No matter what industry you’re in, your Outward Bound Costa Rica experience can help you with everything from building your resume to nailing a nerve-wracking job interview.
1. Building your resume
Adding OBCR to your resume or CV can really help you stand out. Honestly, you can apply your experience anywhere! But best categories on a resume for your experience are under Education, Leadership or Volunteer Experience. Here’s an example of how to document it on your resume:
Volunteer Experience
Outward Bound Costa Rica Alumni, 15-day Panama Service Expedition
- Developed resiliency through a physically and mentally demanding outdoor expedition
- Honed decision-making, collaboration and conflict resolution skills
- Practiced teamwork, leadership and feedback skills daily
Education
Outward Bound Costa Rica Alumni, 85-day Coast to Coast Expedition
- Earned four outdoor certifications: CPR, AED & First Aid, Basic Scuba Diver, Waterfront Lifeguarding, and Whitewater Raft Guide License Class I-II
- Completed 23 hours of community service—community development, painting a school, and assisting with an orphanage fundraiser
- Developed collaboration skills during a challenging team-focused outdoor expedition
- Honed communication, compassion and conflict resolution skills
- Practiced decision-making and leadership skills daily
2. Narrowing down your career path
Not quite sure what career is right for you? Keep money out of the equation and go with what you are truly passionate about or a hobby you enjoy. In doing so, you’ll be setting yourself up for a lifetime of fulfilment and happiness. Grab a notepad, spend some time self reflecting and ask yourself the following questions:
- What skills on course were you particularly good at? (ex. leading, listening, empathizing)
- What do you really enjoy doing (again, and again)?
- What do you really want to avoid in your job/career?
- What would people who know you well, say about areas in which you excel?
- What did you discover about your leadership style on course?
- Where are you now? What have you achieved so far (education, courses, training, experience)?
- What are the ‘must haves’ for you in your career? (ex. values, people, location, type of work)
- Who and/or what influences your career choice? (ex. family, money, peers, you, other) What influence do they have over your choice? What do you think of that?
- What would you be happy to spend the next 5 years of your life doing?
- What is your ideal job or career? Write down your ideal job or career with all the reasons it’s ideal for you.
- What do you still need to do to achieve your ideal? Who can you speak to who can help? What resources do you have available to help you achieve what you still need to do?
- If for any reason your ideal job or career is not achievable right now, what can you learn from what you’ve written so far and how can you apply that to a different job?
- What do you need to do in order to ensure you make the right choices?
- Who should you be speaking to next?
3. Job interviews
Drawing on your OBCR experience will help you to answer a number of tricky interview questions. Here are two of the most common questions that your interviewer may ask and some ideas to support your answer:
Tell me about a time you led a group to achieve a goal.
This question assesses your leadership capability. Think about when you were asked to take charge of a particular activity or influenced your group in some way. Being able to say that you’ve developed and refined your personal leadership style will carry a lot of weight with your interviewer.
- Think about the leadership wheel.
- Were you cacique for at least one day?
- Did you help make a crucial decision on behalf of your group?
- Did you help coach your course mates to descend a waterfall?
Tell me about a time when you disagreed or had a difference of opinion with someone. How did you handle that?
This question addresses your problem solving skills.
- If there was open conflict, how did you help to calm and resolve the situation?
- Think about what you learned about working together as a group?
- Did you encounter challenges around daily roles and responsibilities?
- How did you cohesively work with people of different personalities?
4. Life skills
Through your OBCR experience, you gain numerous marketable skills and valuable stories of growth, reflection and action. Remember to write down these lessons and skills (communication, resiliency, compassion…) and let it serve as a reminder to you throughout your life. Here’s a rundown of some key skills that can transfer to college and your career:
Communication.
On your Outward Bound Costa Rica course, you had daily opportunities to seize initiative, develop leadership skills, hone your voice and collaborate with a team to achieve daily tasks. Take these interpersonal and communication skills with you as you navigate group projects in the workforce.
Resiliency.
Outward Bound Costa Rica is about accomplishing more than you thought possible and rising to overcome challenges. On course, you faced physical, mental and emotional challenges and strengthened a key life and work skill: resiliency. As an Outward Bound Costa Rica alum, you are likely to be more flexible, self-reliant and confident—and you have a great story to tell during your interview about how you applied grit, determination on course that has built a strong work ethic.
Compassion.
On course, you learned to work through differences and value other points of view. Possessing a heightened social-emotional awareness will make you a valuable team player; flexibility and inclusion are vital in today’s ever-changing workplace.
Value & Goals.
Hiring failures are the result of a poor cultural fit. If you are authentic—meaning you own your values and understand your personal goals—you are more likely to navigate to a job or school that is a best fit for you. This is a win for your employer as well as for you. At Outward Bound Costa Rica, you may have spent quality time reflecting on your goals. You journaled, traveled, and participated in daily goal setting discussions with your course mates and instructors. Reflect back on this time, did any of these moments help shape or clarify your values and goals?
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In many ways, your career will be a lifelong journey. Never forget what you learned on course and take it with you where ever you go along the way.
Feeling Nostalgic?
Remember, all OBCR Alumni get 10% discount off course tuition! Each course is a different experience, so bring along a friend or even come as a custom group.