how to write hobbies in a resume

40+ Hobbies & Interests to Put on a Resume [Updated for 2024]

“Hobbies and interests have no place on the resume.”

Done right, hobbies on a resume can help you stand out from other candidates, show a bit of your personality to the hiring manager, and potentially even get you the job!

That said, not every resume needs hobbies and interests, and at the same time, not every hobby belongs on a resume.

In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about hobbies on a resume, including when to list them, how to pick the right ones to mention, and more!

Here’s what we’re going to cover:

• Should You Mention Hobbies and Interests on Your Resume?
• 12 Best Hobbies and Interests to Put On Your Resume

How to List Hobbies and Interests on a Resume

4 tips to keep in mind when listing hobbies and interests, 40 best hobbies and interests to put on your resume [complete list].

Let’s dive in!

Should You Mention Hobbies & Interests on Your Resume?

There’s no straight-up answer to this question as it depends on several factors.

For example, if you’re a professional with many years of experience in your field, you could probably do without a hobbies and interests section on your resume. 

As a seasoned professional, you probably have tons of skills, work experience , and certifications to fill your resume with and set yourself apart from the competition. 

If adding a “hobbies and interests” section will make your resume spill over to page two , then you should definitely leave it out. 

On the other hand, if you’re a recent graduate with little work experience, adding your hobbies and interests to your resume can help you stand out as a candidate, as well as help fill up your resume to take up an entire page.

But enough with the hypotheticals! Let us tell you exactly when to mention hobbies and interests on your resume and how they can benefit your job application.

What’s the Difference Between Hobbies and Interests?

First things first - what are hobbies and interests? 

These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they’re not exactly the same thing:

• Interests are topics, ideas, or subjects that interest you, fascinate you, and you want to learn more about. Culinary art, history, and classical music are all examples of various interests.
• Hobbies are activities you actually engage in. Some examples of hobbies may include cooking, playing basketball, or visiting museums.

Hobbies show the hiring manager how you spend your free time and what kind of additional skills you may possess. For example, if you include “basketball” as your hobby, you’re also telling the hiring manager that you have great teamwork skills. 

Interests , on the other hand, indicate what topics and ideas you’re currently interested in or you’d like to explore in the future. If, for example, you’re applying for a job that requires relocation and you list traveling as your interest, you may seem like a more relevant candidate because you enjoy traveling to new places. 

So, as you can see, hobbies and interests can add value to your resume if they’re relevant to the job and if they point to soft skills the company may be looking for. 

Which leads us to the million-dollar question: when exactly should you include hobbies and interests on your resume? 

When to Include Hobbies and Interests on Your Resume

You should include hobbies and interests on your resume when:

• You still have space after including all the essential resume sections (contact information, work experience, education, and skills).
• You have limited work experience, education, and skills related to the position you are applying for.
• The company puts emphasis on its employees’ personalities and unique traits.
• The company specifically asks to list additional hobbies and interests.
• Your hobbies and interests show that you’re good at your job. E.g. if you’re applying for a writing role, having Dungeons & Dragons as an interest might help (as it shows that you’re creative).

New to resume-making? Give our resumes 101 video a watch before diving into the article!

12 Top Hobbies and Interests to Put On Your Resume

So here’s the takeaway: for hobbies and interests to add value to your resume, they should be somewhat relevant to the job you’re applying for. 

In most cases, though, candidates list pastime activities that say nothing to the hiring manager reading their resume, like watching movies or listening to music. 

To help you avoid such a mistake, we’ve listed some of the best hobbies and interests to put on your resume, based on companies’ most commonly required skills and abilities: 

#1. Community Involvement

Volunteering and community involvement is probably the best hobby/interest you could be adding to your resume, as it’s associated with 27% higher odds of employment . 

In a nutshell, volunteering shows initiative, empathy, and the ability to see beyond your personal interests. On top of this, volunteering teaches organizational skills, teamwork, and leadership. 

#2. Writing

Communication skills - both verbal and written - are some of the most sought-after soft skills by companies . 

As such, having writing as a hobby can effectively show potential employers that your communication skills extend beyond the workplace and are, as such, stronger than other candidates. 

#3. Blogging

Blogging is another hobby that proves you’ve got excellent communication skills, which is essential for most roles.

At the same time, blogging as a hobby also shows that you’re a self-starter that can work on independent projects, which is another very in-demand skill for most roles.

#4. Learning Languages

It’s no secret that speaking foreign languages can improve your chances of getting a job . 

For starters, employers are always on the lookout for candidates who can communicate with people from different nationalities and can be an asset when dealing with international markets.

On top of that, learning languages is associated with improving valuable skills like problem-solving and dealing with abstract concepts, both of which are desirable employee skills. 

Some of the jobs where listing learning languages as a hobby can come in handy include social workers, human resources managers, flight attendants, community health workers, hotel managers, customer service agents, etc. 

#5. Photography

Just like all the other hobbies on this list, photography can represent you in more ways than “this candidate likes to take pictures.”

After all, photography takes creativity, interpersonal skills, and even technical skills ! 

This means that, in addition to all the jobs that require photography skills, there are many other positions out there that could benefit from a candidate who’s into photography. 

Traveling may not seem like the best hobby to include on your resume at first sight. After all, it simply involves picking a destination and being a tourist, right? 

Well, not exactly. 

Someone who loves traveling is also likely to be: 

• Curious to learn new things, experience new cultures, and meet new people
• Well- organized and adaptable to new situations and people
• Not afraid to step out of their comfort zone

All of these personality traits make for an adaptable and flexible employee, something that employers appreciate!

Sports - and any kind of physical activity, really - are known to improve brain health and your ability to do everyday activities . 

Not only, but sports also help you develop self-discipline, teamwork, leadership, and interpersonal skills . 

All of these are essential skills that could help you “adapt” your resume to different kinds of jobs. 

#8. Reading

Reading is one of the best hobbies to put on your resume, regardless of what types of books you like to read.

Reading exercises the brain, improves the ability to focus, increases general knowledge, can sharpen your communication skills, and helps relieve stress . 

#9. Making Music

Making music not only takes creativity, but also a lot of determination, patience, and endurance. Not to mention, studies show that playing an instrument can also improve your memory and focus . 

Showing such qualities can instantly make you more attractive to hiring managers.

Yoga is known to create mental clarity , relieve chronic stress patterns, relax the mind, and sharpen concentration.

And - let’s be honest - who doesn’t want an employee who’s mentally clear, unstressed, and able to concentrate on their work? 

To do any kind of art, you need to be creative, which is among the most popular transferable skills companies are looking for in 2022. 

According to this Adobe study , creativity has gained the most value in driving salary increases in the past five years. That’s also because creativity is also linked to inventiveness, imagination, and problem-solving abilities. 

Dancing is more than just a fun pastime. It improves your cognitive abilities, and collaboration skills (especially if you’re dancing with a partner), and can help you unwind and keep your stress levels low. 

Top Soft and Hard Skills Related to Hobbies and Interests On a Resume

And here’s what the hiring manager is likely to read from including the hobbies and interests listed above to your resume in terms of soft and hard skills: 

Yep, you heard that right.

There IS a right and wrong way to list hobbies and interests on your resume.

