Your resume gives a clear picture of you as a person to prospective employers. A well-written resume can help you create a good impression during interviews. The hobbies that you have, help in giving a clear picture of your likes and dislikes to the interviewer. It also helps them relate your hobbies to the skills associated with the profile they have an opening in.
Though you may have multiple hobbies, yet your choice of a career will help you decide what hobbies to mention in your resume. Therefore, you need to be very specific about the major hobbies that you mention in your resume.
Here are some hobbies that you can mention in your resume and interview to leave a lasting impression and to boost your employability in the minds of interviewers:
List of Hobbies and Interests for CV:
You might feel like mentioning hobbies and interests in CV is not necessary moreover it may look unprofessional. But it is not so in all cases, there are few instances where providing these things helped the candidate land up a job.
Also as many experts, including the hobbies section on the CV can help the employer know about the candidate’s hidden talent and attitude. This can help judge whether the candidate would be a good fit for their organization or not.
Employers nowadays are not looking for employees who just are good at their work but also look for candidates who could fit their work culture.
As pleasant work culture plays an important role in team productivity and organization success, some traits need to be analyzed carefully in the hiring process.
How to Find Good Hobbies for a Resume:
Before mentioning the list of hobbies on your resume, these are a few steps that you need to follow for making it more effective. Just writing down a list of hobbies won’t work out or will not get noticed, instead, you should mention them making it a valuable asset.
Some of the steps to follow while crafting your interests and hobbies are,
- Research your organization
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- Check your job description
- Review their website
- Go through their social media accounts
- Check about the company reviews
- Write down hobbies suiting the job profile
- Mention the hobbies that showcase your skills
- Do not drag the hobbies section too long
3 rules to follow while mentioning hobbies for a resume:
The main advantage of adding hobbies section on your resume is to make you unique and memorable in the eyes of the employer.
- Be honest
- Be specific
- Highlight but do not cross the weird level
Best examples of hobbies to include in the resume:
- Job-related activities
- Music
- Art
- Writing
- Reading
- Sports
- Fishing
- Traveling
- Club membership
- Blogs
- Volunteer work
Few Hobbies and What they Communicate to the Employer:
Here we will be listing out a few hobbies and interest and see what personality traits does it exhibit to the hiring manager. Some of them are as follows.
- Social hobbies – Good communication and networking skills
- Games — Highly intelligent
- Puzzles – Good problem-solving skills
- Tech hobbies – Tech geek
- Extreme sports- risk taker
- Team sports – good leadership skills, teamwork skills
- Individual sports – can work alone, non-dependent
List of Best Hobbies for a Resume:
1. Reading:
Reading surely is one of the best hobbies to list out on your resume. You always gain respect when you are a well-read person. Reading as a hobby shows that you have a high level of imagination.
It also reveals your keen interest in gaining knowledge and knowing what is happening in the world around. People with good reading skills are known to be good communicators. This could be another reason why reading is a great hobby to add to your resume.
Mention some of the latest, relevant books that you have read to the interviewer. The greater the diverse range of books you read, the better will be your image. You may mention an assortment of novels, magazines, self-help books and spiritual books as these all add to your perspective and a better outlook.
2. Visiting museums and libraries:
Indeed, you can never really market or exhibit your undying quest for knowledge. Yet, in the modern world, where everything depends on how you market yourself, listing out your interest in libraries and museums may help significantly.
An interest in learning-related hobbies can show that you have a quest for knowledge, a skill which most companies look for in good researchers, especially in positions that require a lot of research work.
Many jobs seek intense research skills in their employees. You could be a sure choice in such firms if you incline to gain knowledge from different sources.
In the modern world, the use of different good websites of prominence can also be stated as an equally important skill. It may even reveal your true research abilities befitting the modern world needs.
3. Interest in team sports:
Participation in group sports such as basketball, football, cricket, etc. signifies that you can work as a member of a team to achieve a common goal. This is a quality that companies across different industries look for, and is ideal for job profiles where you will need to work in team-based environments.
If you are good at coordinating with people and working with a team, it surely counts as a great ability. No one can succeed as an individual. Most companies that prosper have great teams that together work towards a single goal and succeed.
While interviewers may not ask you directly whether you are a team player, they may try to find answers to such questions by reviewing your hobbies. So make sure, you list out hobbies that reveal your true team spirit.
4. Traveling:
Many jobs require the employee to travel to places and meet people. Many people are hesitant to travel to new places because they lack the health or willingness.
Thus, if you incline traveling and being places, make sure you list it out on your resume. A traveler should have some knowledge of geography, diverse cuisines, different cultures, and varied time zones. It will help him be mentally prepared for the travel experience.
Most employers find it difficult to find such candidates. Another reason why listing out your inclination for traveling can help greatly.
It gives your employer a clear picture that you are not hesitant about venturing out into the world to experience things that are not known to you. Make it a point to mention the most recent destination you have visited.
