Interests and hobbies: what should you include in your resume?

Interests and hobbies: what should you include in your resume?

Talking about one’s passions and hobbies on one’s CV is one of the classic rubrics of any resume. Indeed, this allows recruiters to know a little better your personality and your tastes, and may be to discover a focus that will be useful in your future job! 

It is important to look after this section to highlight your personality and originality.

Hobbies, a tradition of CV

Indicating hobbies or interests in a CV is in no way an obligation. Like most personal information that is mentioned (date of birth, marital status, driving license…), passions do not necessarily have to be included. 

Nevertheless, in mentioning your interests on your resume is very common and therefore no one will look wrong if you do. This can instead add a personal touch to your resume and make you stand out from other candidates. Provided, however, which hobbies you choose to mention.

For example, if you are interested in foreign languages, you can mention important experiences you have lived like a trip to learn Spanish in Argentina.

What are the advantages of choosing your hobbies and interests on your resume?

When posting a job offer, recruiters generally receive a large number of applications. Any way to stand out is then welcome. Here are some benefits for showing this information about yourself:

  • Hobbies can be interesting for the position you are applying for: for example you are a great reader and apply for a bookstore job.
  • Hobbies give a positive image of you.
  • Put forward some of your skills: for example, you play a team sport that requires a sense of collective and mutual help.
  • Have an interesting topic of conversation at the time of the job interview: you may have a common passion with the employer, so it may be a good way to break the ice at the time of the job interview !

Which hobbies include?

On the resume, it’s a fact, some interests are more valued than others. Here are some examples of hobbies that are generally well regarded by employers:

  • Musical instrument: in addition to being a creative activity, it requires a lot of rigor and precision. Qualities appreciated by recruiters!
  • Languages: as mentioned before, learning languages can also add a sense of engagement and curiosity that can be valious advantages.
  • Volunteering: Being a volunteer in an organization or an association will necessarily be well received by recruiters, especially if the values ​​of generosity and support are at the heart of the company for which you are applying.
  • Theater: work of memory, public speaking, stress management… Here is an activity that has more than one asset!
  • Sports: if you practice a sport for a long time it will be appreciated by the recruiter. An endurance sport will show for example your tenacity while a team sport will highlight your sense of collective. 
  • Photography: a passion for photography can reveal your sense of aesthetics and composition, which can be very useful in some jobs.
  • Cooking: thanks to its values ​​of sharing, the kitchen can be very well seen by some employers who seek this quality among their candidates.

Choose your hobbies according to the position

In general, the hobbies you mention must, in one way or another, be of interest to the position you are applying for. Indeed, to say that you love reading if you apply for a position of manager of an appliance brand does not have much interest. Here are some examples of jobs and hobbies that can be related:

  • Captain of a sports team for a position of business manager, to show your management skills
  • Photography for a position of artistic director where aesthetic sensitivity is important

Quality takes precedence over quantity

In any case, mentioning your interests on your CV does not mean giving an exhaustive list. Add a maximum of four hobbies so as not to overload your resume. Those you choose to show must therefore be of particular interest and be a real asset to the position.

To differentiate yourself from other candidates, also choose to mention passions that are special and that show your personality. 

Do not lie about your interests

The Interests section should be as neat as the rest of your resume, and if it’s sometimes tempting to embellish or invent passions that stick with the post, do not do it. The employer might ask you questions about your hobbies during the interview and if you are not able to answer them or feel that you have increased the reality, it will not give a good picture of you. 

Only mention on your CV passions that are true and for which you have real knowledge. And if you do not really find any interests to mention, it’s better to drop this section than to force yourself to find something to say.

For more information on learning Spanish visit the website of Expanish, a Spanish School in Buenos Aires, Argentina.