In this section, we’ll teach you all you need to know to make your hobbies and interests section as effective as possible!  

#1. Decide whether you need them

The first thing you want to do is decide whether you’d benefit from adding hobbies and interests to your resume. As we already mentioned, hobbies and interests can be a breath of fresh air for your resume, but only in certain circumstances.  

If you’re a professional with many years of work experience under your sleeve, your resume can do without a hobbies and interests section.

You already have a lot of professional achievements , relevant skills, and qualifications to make your resume a full one-pager, while adding a hobbies section would mean removing some other critical section from your resume.

On the other hand , if you’re a student with almost no work experience or skills, or if you’re applying to a startup or to a company that puts more emphasis on company culture, then you could definitely benefit from listing your hobbies and interests. 

The optimal length for a resume is one page.

If including a hobbies and interests section spills your resume over to the second page, that means that you can probably just skip including the section in the first place.

#2. Research the Company

So, you’ve decided it’s a good idea to include your hobbies and interests on your resume. But, which ones do you actually include? 

To make the best possible choice, start by researching the company. See if they have any specific work culture, work retreats, and what qualities would complement your role.

Here’s exactly where you should look: 

• The job ad. Read the job ad and identify the type of skills that they’re looking for.
• The company website and any employee profiles you can find there.
• Their social media accounts . Specifically, their LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter. 

#3. Choose the Right Skills

Once you’ve done this, you should think about how specific skills or requirements may transfer to a hobby or interest and tailor yours to the job accordingly. 

You may have dozens of exciting hobbies and interests, but your resume isn’t the right place to list them all. Just to reiterate - you want your hobbies and interests to be as relevant as possible . 

So, for example, if the job ad mentions the company’s looking for someone who’s “outgoing” or a “great team player,” then any kind of sport is a good hobby to list on your resume. 

Meanwhile, anything that involves you sitting alone and being introverted (e.g. reading or knitting) is not very relevant. 

An alternative approach to choosing the right hobbies and interests is to use them to fill your skill gaps.

Let’s say that you’re an entry-level professional and you’re applying for your first job as an illustrator. Chances are, you lack some of the technical skills required for the job, simply due to your lack of professional experience. 

In such a case, choosing a hobby that proves you’ve got an eye for design and aesthetics can help your application. Anything art-related, including photography, painting, drawing, etc., will show the hiring manager that you’re passionate about this line of work. 

#4. Create a Separate Section (and Push It Down) 

By now you should have a clear idea of what hobbies and interests to add to your resume. 

The rest is fairly easy. 

Simply create a separate section titled “Hobbies and Interests,” and place it at the end of your resume . It’s crucial that this section doesn’t overshadow the more important parts of your resume, like your contact information, work experience, education , or even any volunteer work or internships you’ve completed. 

Ultimately, adding a “Hobbies and Interests” section at the end of your resume is a great way to wrap up your resume. 

It can help you make an impression that extends beyond the professional aspect and give the recruiter a little extra something to remember you by. 

Want to start your resume in a way that will grab the hiring manager’s attention? Learn how to write a resume summary with our guide! 

#5. List Up to Four Interests or Hobbies

Last but not least, it’s important to list the right amount of hobbies and interests on your resume. 

We recommend listing 4-6 total, at most. Anything less, and your hobbies section will look too empty. Anything more, and it’ll look like you’re just trying to fill in space.

Here are some additional tips you should always remember when you’re creating the “Hobbies and Interests” section of your resume: 

#1. Find out what you specifically enjoy about your hobbies 

People enjoy hobbies for different reasons. 

For example, someone might enjoy photography because they love being outdoors and capturing beautiful landscapes, while someone else might enjoy it because it gives them an opportunity to remember every place they visit or every person they meet. 

By identifying exactly what it is that you enjoy about your hobbies, it can be easier to describe them on your resume and talk about them genuinely in case the hiring manager asks about them during the job interview . 

#2. Be honest

Just like with everything else on your resume, you should be honest about the hobbies you list. 

Meaning, don’t lie about hobbies just because you think they sound cool, and don’t over-exaggerate something that can come back and bite you later on during the interview.

Just because you like to go on walks sometimes, doesn’t mean you’re “passionate about hiking” . Imagine the hiring manager’s also a hiking enthusiast and they ask you about the latest trail you hiked, but the only thing you can mention is how you enjoy taking a one-hour walk around your neighborhood daily to clear your mind. 

In such cases, it’s better to be honest and write this: 

• Physical exercise: exercising daily for 45 minutes by taking a walk in nature.

Instead of this: 

#3. Be specific 

The more specific you can be about your hobbies and interests, the higher the chances to stand out from other applicants and make an impression on the hiring manager. 

Here’s what we mean by that: 

• Learning languages: studying and practicing some of the most-spoken languages in the world, such as Mandarin and French. 

#4. Keep these hobbies OUT of your resume

A very thin line separates unique from weird, and you want to make sure not to cross it. 

To be on the safe side, avoid listing hobbies and interests that might be considered weird or controversial, such as any of the following:

• Hobbies that signal antisocial behavior or activities.
• Hobbies and interests that could be misinterpreted, even if you meant them as a joke (e.g. partying like there’s no tomorrow). 
• Hobbies and interests that reveal personal information such as your political or religious views. 
• Hobbies that could be considered violent or dangerous (e.g. lighting things on fire). 
• Hobbies and interests with little or no interactivity. 

Looking for inspiration?

Here are several hobbies you can include, by category, based on your personality type.

Sports Interest and Hobby Examples

Generally speaking, there are two types of sports you can include on your resume - individual and team-oriented .

Depending on the sport, they either show you work well with others, or that you have the self-discipline and perseverance to work alone (or both!) 

Endurance sports (like jogging) show your drive and discipline.

Team sports (like football, basketball, etc.) show that you’re comfortable working with others.

Which one you might want to include depends on you and the job. Here are some sports hobbies you could list that will paint you in a positive light:

• Marathon running
• Mountain climbing

Most of these sports are outside and physical activities. They show that you’re comfortable with working with other people and that you have discipline. Therefore, they’re relevant for most job roles that require you to be communicative and self-driven.

Analytical Thinking Interest and Hobby Examples

What’s a thought hobby?

Anything that points to your creative skills and imagination. 

If you’re applying for a job that requires a lot of out-of-the-box thinking, you can list the following hobbies:

• Playing a musical instrument
• Photography
• Blog writing

These all point to your analytical thinking and that you’re a creative person.

Possibly more calm and self-composed, and also that you think before you speak.

These qualities can be relevant depending on the job.

Though, your interest section doesn’t necessarily have to consist only of sports. 

Social Interest and Hobby Examples

Social hobbies are a great way to show you directly work well with others. Nowadays, most jobs require you to be in contact with other people, in one way or another

To show you work well with others and you’re adept at communicating, you can include:

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

Social hobbies are great because you’re going to be interacting with other people in most jobs - so one way or another, they’re going to help. Even more so if the job is in a leadership position.

Unique Interest and Hobby Examples

Do you have a particularly unique hobby that not a lot of people are into?

This can work in your favor and help you stand out, as long as it’s still in the unique area and not in the weird one.

The HR manager shuffling through a stack of resumes can remember your unique hobby and come back to your resume later. Or they could even ask about you during the interview, so be prepared to talk about it.

