Before we explore how to obtain leadership positions, we want to investigate two reasons why leadership is important for college admission. Elite universities know how rare leaders are, so leadership is a quality that instantly stands out to them. Being a leader also provides you an opportunity to grow as a person and boost your self-esteem. In order for you to obtain leadership positions, you have to be able to demonstrate to your current leaders your leadership capabilities, which is what we’re going to focus on in this article: here are three steps for you to prove your leadership potential. Step 1: Explore your options as early as possible “As early as possible” is important to include, because leadership positions usually aren’t so easily-obtained. Most organizations or jobs have hierarchies that you have to climb step by step in order to obtain positions of authority. For example, if your goal is to become the student body president, you are more likely to obtain that position if you were the vice president or secretary the year before compared to a candidate with no prior leadership experience. And in order to become the vice president or secretary, you most likely have to demonstrate leadership in other ways first. If you are a junior or senior in high school, do not worry; there are still ways to obtain leadership roles!
Understanding all of your options is also important. The most common high school leadership roles come in the forms of team captains for sports, club officers, student publications (yearbook, newspaper, etc.) and student government/council. And don’t forget band or orchestra section leaders! These in-school leadership opportunities usually require you to be a part of the teams/clubs for at least a year. Applications and deliberations usually happen towards the end of the year after you have been a part of these clubs, but keep in mind that every organization operates differently. Watch out for those opportunities. There are other ways to demonstrate leadership as well outside of school, such as volunteering/community services, internships/jobs, or even tutoring/mentoring. These opportunities may be just as standout as the opportunities your school provides, potentially even more so depending on the opportunity.
Remember that quality is more important than quantity; instead of assuming as many leadership positions as possible, you are better off finding one or two that are suitable for you. For example, if your strengths lie in STEM, joining a robotics team would be a lot more relevant to your future (and, thus, look better on your college application) than Mock Trial or Model UN. Explore your options! Step 2: Showcase your potential Before obtaining your position, research what your position entails so that you are well-equipped to do a good job. Getting a leadership position isn’t easy because the positions are both scarce and valuable. In order to beat the competition, you will need to develop the skills of a leader in spaces that allow for it. Ask those who are already in leadership positions you are interested in to see what their duties entail and how they handle them so that you can adopt and demonstrate those qualities. Here are four hallmarks of a good leader and how you can develop or showcase these qualities:
Be Involved Good leaders are involved with their community. They take an active role in the operations to fulfill the organization’s purpose. Section leaders, for example, can become involved by communicating with their bandmates and inspiring them to practice. As a member of your club or job of choice, you can demonstrate involvement by showing up to meetings/events and being transparent about your love for the community. If you’re part of the swim team and want to become captain next year, showing up to practice everyday and giving it your all each practice proves to your leaders and teammates that you are passionate about swimming, which is one of the most valuable leadership qualities.
Be Proactive The best leaders aren’t just the face of their community; they go above and beyond. They take initiative and pave the way for others to follow. As a general member, you can demonstrate proactivity by communicating with your peers and leaders ways to improve the club. Furthermore, when your leader looks overwhelmed, you can actively place yourself in the leader’s headspace and offer your assistance.
Cooperate and Communicate Leaders understand the importance of teamwork, which requires mutual understanding and communication. The best leaders embody this quality themselves, frequently communicating with their teammates and working with them in order to lead by example. As part of a team, you can showcase that you’re ready for the leadership position by first and foremost cooperating with your teammates in order to accomplish a common goal; this requires frequent and efficient communication.
Problem-Solve Good leaders are resourceful and collected. Depending on the community you’re a part of, you can demonstrate problem-solving in many different ways. One universal way to demonstrate your problem-solving skills is to offer potential solutions to your leaders during times they need to pivot, which also demonstrates proactivity. Good leaders are also good damage controllers. When situations go awry for various reasons, the people involved will likely look to their leaders for guidance. As a future leader, you should stay calm and offer solutions when these opportunities arise. Step 3: Seize Opportunities, or Create Your Own! Now that you have explored your options and embody the characteristics of a strong leader, it’s time for you to rise up to the task and apply for the position. If your opportunity is within-school, prepare an effective speech. If your opportunity is outside of school, prepare a strong resume and practice interview questions.
By developing the skills detailed in Step 2, however, you will likely have the necessary building blocks for many opportunities. For example, demonstrating leadership in Model UN might open doors to other debate or politic-related opportunities. A colleague or employer might offer you opportunities by seeing your skills through community service and offer you other positions that you never intended for. Leadership opportunities, although scarce, are everywhere and can show up in your lives unpredictably, so try to be open to them, even if you don’t feel ready.
You can also create your own opportunities, which is one of the strongest demonstrations of leadership. We did not include this in Step 2 because you need to develop the leadership qualities in order for your initiative to be effective. Examples of creating your own opportunities include fundraising, launching a campaign, or even starting your own club. One of the strongest hallmarks of a leader is to create spaces for people to grow, so look for spaces that currently do not exist in your communities!
About the Author:
Allan Han, MA is a writer and educator with over six years of teaching experience in teaching K-12 students fundamental English, fundamental Math, SAT writing, and high school literature. He received his Master's Degree in English Instruction at NYU and formerly taught in LaGuardia High School in the city of New York.