Don’t Forget Your Hobbies on Your Resume!

Do you have hobbies on your resume?

“Never add fake interests just to enhance your resume,” says Recruiter.com, since the persons interviewing you may call your bluff if they ask you questions about a hobby you actually have no knowledge of. Including hobbies on your resume involves so much more than showing your are a great team member or athlete.

Indeed, sports are a typical hobby listed in a C.V., but if you are applying for a job right now, don’t sell yourself short by listing activities you don’t authentically enjoy. Be honest and include activities that really ignite your passion. Standing the test of time at a company ultimately involves finding a job that perfectly matches your skills, interests, and natural abilities. A savvy recruiter will be able to glean vital information about you and find different pieces in your resume that complete the picture of the exact candidate they are looking for!

Related: 5 Types of Recruiters: Which One Do YOU Need?

Hobbies on Your Resume Don’t Have to be Professionally Relevant

Most people list hobbies which are relevant to the industry they are working for. Director Tim Burton, known for his artistic posters, Goth-style characters, and otherworldly plot lines, applied to Walt Disney with a story book that contained his illustrations and text. His ultimate aim may have been to direct, but he was keen to show studios that he was as adept at illustration and writing as he was at animation.

It makes sense to highlight the skills you know will be required in your job but you should go further. Thus, even if you are applying to a business-centered position, if you happen to run a successful blog or you have a big Instagram following, mention it. Skills like writing, marketing, or brand building are relevant to all businesses, especially in this highly visual age.

Making Your Hobbies on Your Resume Stand Out

The key to making your hobbies an interesting part of your resume, lies in the way you connect them to skills your target company may be interested in. Thus, if you are volunteering at a sports center for kids, focus on your role as a leader, organizer, or problem solver.

If you love social media, talk about the role you played in managing any relevant social media account in your previous job. If you have a blog or vlog in which you give fashion tips, include the relevant links and mention the type of advice you give or any brands you may have enlisted to sponsor you.

If you love writing, try to offer an article to a local publication and include the link to your article in your application. The key to listing hobbies well is to think of the person reading your resume.

Be Aware of Sought After Hobbies

Business Insider has a great list of interesting hobbies for job seekers, which include:

• yoga (which indicates your ability to focus and work mindfully)
• endurance sports (which reveal commitment and hard work)
• video production (live streaming and other video based technologies are important in various industries these days)

Your research may provide you with hobby ideas if you don’t have a clear passion yet. When it comes to choosing a pastime, if it is a toss-up between two or more, consider the relative benefits of each. Yoga, for instance, mentioned above, has huge benefits for your physical and mental health, including a dramatic ability to reduce stress levels. This could definitely come in handy if you are applying for a job in a stressful industry.

Hobbies are more than a decorative element on your resume. They ultimately are the biggest indicator of your true passions, and any intelligent recruiter will give your list more than a passing glance. Be honest about what you most enjoy doing, try to relate your hobbies to needed skills, and if you don’t have a hobby yet, what are you waiting for? Find one that enriches you and helps you shine in both professional and personal spheres.

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Guest Blogger: Lucy Wyndham is a professional freelance writer, editor and mother of two, who decided to take a step back and work from home after spending a decade working in the finance and health industries. You can reach out to Lucy at lucywyndham.writer@gmail.com