Some unique hobbies that can speak about your character may include:

• Stand-up comedy
• Calligraphy

How do these hobbies help?

Archery implies you might be a precise and focused person. And yoga shows that you can be calm and don’t lose your cool in stressful situations.

Though, just how effective those hobbies will be in your resume may depend on the job.

But as long as it’s not too weird, a unique hobby can help you get your foot in the door and show that you’re not afraid of being different.

Looking for tips on writing a CV instead of a resume? We've got you covered! Head over to our in-depth guide explaining how to write a CV !

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have some questions about hobbies and interests on a resume? Check out the answers below:

1. Should hobbies and interests be on a resume?

If you have the extra space to list them, then yes, you should include hobbies and interests on your resume.

Hobbies and interests can help you stand out from other candidates by shining more light into your personality and can also highlight skills you may have that employers seek, such as creativity, organization, problem-solving, etc.

2. What are some good hobbies and interests to put on my resume?

Some of the best hobbies or interests you can put on your resume are community involvement, writing, blogging, learning languages, photography, traveling, doing sports, reading, and art.

3. What are some hobbies and interests for a student resume?

Some hobbies and interests you can put on your resume as a student include creative writing, blogging, volunteering, learning a new language, and singing and/or playing an instrument.

Key Takeaways

And that’s a wrap on everything you need to know about hobbies and interests on a resume!

Before you go and start applying what you learned to your own resume, let’s go over the main points we covered in this article: 

• Hobbies and interests can help shine a light on a candidate’s personality and get them to stand out from other applicants with similar work experience and skills. 
• Include hobbies and interests on your resume if you still have space after listing all the essential sections, if you have limited work experience and relevant skills, if the company specifically requires it, or if the company puts emphasis on its employees’ character traits. 
• Some of the best hobbies to add to your resume include community service, writing/blogging, learning languages, traveling, doing sports, and reading. 
• Before creating a separate section for your hobbies and interests, first make sure that your resume would benefit from them, then research the company, and choose the right skills that could complement your skills and qualifications. 
• Four things to remember when you’re compiling your hobbies and interests are, to be honest, be specific, and keep hobbies that may be considered weird or antisocial out of your resume. 

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List of 50 Hobbies & Interests for Your Resume in 2024

• Hobbies/Interests Examples
• Should Hobbies/Interests Be on a Resume?
• Interests/Hobbies to Avoid
• Adding Hobbies/Interests
• Hobbies/Interests Tips
• Hobbies/Interests FAQs

Imagine: You’re a hiring manager for an athletic clothing brand considering two candidates—both with great resumes . You’re having trouble deciding which of the two to move forward.

During your review, you notice one of the applicants is an avid runner. So, you decide to pick the one you think will be a slightly better cultural fit since the applicant likely aligns with the fitness-related clothing products your brand offers based on their running hobby.

But, why “running hobby” instead of “running interest?” Great question. There is a difference between hobbies and interests. Hobbies are things you actively participate in, whereas interests are your dreams or topics you’re fascinated by. That said, they can both be used effectively on a resume to make your already excellent skill set more personable and relevant.

We’ll dive into interests and hobbies to include on your resume and show you how to list them to gain a leg up in the application process.

Hobbies & Interests Examples for a Resume

Example Resume

Why these hobbies/interests work

• Always choose hobbies and interests for your resume that relate to your field. 
• Don’t be afraid to include something cool and credible, like being a Jeopardy contestant. 
• Thought-provoking activities like helping troubled youths can effectively display your compassion and adaptability in difficult situations.

Most Common Hobbies & Interests for Resumes in 2024

Knowing the value of hobbies/interests on a resume, you may wonder which ones are the most popular in the US. Here’s a quick overview.

• At the top of the list, 40% of US adults have cooking/baking as a hobby or interest. This is a great one to list on resumes for culinary positions or when working around food. It also shows you can follow instructions precisely.
• Want to show some expert research abilities? Reading is an excellent hobby for resumes when applying to jobs involving scientific research or business analysis, to name a couple.
• Everyone’s interested in their pets. Plus, positions like vet techs or even care-based nursing roles can see directly translatable abilities from individuals who love and cherish their animals.
• Applying to a tech-related role? Video games are a potential hobby/interest you could list. It can also show unique problem-solving abilities for analytical positions.
• Nearly half of all jobs require outdoor work. So whether you’re applying to construction, agriculture, or other similar roles, many outdoor activities will be applicable. For instance, a gardening hobby could be great for an aspiring landscaper.

List of Hobbies & Interests for Your Resume

Here’s an extensive list of hobbies and interests to potentially include on your resume.

Volunteering

What better way to demonstrate you’re a caring, civic-minded person than by including your volunteer efforts on your resume?

People want to work with kind people. Not to mention, many companies now give employees time off each year to volunteer for efforts they care about.

Volunteering ideas

• Fostering animals
• Serving within your religious organization
• Firefighter/ EMT
• Coaching youth sports teams
• Volunteering with organizations that help the homeless
• Assisting at local meetups or hackathons
• Volunteering at an animal shelter
• Working for local committees or organizations in your community (like the Board of Education, for example)

Mentioning how you exercise as one of your interests or hobbies can be a great way to build a quick bond with the person reviewing your resume.

However, saying something like “sports” in your interests section is not worth including. What sport do you play?

Exercise can be anything that gets the heart pumping. If you dance or do karate, those are unique hobbies that you should definitely mention on your resume.

Exercise ideas

• Running (if you run events like 5Ks, say so!)
• Weight lifting
• Dance (salsa? square dancing?)
• Basketball (do you play in a league?)
• Rock climbing
• Skiing/ snowboarding

Most companies would benefit by having a creative person join their company. If you’re looking for a career in marketing or design, that’s especially true.

Even if you’re looking for a job as a programmer or data scientist, creativity can still be an invaluable skill.

Listing “music” is not a particularly unique hobby. Saying you play guitar, however, may catch the employer’s eye.

If you have a portfolio of your work, you should link to it in your resume, too, if you’re really proud of it.

Creative ideas

• Photography
• Comic books
• Classic films
• Instruments (guitar, violin, piano, etc.)
• Interior decorating
• Writing (fiction? slam poetry?)
• Calligraphy
• Stand-up comedy

Puzzles/Games

Much like your artistic endeavors can showcase your creativity to a prospective employer, an interest in strategic games indicates that you can strategize and plan.

We likely sound like a broken record but remember to be specific. Saying “video games” is not going to add value to your resume, whereas “PC gaming” might (do your research on the company to make sure this would be appropriate).

Puzzle/games ideas

• Dungeons and dragons
• Jigsaw puzzles
• Crossword puzzles

Your hobbies or interests don’t have to be (and likely aren’t) confined by neat category distinctions. Just ask yourself whether your passion has the potential to showcase a valuable skill.

For example, in the list below, you’ll see brewing beer as a hobby. As long as the business you’re applying to is a more modern company, this could be appropriate to include. To be a successful brewer, you need to be precise and thorough—both great traits in a prospective employee.