5. Hobbies that involve a lot of creativity:
Hobbies like painting, cooking, and photography are usually preferred by people with an artistic bend of mind. Your interest in these pursuits will signify that you are a creative person to the employer.
Such hobbies are highly valued by employers based in industries such as PR, graphic design, advertising, fashion, etc.
If you are in advertising, you need to be creative. You should be in a position to come up with good ideas. Everyone who likes a profession may not possess the skills required for the same. Recruiters thus scan the resume for any hobby that reveals the artistic side to the recruiter.
6. Endurance Sports:
Participation in sports such as cycling, running and swimming will signify you as a person having perseverance, tenacity and the enthusiasm that companies usually look for in a candidate, especially for profiles in sales and business development which require a lot of energy and persuasive skills. These are fields where you need that extra edge in you to be successful.
Perseverance cannot be tested in a round of interviews. It is the same with persuasive skills and endurance. Your hobbies and interests may, however, give a hint to the interviewer whether you have it in you or not. So do not hesitate or think twice before listing out the whole list of sports and outdoor activities where you have been the champ.
7. Interest in strategic mind games:
The modern-day office work greatly relies on how an individual’s mind performs. A poor thinker cannot succeed in the modern business world. This is the world where brainpower matters much more than physical strength.
An interest in games such as Sudoku and chess shows that you can think strategically. This type of strength is best suited for roles in policy development and strategy formulation type jobs.
Some recruiters have IQ tests and certain quizzes to measure your intellectual capability. Others try to identify your intelligence by your game choices and modes of entertainment. So do not hesitate to list out in your resume if you love solving the Rubix cube or are an expert at the jigsaw puzzles.
8. Creative writing:
Your interest in creative writing, in the form of blogs, short stories and poetry can help to highlight your proficiency as a writer or editor. This skill is highly valued in professions such as journalism and public relations where good writing skills are one of the major skills that prospective employers look for in candidates.
The modern world is losing the essence of writing because of haste and busy schedules. That is why few writers can express exactly what they feel. If you are one of them, do not hesitate to reveal your skills to the world.
9. Involvement in high- risk pursuits:
As you go higher up the success ladder, risk-taking becomes an essential attribute. If you fail to take the necessary risk, you may never succeed in your career.
Your participation in activities like skydiving, mountain bike racing, and mountain climbing will signify that you are happy to take risks and are gifted with a spirit of adventure.
These strengths are suitable for candidates who are going to apply for managerial positions or roles in team leadership.
Your liking for such sports reveals you are fearless and strong. This will help to add an edge to your resume.
Such hobbies signify that you are someone who can work as a part of a team. This would make you a suitable candidate for managerial positions in the specific industry you are interested in.
It does not mean that you can just work satisfactorily in a team but also shows that you can contribute positively to the growth and development of the team and help it progress.
10. Acting:
Apart from enhancing your public speaking and communication skills, acting can be a desirable hobby that you can mention in your resume. While acting, your focus is on people, situations and feelings.
If you have been involved in the theatre then it will help you to work on your body language. The way you carry yourself to a great extent determines people’s perception about your approach to work.
In many professional situations, you may have to control your emotions and speak in favor of company decisions. Your face and body language should not reveal you are true emotions to the onlooker. This can happen if you are a good actor and know how to control your true emotions.
75 Best Hobbies for a Resume:
Crafting an organized hobbies section on your resume should be done properly to make it effective. Also ignoring this can hinder your successful job application process.
Every hobby or interest can exhibit the traits of a candidate. So while including them on your resume, choose wisely.
Some of the top hobbies that you can include in your resume are mentioned below
- Yoga
- Woodworking
- Volunteering
- Video production
- Video games
- Traveling
- Tennis
- Swimming
- Surfing
- Squash
- Socializing
- Pool/Snooker
- Skydiving
- Skiing
- Singing
- Sailing
- Jogging
- Running
- Rock climbing
- Robotics
- Recycling
- Reading
- Pottery
- Photography
- Paragliding
- Parachuting
- Papermaking
- Painting
- Origami
- Online classes
- Musical instrument
- Mountain biking
- Model building
- Meditation
- Martial arts
- Marathon running
- Lego building
- Languages
- Landscaping
- Knitting
- Jigsaw puzzles
- Investing
- Hunting
- Hiking
- Golf
- Genealogy
- Gardening
- Gambling
- Football
- Fishing
- Drawing
- Dancing
- Cycling
- Crossword puzzles
- Cricket
- Creative writing
- Crafts
- Cooking
- Collecting
- Programming
- Club leadership
- Childcare
- Chess
- Car restoration
- Calligraphy
- Bodybuilding
- Board games
- Blogging
- Basketball
- Backgammon
- Archery
- Animals and pets
- Amateur radio
- Amateur astronomy
- Drama/ Acting
Conclusion:
There are countless hobbies but how you use it to benefit your career and growth is completely up to you. Only a smart candidate knows to make the best use of his skills, abilities, and choices to succeed in his career.
