Tips for Including Hobbies on Your Resume
Including hobbies on your resume can be a great way to showcase your personality, demonstrate your cultural fit, and highlight transferable skills. Here are some tips for effectively incorporating hobbies into your resume:
- Be Selective:
- Choose relevant hobbies that can be linked to the job you’re applying for.
- Avoid controversial or overly personal hobbies.
- Showcase Transferable Skills:
- Highlight hobbies that demonstrate skills applicable to the job, such as teamwork, leadership, creativity, or problem-solving.
- For example, playing a team sport can show teamwork and leadership skills, while hobbies like chess or puzzles can indicate problem-solving abilities.
- Be Specific:
- Instead of just listing “reading” or “traveling,” specify what kind of books you read or what type of places you travel to and why. For example, “reading historical novels” or “backpacking in national parks.”
- Demonstrate Achievements:
- If you’ve achieved something notable in your hobby, such as running a marathon, winning a chess tournament, or leading a community project, mention it.
- This shows dedication and accomplishment.
- Keep It Concise:
- Hobbies should take up a small portion of your resume. Keep it to a few lines, typically in a section titled “Interests” or “Hobbies.”
- Be Honest:
- Only include hobbies that you are genuinely passionate about and knowledgeable in. You may be asked about them in an interview.
- Consider the Company Culture:
- Research the company culture and align your hobbies with their values and interests.
- For example, mentioning a hobby like programming or DIY projects could be beneficial if the company values innovation.
- Format Appropriately:
- Place the hobbies section at the end of your resume, after your work experience, education, and skills.
- Use bullet points for clarity and readability.
- Avoid Overly Common Hobbies:
- Try to include unique or less common hobbies that make you stand out and be memorable to potential employers.
- Connect Hobbies to Job Role:
- If possible, draw a direct connection between your hobbies and the job role. For instance, if you’re applying for a marketing position and you run a successful blog, this can be a strong indicator of your content creation and marketing skills.
Example:
Interests and Hobbies:
- Volunteering: Coordinated community clean-up events, enhancing organizational and leadership skills.
- Running: Completed five half-marathons, demonstrating perseverance and goal-setting.
- Photography: Developed a keen eye for detail and creativity through landscape photography.
- Coding: Created several personal projects using Python, showcasing problem-solving and technical skills.
By following these tips, you can effectively incorporate hobbies into your resume to make a well-rounded and impressive presentation to potential employers.