Other ideas

• Learning languages (which/how many languages have you learned?)
• Foodie (talking about local restaurants can be a great way to break the ice in an interview)
• Brewing beer
• Cooking (which cuisine is your specialty?)
• Baking (who doesn’t love the person who bakes for office parties?)
• BBQing (this would grab our attention)
• Social media (if you run a successful social account for a local cause, that can be an invaluable skill)

We know! That’s a lot of examples to look through! You can always list a slew of things you enjoy on your  resume outline  and narrow it down when you build your actual resume . We’ve also got some simple resume templates from Google Docs  with a section just for hobbies and interests.

Remember, your hobbies are supposed to be for your enjoyment. If you don’t think you have any hobbies for your resume that will work, that’s okay, too!

Should Hobbies and Interests Be on a Resume?

Before we dive into the types of hobbies and interests you should add to your resume, we first need to answer the question of whether you should include them at all.

The primary factor in determining whether you should include a hobbies and interests section on your resume is the type of role and company you’re applying to .

While older, more established businesses are less likely to be intrigued by what you do outside of work, modern tech companies or startups will likely be interested in learning about your prospective cultural fit. One great way to demonstrate that on your resume is through your hobbies.

• Entry-level candidates can approach  resume writing  with a “small but mighty” mindset.
• For example, mentioning that you’re a World Sudoku Championship Competitor for not just one but  three  years in a row shows dedication and laser-like focus.
• If you’re applying for a web development job, try adding a related side project like apps; alternatively, If you’re playing up your artistic side, talk about your interest in web graphics!

How to know whether you should list hobbies/interests

• Read the  job description  of the role you’re applying to.
• If the answer is “yes,” that’s a good indication that you should list hobbies and interests.
• Visit the company’s website. Read their “about us” section as well as their employment pages.

When it comes to your resume,  not all hobbies and interests are created equal ! For example, some of us here at BeamJobs are expert television show binge-watchers. If there was a binge-watching championship, we think we could win gold. 

Still, this is a hobby we would leave off our resumes. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with this hobby; it’s just that it’s neither particularly unique nor noteworthy. Remember— the goal of your hobbies and interests are to help you stand out . If the hobby you include is something the hiring manager has seen hundreds of times, it won’t accomplish what you want it to on your resume.

This means you should be as specific as possible when describing your hobbies or interests. “Sports” is not the same as “captain of co-ed basketball team.”

Here are a few more examples of what we mean:

• Wrong: Cooking
• Right: Cooking Middle Eastern cuisine
• Wrong: Travel
• Right: Backpacking through Europe
• Wrong: Music
• Right: Electric guitar
• Wrong: Volunteering
• Right: Volunteering at local ASPCA
• Wrong: Puzzles
• Right: Expert at Sudoko

Interests and Hobbies to Avoid on a Resume

If you’re on the fence about whether you should include a particular interest or hobby on your resume,  err on the side of caution . The last thing you want to do is turn a “yes” into a “no” by including something taboo on your resume. This means you shouldn’t list anything about politics on your resume (unless, of course, you’re applying for a job in politics).

This is not to say you should avoid talking about your volunteer experience through your local church if that’s your hobby! Just imagine you’re meeting someone you’d like to make a good impression on. If it’s a topic you’d avoid in that conversation, leave it off if you’d like to present a  professional resume . With that said…

BeamJobs’ co-founder, Stephen, knows a thing or two about including a hobby that, under different circumstances, would have been better left off his resume

Before I started BeamJobs with my brother and dove head-first into the world of resumes, I was a data analyst at a company called Chegg.

At that time, one of my biggest hobbies was playing poker. Now, as a data nerd, I took a very data-driven approach to playing poker. I studied the game religiously to develop a deep understanding of winning strategies and probabilities.

Since I was applying for jobs as a data analyst, I thought that would be worth including as an interest on my resume.  I also understood poker would likely not be appropriate for all of my job applications .

When it came time to apply to Chegg, I learned that the role I was applying for would be as an early employee for their recently acquired company, Imagine Easy Solutions. I researched the founders and learned they had a history of entrepreneurship.

As such, I included poker as a hobby on my resume. That gamble (poker pun intended) paid off. I learned during my interview that one of my interviewers was a big poker player.  This gave me an opportunity to elaborate on my data-driven approach to the game and how I would take a similarly quantitative approach to my job .

We hope this illustrates the potential positive impact of including unique interests or hobbies in your job applications.  They help humanize you and give you a potential common interest with your interviewers .

Stephen’s anecdote also highlights two important points:

• Do your research on the company and role you’re applying for; make sure what you’re including as a hobby is relevant.
• Don’t lie. By his own admission, Stephen would have been quickly exposed by a much better poker player in his interview had he told a lie!

How to Add Hobbies and Interests on a Resume

Before we dive into the best way to include hobbies or interests on your resume, let’s start with an example.

• Have outdoor interests like kayaking? These kinds of hobbies can suggest experience in nailing the perfect photography shot and other design strengths.
• Hobbies like fly fishing and comic art can suggest sociability and interconnectedness with others—good  soft skills to list on your resume .
• You can use hobbies and interests to express that you’re well-rounded, but the way to really rock this section is by displaying those that directly or indirectly relate to the job you’re after. 

Guidelines for adding hobbies/interests to your resume

• Add a specific section to your resume called “Hobbies,” “Interests,” or “Hobbies & Interests.”
• Limit the number of hobbies you include to five at most.
• We have brand-new  Google resume templates  and  Word resume templates  that already have this section built in. 
• Be as specific as possible.
• Don’t let this section be the reason your resume extends to two pages.

All of these rules follow the principle that your interests/hobbies shouldn’t be the focus of your resume.  They’re on your resume to add color.  Sadly, some hiring managers won’t put much or any weight on this section of your resume. That’s the reason you shouldn’t make it so prominent.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to land a job as a surgeon with your hobbies alone—you still need to have the right qualifications for the role! With that said, the more specific you are with your hobbies and interests, the more likely what you list will resonate with the person checking out your AI cover letter and resume . 

You also want to be able to relate your hobbies or interests to what makes you a particularly good fit for the role you’re applying to. Let’s look at a few examples.

Job title: Marketer

Hobby: Painting

How it relates: This demonstrates an eye for creativity and design—both important characteristics for a marketer.

Job title: Manager

Hobby: Long-distance runner

How it relates: Committing to improving at long-distance running requires dedication without the ability to see immediate results, which can happen in management as well.

Job title: Software engineer

Hobby: Baking cakes

How it relates: To be an effective baker, you need to be exact with measurements, temperatures, and time but also need a high degree of creativity. To be a strong developer, you must be creative and rigorously logical.

Job title: HR manager

Hobby: Volunteering as an EMT

How it relates: Much like an EMT, to be a good HR manager, you must be caring and empathetic while staying calm in tense situations.

Hobbies and Interests Resume Tips

Most people don’t live to work; they work to live. Therefore, most of your time is likely going to be spent outside of your office.

Including your hobbies and interests on your resume is a great way to humanize yourself and become more than just a resume  to the hiring manager.

Tips for adding hobbies and interests to your resume

• Research the company and job description for the role you’re applying for to determine if you should include hobbies.
• Remember: Interests are related to topics you find interesting, while hobbies are activities you participate in and enjoy.
• Keep this section short (four to five interests at most ) and move it to the bottom of your resume.
• Your hobbies are for you—don’t take up a hobby just to please a potential employer.

