Nobody cares about how many clubs you were in.

It's college application season and for those of you who are thinking of taking the next step and applying for your dream schools, chances are, you are going to be asked to write a 1000 word essay that highlights your life. The Personal Statement has been a staple to the college application process since the beginning of time. Growing up, we were told to be the renaissance man- try as many activities as possible and participate in everything. Whether it was a 10 week course in fencing or playing pee-wee flag football when you were 8, it was promoted that you had to get involved. Indeed, joining activities taught teamwork and social skills but listing all of your participation trophies does not get you in the door for most jobs and companies.

Just like how CVs and Cover letters are becoming a forgotten art, brag sheets do not make a candidate stand out above the rest.

So how do you differentiate yourself from the thousands of competitors?

Share your pain- your trials and tribulations.

Everyone has a different upbringing and that leads to different experiences. Although it is very important to share that you were a 4-year varsity starter on your volleyball team and that you were first chair in the school orchestra, that does not separate you from the other hundreds of ambitious, competitive individuals.

We all have different stories, different experiences that make up our drive. Companies and schools want to know what motivates you and why you are driven to do what you do. The failures and errors that you carry with you, create a painful experience that you will be pushed to break out of. We all have had failures that we are afraid of and that is why we try so hard to keep pushing and succeeding.

Now, don't create a sob story to tell your recruiter- we will be able to tell- but take a moment to really think about why you do what you do.

Why do you strive to succeed? Who are you trying to prove something to? What happens if you fail? Did you fail? What did you learn from it? Did someone tell you that you couldn't? The goal of every recruiter is to find the best fit for both the candidate and the company/school. Sharing your pain and drive uncovers far more than listing your accomplishments. It creates a vivid picture of who you really are.