get involved. This will not only help you get valuable leadership experience, but also fill time you spent searching for a job so there are no gaps in your resume.

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