A hobbies/interests section works great for entry-level candidates who want to include additional relevant abilities or when applying to companies that emphasize workplace culture in the job description. For example, many retail organizations emphasize their culture, so someone applying to be an entry-level retail clerk could benefit from a hobbies/interests section.

A hobby is something you actively do, whereas an interest is something you may be fascinated by or dream about. For example, someone who actively reads an hour per day could consider reading a hobby. On the other hand, someone fascinated by psychology could consider that an interest. You could even combine the two to say you enjoy reading about psychology, which could work great for an aspiring therapist.

Between one to three hobbies/interests works best for most resumes . It typically shouldn’t be the focus of your resume, but moreso act as a way to provide a bit more information or personability to your already excellent skill set.

Either the bottom or the left-hand side margin beneath your education and top skills is the best place for hobbies/interests. This placement leaves room for your work experience, education, and achievements to remain the primary focus of your resume.

Volunteer work is one of the best things to put in a hobbies/interests section when you don’t have work experience since it’s the most similar to a work-related environment. Otherwise, aim for things that are the most relevant to the position. For example, listing a favorite sport or fitness activity, such as rugby or HIIT training, could be great when applying for an entry-level job at a gym.

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How to Include Hobbies on Your Resume in 2022 (With Examples)

Learn when and how to professionally list your hobbies on your resume.

What are Hobbies?

Hobbies are activities that you do frequently and in your spare time. It can be anything from collecting postage stamps to working out to volunteering. The key here is that hobbies are activities you perform regularly -- they are more than an interest. An interest is more passive, it’s something you’re curious about but have yet to pursue. 

For example, perhaps you have it on your bucket list to scuba dive. That makes scuba diving an interest, because you’re in the research stage. It’s only a hobby if you’ve actually gone scuba diving, and continue to do so on a semi-frequent basis. 

It’s important to leave interests out since they can be misleading, and since you don’t yet have the skills associated with that interest.

What Hobbies Should I Include on My Resume?

Hobbies are a great way to show a company who you are and what you value. That being said, try to avoid listing potentially touchy hobbies, as you don’t want it used against you in the hiring process. 

• Political associations
• Controversial hobbies  
• Religious affiliations 
• Irrelevant hobbies

If you do have a hobby that fits in one of the above categories, “rebrand” it so that you can still convey your skills. For example, if you coach your church’s basketball team, leave out the religious component and just write that you coach youth sports. Similarly, if you campaign for a political candidate, note that you can rally your organization and fundraising skills to support an individual or mission.

See the infographic below for examples of hobbies to include on your resume.

Beautiful resume templates to land your dream job

How to Include Hobbies on Your Resume

‍ Have you ever thought about listing your hobbies on your resume? While it seems like “scuba diving” or “baking” may have no place on a resume, your hobbies can actually show that you're a strong candidate for the job by revealing hidden skills. 

For example, let’s say you’re applying for a writing position and you keep a personal blog in your spare time. Mentioning this hobby on your resume shows your passion for writing -- you do it even when you aren’t at work! -- your ability to manage time, to research, and to keep your creative juices flowing. 

Similarly, if you’re applying to work as a waiter and you’re an avid baker, you should add your love of cookies to your resume. It shows employers that you enjoy the food environment and have an understanding of the time and diligence that cooking requires. 

But before you start listing everything you’ve ever done on your resume, let’s break down a few do’s and dont’s. 

Why Include Hobbies on My Resume?

Hobbies impart some sort of skill, whether it’s implicit or actively learned. They can show a company what you have to offer. Your goal is to list your hobbies in a way that conveys these skills. 

In other words, think of your “hobbies” section like a more interesting “skills” section on your resume. 

For example, if you enjoy an endurance sport like running, it shows that you have diligence, determination, and patience -- all skills that cannot be taught through any job or educational opportunity. Skills like these are called “soft skills” because they are implicit in your personality.

Soft skills convey your communication and relational abilities. Some soft skills include:

• Adaptability
• Problem-Solving
• Responsibility 
• Interpersonal Skills such as conflict resolution, empathy or mentoring
• Time Management
• Leadership 
• Attention to Detail

In contrast, if you enjoy a hobby such as designing art using a software like Adobe Illustrator, this is considered a “hard skill.” Hard skills are those that are learned and gained through a degree, certificate, or another form of education. These include trainings and technical knowledge, such as accounting or software acumen or medical expertise. 

Examples of hard skills include:

• Technical Writing, such as email blasts, client relations and research 
• Computer Skills, including Microsoft Suite 
• Analytical Skills such as data analysis
• Marketing Skills like SEO, SEM, CMS
• Presentation Skills
• Management Skills like database management
• Project Management, include softwares that you are familiar with, such as Trello, Spredfast, and Zoho
• Copywriting
• Foreign Languages
• Design Skills, including Adobe Creative Suite, UX design, UI design 
• Mobile and Web Development
• Network Security such as encryption algorithms or authentication systems

When to Include Hobbies  

Not all resumes should include hobbies, and it depends heavily on the company to which you’re and its culture. For example, if you’re applying to a firm on Wall Street, it’s best to skip the hobby section. But if you’re looking to work for a local mom-and-pop store or for a more artistic company, then jot down a few hobbies. 

Let’s break it down a bit more below.  ‍

Only include hobbies if they are relevant to the position to which you’re applying. Ask yourself, what skills does this hobby require, and how does it fit with this job?

For example, don’t include “drawing” on your resume if you’re pursuing a managerial position at an accounting firm, since the two have no common denominator. But, if you’re seeking a job as an event planner , a talent for drawing could help show that you are adept at bringing your ideas to life and communicating them to clients. 

Company Culture

A lot of companies today are concerned about their image -- they want to be a fun place for employees to work. If you feel that one of your hobbies shows that you “fit” right in, then list it. 

For example, if you’re applying to be a blog writer for a magazine, feel free to note that you love watching films. This could open the door for you to write movie review articles, or it may show that you fit right in with the entertainment-focused atmosphere of a magazine like Cosmopolitan or The New Yorker .

The best way to determine if you should list your hobbies on your resume is to research the company beforehand. Read their “about us” section on their website and browse what former employees have to say about their experience on sites like Glassdoor. 

Ice-Breaker and Networking 

Interviews are pretty awkward, and it’s hard to stand out when the tired interviewee has already seen dozens of hopeful job applicants. Listing an interesting hobby on your resume can make you memorable. The person interviewing you may even enjoy the same hobby, which will help break that awkward interview tension. 

Even if you don’t get the job, having a conversation with a company employee about a common interest is a great way to expand your network. They’re more likely to remember you if you happen to reach out in the future about another opening. 

What to Do Next

Brainstorm the hobbies that you enjoy and think about the skills they impart. Now, how well do they match the job that you’re applying to? Be sure to only include hobbies that are relevant to the job description or to the company’s culture. 

Customize your hobbies on our modern and professional templates . We also have more tools for writing the perfect resume , adding colors to your resume and listing your certifications . 

Good luck and happy writing! 

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How to List Hobbies and Interests on a Resume (With Examples)

18 min read · Updated on March 21, 2024

Should you add personal interests to your resume?

