Standing for the Leadership Race can open a great many doors, so whether you’re looking for a new opportunity, you’re looking to develop professionally or personally, or you just want to make new friends and meet new people, this is the way to do it! This is your chance to lead and make change.
1. The opportunity to become a leader, to bring about change
If there is something you want changing, this is the way to do it! You’ll be the person to make an impact in your life and to the lives of others. You’ll become the voice of the people you represent and you’ll be pivotal in running campaigns (with the support of a team of people at the Union) to enact change.
2. A new challenge
You’ll never know until you try! Being an elected officer could be your calling and it can help you discover so many new things you never knew you could do.
3. Work with UCL and be the voice of the students in committees
Student officers sit on the highest boards at UCL. They affect change. They are the student voice in these meetings. Without them, life at UCL could look a lot different to what it does now (think less mental health funding for one).
4. Excellent experience for your CV
Give yourself that extra edge over other candidates when applying for roles after university. Even if you don’t win the role, running in the Leadership Race shows that you’re an active, engaged person who is willing to put themselves forward. Throughout the whole process, you’ll find that you’ll discover new skills like campaigning and communicating to a large audience. Even day-to-day you’ll be doing like running events, influencing, multitasking and organising are still great things to talk about in any prospective job application.
5. Be in charge of a multi-million-pound charity
This in itself speaks loads for your CV. Ok, it speaks volumes in any situation.
6. A career in higher education?
Sabbatical officers sit on the major commitments with the senior management team of the Union so it’s a great insight into what a career in higher education looks like.
7. Meet new people
A large part of the role is talking to students and meeting loads of people in order to enact change. You’ll create a real bond with your other officers, but you’ll also create relationships with Union staff, university management, the wider community and most importantly, the students. It’s also a great opportunity to showcase interpersonal skills on your CV.
8. Full-time positions get paid!
If you choose to be a full-time officer, you'll get paid around £27k, which is better than some graduate jobs out there! So why not work and get paid from the comforts of the place you've been studying in for the past year or longer.
9. But let's not knock the part-time positions
Part-time positions are still worth their weight in gold. You get tonnes of experience for a role you do alongside your studies. All you need is passion! Read about one of our previous Mature and Part-Time officers and her journey to become the voice for mature and part-time students.
10. Travel the country
Go all over and meet other student leaders, together you become a part of the national student voice.