List of your hobbies and interests on your CV
You are using your CV to apply. It allows you to showcase your professional qualities, but it is nonetheless a rather dry and professional document. You can add a personalized touch to it by including a hook and a list of your hobbies. Now you will learn why it is advisable to add some of your hobbies and interests to your resume and how you should do it.
Hobbies that require skills
It is definitely worth making a list of your hobbies and interests on your CV. You might not realize it, but the things you enjoy doing in your spare time can certainly come in handy at work. Recruiters look for that sort of thing and always make sure to research how candidates like to spend their free time. In fact, it is almost suspicious when someone claims to have no hobbies or interests. If you like to tinker with motorcycles, you are likely to be patient and have great technical knowledge. If you paint a lot, you have an eye for detail and a lot of creativity. If you have five dogs, chances are you are a caring person with strong organizational skills. Your hobbies are about your passions, which means you happily devote yourself to them for hours. If the qualities you need for your leisure time are also needed in the workplace, you will quickly feel at ease.
Interests you may develop
You may have hobbies or interests related to a course or training program that your future employer is offering. Maybe you are passionate about something that will become relevant in some way when you get promoted. As you can probably see, we are reasonably vague because the possibilities are virtually endless. Our advice is therefore to mention your exotic hobbies and unusual interests on your CV. No matter how irrelevant they may seem to the job you’re applying for, your potential employer might see them as the seeds of your professional development.
Hobbies that lead to a “click”
Recruiters are people. Maybe your education and work experience isn’t enough to pique a recruiter’s interest at first glance. However, they might change their mind when reading about your hobbies and interests. After all, not everyone plays Ultimate Frisbee or deals with ponies (these are just random examples, but you surely get the idea). Your hobbies and interests can be a great way to break the ice in an interview: a recruiter loves when candidates talk passionately about something. The recruiter can then compare the passion and ease with which you talk about your hobby to the interest you have in the job posting.
How to list your hobbies and areas of interest on your CV
If you have just entered the job market and want to expand your CV, you can choose to mention your hobbies and interests as a list. In other words: use a row for each hobby. Chances are, however, that you have some work experience under your belt and don’t want to waste space. In this case, it would be better to list your hobbies and interests sequentially, as shown in the example below.
- Hobbies: cooking, travel, thrillers, bike races, etc.
- Interests: East Asia, antique furniture, sociology, etc.
Interests that you should not mention
No matter how good it is to add a personalized touch to your resume and seek to grab the attention of the recruiter, there is a line you should not cross. Do not hesitate to mention on your CV any hobbies and interests that seem useful or give the impression that it could benefit your professional performance. But you don’t want to sound too frivolous. Here are a few examples of hobbies that are best to overlook:
- Listening to weird hard rock
- Have snakes and spiders at home
- Eat chocolate breads
- Flirt with girls
- Play video games
- Going out at night