A resume is a summary of your career that informs a future employer of your professional suitability. Personal interests and hobbies on a resume fall outside that traditional definition, but as employers become more interested in cultural fit, showcasing your personality in a job search is increasingly important.

However, how to include hobbies and interests on a resume is not straightforward. In this post, we consider:

How hobbies and interests are different

The benefits of including hobbies and interests on a resume

When you should include interests on a resume

When you should not include interests on a resume

How to include interests on a resume

Where to include hobbies and interests on a resume

The most common hobbies and interests to put on a resume and why they're relevant

Interests you should avoid including on a resume

What's the difference between hobbies and interests?

Though many use the terms “hobbies” and “interests” interchangeably, there are some subtle differences between the two.

Hobbies . Hobbies are activities you engage in regularly. They tend to be more hands-on activities that people participate in for enjoyment and relaxation. Hobbies require acquiring new skills and tend to need engagement and a time commitment. Examples of hobbies include engaging in a specific sport, writing, and cooking.

Interests . Interests are things - ideas, topics, activities - you're interested in learning more about or engaging in more often. Interests often have a broader focus than hobbies, tend to be more intellectually driven vs. hands-on, and expand your understanding. They also tend to require less of a time commitment, since they can be explored through things like reading or asking questions.  Examples of interests include airplanes, filmmaking, and photography. 

For some, interests eventually become hobbies. You might also note that a hobby for one person might be an interest for another, and vice versa. 

So, on your resume, should you call them hobbies or interests? It depends. If you only have relevant interests, you can call the section “Interests.” The same goes if you only have relevant hobbies - call the section “Hobbies.” However, if you're including both interests and hobbies, refer to the section as “Hobbies and Interests.” 

What are the benefits of adding hobbies and interests on a resume?

There are a handful of benefits to adding hobbies and interests on your resume, with several outlined below. 

Offers a chance to build rapport. Interests and hobbies on a resume offer the chance to build a rapport with an interviewer during an interview . They may even feel comfortable about revealing some insights into their personal life. This is the ideal scenario – you want to work out what makes them tick, too.

Brings depth to your application. Including your interests and hobbies on a resume brings depth to your application, but only if they're relevant to the role. The best candidates get creative about how they position their hobbies and interests to enhance their career story.

Shows you're more than just your work persona. Including a couple of brief one-liners about your hobbies and interests shows that there's more to you than your work persona. As work-life boundaries blur, people want to collaborate with interesting colleagues. 

Highlights hard and soft skills. Hobbies and interests require and enhance soft and hard skills that can be highly relevant to open positions.  

Fills gaps. Hobbies and interests on a resume can help to fill in work experience and skills gaps you might have for the job you're seeking. 

When should you include hobbies and interests on your resume?

Here are examples of when it might be appropriate to include personal interests on your resume:

Entry-level professional. If you're an early-career professional with minimal work experience, including interests is a great way of outlining your motivations and giving the hiring manager a better idea of who they are employing. Two or three lines of personal interests are expected and will add to the application, but you still need to hint at why they are relevant for the role.

Experienced professional. The decision to include interests is less clean-cut for a more senior applicant. In most cases, you'll likely have plenty of relevant work experience to include on your resume. Still, most careers contain skills that can be developed outside of the workplace. If you genuinely have a hobby or interest that contributes to your effectiveness at work, there is no rule that says you shouldn't include it.

Career changer. If you're changing careers and have limited practical work experience, skills, or education related to the position for which you're applying, adding interests and hobbies could help fill in these gaps. 

Interests and hobbies emphasize your abilities. If you happen to have an interest or hobby that indicates you're good at the type of job you're applying for, include them. For example, suppose you're applying for a position that requires a lot of public speaking. In that case, you might include your interest in acting, as it highlights your ability to perform in front of audiences. 

It's requested in the job description. As is the case for any request listed in the job posting, if the employer requests for you to include your hobbies and interests, be sure you do!

The organization puts a lot of focus on employee qualities and traits. If you notice on a company's website that they tend to highlight their employees' extracurricular activities and personalities frequently, then adding hobbies or interests on a resume could help you to stand out. 

When should you not include interests or hobbies on a resume?

And now, here are the reasons you should not include hobbies and personal interests on a resume:

Lack of space. If you're finding that space is tight on your resume, the Hobbies and Interests section is the first that should be cut. Even the section header can take up valuable space. You should always prioritize your work experience if you have more to say. Remember that you may get a chance to mention your interests during an interview.

Lack of relevance. To reiterate, only include hobbies or interests that are relevant to the job. As much as you might like someone to know you can walk a tightrope like a champ, unless it adds value and is applicable, don't include it. 

How to include hobbies and interests on your resume

There are several ground rules in terms of adding interests on a resume. Let's discuss the main ones.

Research the requirements of the role

Before you work out whether you're including relevant interests, make sure that you understand the specifics of the role. Making a link with an interest and an obscure requirement of the job is a great way of showing that you know what you're getting yourself into.

Choose interests that match your workplace skills

Once you have a list of skills that your employer desires, be creative in how you match your hobbies with the role. The hiring manager will be reading a lot of resumes, so don't assume that they will automatically make the connection. Be clear about exactly why you're including your interest.

You never know when you might run into an interviewer who knows more about your hobby than you do. Resist the temptation to exaggerate the level of your participation, or it might become an embarrassing situation that will torpedo your chances of getting the job. Honesty is the best policy in a job search.

You can include hobbies and interests on a resume in one of three places:

In a separate “Hobbies and Interests” section

In your Work Experience section

In your Skills or Competencies section

Hobbies and Interests section

If you choose to include hobbies and interests on your resume, the most obvious place to include them is in a stand-alone “Hobbies and Interests” section. In most instances, this should be the very last section you include on your resume. 

Work Experience section

While you might have space for a separate Interests and Hobbies section on a two-page resume, there's also the option of slipping an interest or hobby into bullet points or paragraphs around your work experience. If it fits with the point that you are making, it won't seem out of place.

Include bullets with an intriguing description. Just listing “swimming” or “horticulture” as a personal interest will be ignored. If your interest is relevant to the role, include a brief description that offers more detail to fire the hiring manager's imagination. You don't need to write this in full sentences. Include context and quantify with detail if possible. For example, if you're applying for a team lead or training position, you might include the following:

• Swimming. Won the state U23 200m backstroke title. Trained 100+ juniors at the local club.

Skills or Competencies section

If you have one or two hobbies or interests that relate to a specific skill required for the job or would add value to the role, you could choose to include it in your Skills or Competencies section. For example, if graphic design is a hobby of yours and you're applying for a marketing or communications role, adding graphic design as a competency or skill could prove valuable in such a role. 

Hobbies and interests to put on a resume - examples

Now, let's get into the details of the interests to put on a resume that may be worth including and why. In this section, we highlight:

Different categories of hobbies or interests

A brief description of why each category can be relevant

The hard and soft skills related to the category that could add value

Specific hobbies and interests examples that you might include on your resume

In the competitive world of work, countless lessons can be transferred from sporting activities. Whether you are playing in a team or dedicated to individual glory, the drive to win and the experience of losing are two sides of the same coin. 

