How to put interests and hobbies in the resume?

Shricareer
Wed, 06/15/2022 - 12:55

Resumes are documents where you showcase your strengths and accomplishments as an employee for a particular position that you are the best fit for the position. Candidates mostly include their educational background and work history and accomplishments in their resume because this information indicates their background and abilities. Many people strongly oppose this, claiming that your resume and your hobbies are two different things, that should never be mentioned in the same breath. After all, one is for hunting and the other is for relations.

Now you might be asking why would the HR managers care about your interest in art and craft?

The hobbies and interests section of your resume can really make you stand out from the sea of qualified job seekers and will add some personality to your resume. But it only adds value if it is done correctly.

For example, you like Netflix and chill. Well, a lot of other people also love it. So, it doesn’t really make you stand out right?

So, the secret to mentioning your interests in your resume is to include only attractive interests that are valuable to the company and that show the clear qualities of your personality and are ideally related to your work. 

When should you include your hobbies/interests in your resume?

You should include your hobbies/interests on your resume to show the recruiting managers that you have interests that extend beyond your work and that you have some other skills that you use to spend your time after your office hours. Hobbies and interests on your resume elaborate on your strengths and showcase your soft skills which can be helpful in communicating better with the prospective employer.

You can also consider including a hobbies/interest section if

• You have less work experience
• You are a fresher
• Your hobbies/interests are relevant to your job profile.
• The employer requests to mention them.

As you all know a resume should be a maximum of one page. Now if you are a fresher then you will have plenty of space for hobbies in your resume, but if you have a lot of work experience, then you already have limited space for hobbies on your resume.

Well, it’s not mandatory to mention them in your resume. In general, if you have sufficient space on your resume, then only mention them.

And when you mention them, you should know that a particular hobby should say a particular thing about you. As a thumb rule, your hobbies and interests should reflect your good side and how it fits perfectly into the position you are applying for.

For example, if you like to speak at local conventions, you may be outgoing and good at speaking in public. This can be useful for your sales role. Similarly, if you are applying for a gambling company, your interests are related to tech.

Now the question is what if you apply for a job that isn’t directly related to your hobby? In that case, you probably need to think about how your hobby is perceived and what relevance the HR manager can derive from it.

Importance of Hobbies/Interests in Your Resume

The HR manager has already rejected your two resumes. they are almost the same except for one thing- one of the resumes has a detailed “interest” section. While facing the recruiting managers, choosing from two equally qualified candidates, more importantly, they have the right cultural fit. If one of the volunteers at the local shop, and the other resume seems to have a little personality, then the where the hobbies and interests are mentioned is most likely to come out on top. Hence, if you have mentioned it properly, then hobbies could enhance the attractiveness of your work as a potential candidate. Compared to other dull resumes, you may remember, people are doing archery in their spare time that they might even bring it up for the interview. And when that happens, it’s time to shine and impress them with your unique hobbies and personalities.

Listing your Hobbies & Interests on Your Resume

You should mention your hobbies and interests at the end of your resume. Including an interests and hobbies section at the end of your resume will enhance the quality of the resume and will leave a lasting impression on the hiring managers. But the question is how exactly do you list them? And more importantly, how to determine which hobby/interest is relevant to that one particular company?

You should mention the hobbies/interests that are either relevant to your job position or are something that you would love to spend your time on apart from office hours. But, while mentioning your hobbies, be honest, and don’t exaggerate your hobbies which might become a problem to deal with in the interview. You don’t want to put a bad impression on your interviewer by mentioning some exaggerating hobbies/interests of yours. They will start to question you about it later on and a weird conversation will grow out of it. Ex. Just because you are a foodie, doesn’t mean you are passionate about cooking. You should also refrain to mention any interest of yours that can be controversial during your interview in your resume. You ultimately want to be relatable and likable.

Examples of hobbies and interests that you should mention in your resume.

1. Hobby/ Interest Related to Sports

For the candidates who are interested in sports, you can list either individual or team-oriented sports on your resume. Depending on the sports, they can demonstrate your abilities to collaborate well with others or your self-discipline and preserving to work independently (or both).

Running is an endurance sport that demonstrates your commitment and self-control. Team sports (such as football, basketball, etc.) demonstrate your abilities to collaborate well. It depends on you and the work which one you might want to mention. You could mention the following sports-related interests to come across favorably:

• Volleyball
• Football
• Basketball
• Mountain climbing
• Tennis
• Marathon running
• Baseball
• Swimming
• Cycling
• Skiing

A majority of these sports involve physical exertion outside. They demonstrate your abilities to be disciplined and your ease of working with others. They are therefore pertinent for the majority of occupations that calls for self-motivation and communication.

2. Unique Interest/Hobby-Related Examples

Do you engage in exceptionally uncommon interests that few others share? As long as it stays in the distinctive category and not the bizarre one, this can work to your advantage and make you stand out.

The HR manager can recall your distinctive hobby and refer to your resume later when they are going through a stack of resumes. Be ready to discuss it because they might even inquire about you during the interview.

Some unique hobbies/interests that may reveal something about your personality include:

• Yoga
• Gardening
• Calligraphy
• Journaling
• Stand-up comedy
• Baking
• Fencing
• Theater
• Languages
• Archery

3. Analytical Thinking related to Hobby/Interest:

Anything that points to your imagination and creativity abilities is called an analytical thinking hobby. Below mentioned is the list of hobbies/interests that you can put on your resume if the position you’re applying for involves a lot of creativity, and problem-solving;

• Blog writing
• Chess
• Playing a musical instrument
• Painting
• Sketching
• Reading
• Writing
• Design
• Photography

All these points demonstrate your analytical thinking and creative abilities.  Perhaps you’re calmer and more self-composed and you are speaking after giving a thought always. Depending on your job position, these qualities might be relevant. However, your interest section doesn’t have to be limited to sports.

4. Social Hobby/Interest Related Examples

Social activities are a terrific method to demonstrate to others that you get along with them.  These days, most occupations demand you to be communicative and interact well with people. You can mention the following hobbies to demonstrate your ability to communicate well and work well with others:

• Volunteering at a charity center
• Networking events
• Public speaking
• Camping
• Creating and organizing a book club
• Local meetups
• Language classes
• Boardgames
• Exploring other cultures
• Dancing

Social hobbies are excellent because most occupations require engaging with others; therefore, they will benefit you even more if the post involves leadership.

Conclusion

The effectiveness of these hobbies depends on your job position. However, if your hobby/interest isn't too weird, it can help you acquire a job and showcase that you are not scared to stand out from other candidates. But if you are still finding it difficult to create a resume of your own, worry not. Shri Resume has got you covered. Contact us and create a high-quality resume for yourself that will ease your path to getting placed in your dream job.