In general, including sports on a resume can speak to the following soft skills:

Self-discipline

Communication

Interpersonal abilities

Collaboration

Determination

Ability to handle stress

Examples of sports hobbies and interests to put on a resume are:

Baseball. Everyone has different roles on any sports team. If one person is not doing their job, then the team is weaker. This is collective responsibility at its most basic.

Swimming. Swimming requires hours of dedication and preparation. Any endurance sport offers ample time to think about other aspects of your life.

Skydiving. Extreme sports indicate a risk-taker who is not afraid to push their limits. Perfect when you're figuring it out as you go along in an innovative industry sector.

Yoga. Any interest that involves looking within and clearing your mind of unwanted distractions should be beneficial. Yoga practitioners are often clear-headed decision-makers.

Fitness. The ability to maintain a regular fitness regime should never be underestimated. There are times when you won't want to hit the gym but you overcome your lethargy, which is also a valuable approach to work. 

Outdoor pursuits

Venturing outdoors into an uncertain world means that you often need to react to whatever nature throws your way. There's a reason why company away days are often held in outdoor activity centers. Outdoor adventures can teach us a multitude of lessons.

Some soft skills that those who face the great outdoors might have are:

Problem solving

Critical thinking

Working well under stress

Adventurous

Attention to detail

Safety-conscious

Risk-conscious 

Examples of outdoor interests to put on a resume include:

Fishing. Patience is a key requirement for many roles. When the long-anticipated opportunity arrives, you need to reel it in confidently and with skill. The chance may not come again.

Orienteering. Working out and agreeing on a path forward is a common sticking point in many corporate settings. Orienteering teaches communication skills and teamwork.

Horticulture. Spending countless weeks preparing the ground for a flower that may only bloom for a short time requires attention to detail and visionary planning.

Camping. The ability to put the hustle and bustle of everyday life to one side and lose yourself in the great outdoors is incredibly good for your mental health. It also shows you have the ability to take time away to balance your work and personal life. 

The dedication and creativity that come with learning a musical instrument or training a singing voice can be put to good use in any workplace. The journey is similar when it comes to mastering a new skill at work. Practice makes perfect.

Soft skills relevant to many positions that are often highlighted by musical ability include:

Of course, the technical skills of playing an instrument or being able to sing would be highly relevant in sectors like theater and filmmaking, as well. 

Some music-focused hobbies or interests to put on a resume include:

Songwriting. Even writing an email requires filling a blank space with something meaningful. Songwriters understand how to make other people feel a certain way.

Singing or gigging. Standing in front of a crowd and performing are skills that will be useful at work. You will communicate confidently in any meeting or presentation.

Playing an instrument. The process of mastering an instrument never ends. Perfection has no limits. There's always a more difficult piece to play that you can't quite nail.

Volunteering

Every hiring manager wants to hire a selfless employee who will share duties and help others, even when it isn't specified in their job description. Someone with an interest in volunteering will be naturally inclined to make a difference to those around them.

When you showcase volunteer work on your resume, you're often emphasizing the following soft skills, as well:

Charitability

Originality

Abstract thinking

Community-focus

Examples of volunteer work that candidates might choose to include are:

Charity work. The charity that you choose to support will offer an insight into your character. It may also provide a chance to bond with a hiring manager. 

Environmental activism. This is bordering on a controversial topic for some people, so include details about your environmental activities with care. If the company you're applying to is environmentally or green-focused, then you'll likely be safe to include it. 

Being a mentor. Mentoring outside the workplace is a fantastic source of positive energy. It will teach a multitude of influencing and people management skills.

Community work. Selflessly helping others is a trait of a valuable team player – so long as you know your limits. Sometimes, you need to be selfish and focus on your tasks.

Many creative dilemmas are solved outside of the workplace environment. Do you have the ability to think through a problem laterally when you're taking a shower or during your commute? Creative interests help the right side of your brain to see things differently.

Those with a hobby or interest that requires creativity often possess the following soft skills in addition to creativity:

Detail-orientation

Some creative interests to put on a resume include:

Painting or drawing. While painting is a leisurely pursuit that has little to do with many careers, are we discounting the observational skills of the perceptive artist?

Photography. An appreciation for how visuals can convey a message to make the required impact is central to marketing and sales-related roles. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Graphic design. As business moves increasingly online (and eventually into the Metaverse), graphic design skills come in handy in many careers. 

Blogging. Sharing your thoughts in a blog not only benefits your writing skills. As companies increasingly rely on employee advocacy, you can become a champion for their cause. Written communication skills are also a highly-sought after commodity. 

Poetry. Brevity lies at the heart of every successful team. Say what you want to say. Make sure that everyone gets it. Move on. Most workplaces could do with more succinct poets.

No one wants to hire a technophobe who is constantly asking colleagues for advice about how to use the basic functions of Excel. Sharing an interest in technology means that you may be the go-to person to ask when such questions crop up.

When including technology-focused interests, you're not only highlighting hard skills that employers eagerly seek, but soft skills, as well, like:

Openness to change

These are just a few of the technology-focused hobbies you might include on your resume:

Programming. An appreciation of coding and programming languages will soon be required in many non-technical industries. The future is digital. Are you ready?

Trading. Dabbling in stocks or crypto requires a level of risk tolerance that is rarely tested in a career. When you're investing your own money, you'll develop critical thinking skills.

Artificial intelligence. If you are this interested in the future of work, it's likely that you will have countless other fresh perspectives to bring to the workplace.

Online activity

While not every industry is dependent on an online presence, there are many functions where online activity is central to success. Sales, marketing, PR, human resources, and recruiting require employees with solid social media credentials and hard skills. 

In addition to the technical skills required for online activities, some of the soft skills include:

Creativity 

Communication 

Decisiveness

Examples of online activity hobbies include:

Social media. As social media evolves into a second life for so many of us, people who have developed an online audience can bring countless transferable skills to an employer.

E-sports. Split-second decisions in a virtual environment (alongside a team) mirror many jobs. Your job might not be a game, but your brain won't know any different.

Vlogging. Building an audience on YouTube or another similar platform requires creativity to work out what to say and the courage to put it out into the world.

Entertainment

Captivating a crowd has been a prized skill for millennia, and it's highly valued in the modern workplace. The ability to keep a screen of Zoom listeners engaged on an hourly basis is a skill that shouldn't be underestimated. Entertaining a crowd is a superpower. 

A few soft skills required for entertainment-related hobbies include:

Confidence 

Ability to improvise

Below are a few entertainment-related hobbies and interests to put on a resume:

Acting. While we might try to be true to our authentic selves at work, there are occasions where acting skills are required. The ability to play a part is important to maintain unity.

Comedy. If you have the God-given talent to make someone laugh, making friends and influencing others will come that little bit easier. 

Dance. Concentration and physical preparation are required to master a dance routine. Sometimes, you only get one chance to make an impression. Dancers can also perform under pressure.

Miscellaneous hobbies

Some hobbies might not fall neatly into a category, though they still offer fascinating insights into your personality and are worth mentioning.

Language learning. Choosing to learn a foreign language as a hobby is no small undertaking. You need a stellar memory and an organized mind to piece together the puzzle of language. Plus, many employers value bilingual candidates. 

Home improvement. Project management is ubiquitous in the workplace. Ensuring that a home improvement project runs smoothly demands many of the same project management skills.

Mindfulness. Slowing down and immersing yourself in mindfulness allows the tumult of worldly thoughts to fall into place. Prepare for success from a mindset of calm emptiness and focus. 

Which interests should you avoid adding?

When considering interests to put on a resume, avoid these types:

Illegal ones. Okay, you can laugh, but it's still worth mentioning. An employer might question your judgment if you tell them about your late-night parkour running across the city – avoid anything even remotely illegal. 

Religion or politics. As mentioned earlier, even environmental activities can be polarizing. Avoid anything with the potential to cause an argument. 

Ones requiring complex explanations. Omit any obscure activities that require a detailed explanation. Keep it simple and make sure that the employer will understand the workplace impact of the hobby.

Including hobbies and interests can add value

Now you know when it's okay to put hobbies and interests on a resume and when it's not. You also have plenty of examples of the types of interests to put on a resume that could help you to stand out and highlight vital soft and hard skills. Given that you likely have many relevant interests to put on your resume that might be worth mentioning, be selective in your choices and creative in how you present them using the guidelines above!

Still wondering if you should include hobbies or interests on your resume? And if you are, are you doing it appropriately? Why not upload your resume for a free review from our resume experts and find out?

This article was originally written by Paul Drury and has been updated by Ronda Suder.

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Resume Examples & Samples

How and why put hobbies on a resume [20+ real examples].

Dayana Aleksandrova

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Table of Contents

Why is it important to talk about hobbies and interests, how to tailor interests and hobbies to a job.

• The 4 Main Sets of Hobbies and Interests

Creative Hobbies and Interests

Athletic hobbies and interests, people-oriented hobbies and interests, analytical hobbies and interests, how to connect with a recruiter.

Hobbies and interests are a vital, yet overlooked part of a resume.

When applying for a job, it’s not enough to just flash a perfect resume with tons of experience and brand names. Employers care about you as a whole. What this means is that you have to show them who you are outside of the office through your hobbies and interests.

This is why it is extremely important to paint a clear picture of yourself, demonstrating your passions and values. All successful resume templates include this section.

That being said, not all hobbies and interests are created equal. There are ways to leverage the things that excite you and tailor them according to the company you are applying to.

in this guide, we will teach you:

• Why it is important to talk about hobbies and interests on your resume
• How to leverage your interests and tailor them to the specific company
• The four main sets of hobbies to mention
• What your interests say about your personality
• How to connect with recruiters based on interests

Let’s dive into it. Remember, regardless of which hobbies and interests you decide to put on your resume, you have to be genuine. Don’t pretend to have interests you don’t, because that will make you look like a fraud.

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#why-is-it-important-to-talk-about-hobbies-and-interests

Have you noticed how companies often talk company culture during the recruiting process?

Recruiters need to make sure that each employee will fit in with the company culture. This is important, as every successful business needs people that communicate and work well together. People are inherently different and having common hobbies tends to break the ice quicker and over time bring people together.

#how-to-tailor-interests-and-hobbies-to-a-job

It all comes down to research .

The company website gives you everything you need to get the job. You just have to dig and find the key pieces of information that talk about interests and hobbies.

For example, if a boutique hotel lists on their website that they value:

• Honest people with a high level of integrity
• Social butterflies who enjoy travel
• People who will take care of guests like their family
• Those who go the extra mile to make every experience memorable

You can choose to list your interests and hobbies that reflect these values. It would look like this:

Passionate Monopoly player who always wins fair and square.

What does this say? If you like to play Monopoly, you are clearly a social butterfly because the game usually includes a group of at least four people and is very emotionally expressive.

Saying that you won fair and square demonstrates your honesty and integrity without you having to say “I’m honest.”

When listing your hobbies and interests on a resume, you really let them show who you. It’s a subtle and elegant way of painting yourself in a good light.

for example:

Organize meet-ups for travelers in the city, aimed at building new friendships and showing them around town from a local perspective.

This shows that:

• You care to help strangers feel accepted and make friends; this is a great social skill to bring to a job that requires customer interaction for example
• You go the extra mile to find locals from your city and convince them to show travelers around, so that they could have a memorable experience

Given the fact that you are applying for a hotel, mentioning the word travelers is very important. You have to know the audience the company is going for and show your engagement with it.

Step up your game. Have a look at How and Why To Tailor Your Resume to the Job (10+ Examples) .

THE 4 MAIN SETS OF HOBBIES AND INTERESTS

#the-4-main-sets-of-hobbies-and-interests.

While your hobbies and interests may be extremely diverse, there are 4 main categories in which they typically fall. These are:

• People-oriented

We will look at each group individually to see what examples best reflect these hobbies and interests and what skills they convey.

#creative-hobbies-and-interests

What comes to mind when you think “creative” hobbies? Those could be:

• Painting/ sculpture
• Design (websites, clothes, bags)
• Photography
• Videography

Now, what skills do you think someone with creative hobbies would have?

Creative people usually:

• Think outside the box
• Are able to see a challenge from a different angle
• Can make links between two projects that seem totally opposing
• Are good with big workloads, as they get bored easily

If you are applying for a position where problem-solving is one of the main tasks, listing these six hobbies and interests on your resume will be helpful. Same goes for jobs that require someone with a visual understanding of things.

If you're looking for some extra inspiration, have a look at these resume templates .

#athletic-hobbies-and-interests

Athletic hobbies and interests are very important. Why? Because they demonstrate a few key characteristics of job applicants:

• Competitive spirit
• Perseverance
• Desire to win (sometimes at all cost)

What are some athletic hobbies and interests to put on your resume? Take a look at some of the best options:

• Club sports (baseball, basketball, football, swimming)
• Running marathons
• Dancing (competitive; couples)
• Coaching a team
• Hiking, camping
• Doing races - Spartan Race, Mud Run, obstacles

What skills does someone with athletic interests bring to the table?

Sports are no easy task, so someone who lists these interests and hobbies tells the recruiter that they are:

• Can work in a team
• Like to win
• Strong (both physically and mentally)

For example, if you have the motivation to play basketball three times a week at your local court with friends, that shows commitment which tells the recruiter that you are reliable.

If you take time off your day to coach your kids’ middle school football team, it shows leadership and that you are generous with your free time.

If you go on races with obstacles and various physical challenges, that exhibits strength and perseverance. A 10K race through the Irish mud trails is not for weak people, so if you do this for fun, it increases the chances that the company would want you on their team.

If you are a fan of hiking and camping, this shows that you aren’t afraid of the possibility to get stranded in the mountains and that you come prepared ahead of time. Planning ahead is always a useful trait, especially when it comes to company projects.

If you dance, that shows a few things - you have a great coordination and attention to detail; you can follow instructions; you get along with others enough to dance in a couple.

If you do sports, it's always a great idea to have at least one athletic hobby on your resume, so take your pick.

#people-oriented-hobbies-and-interests

Chances are that wherever you apply to work, the recruiter would want to see that you work well in a team and get along with others well.

These are the top hobbies and interests to put on your resume in order to demonstrate your social skills:

• Organize events/ meet-ups/ parties
• Help out at a local homeless shelter
• Teach others (languages, drawing)
• Host dinner parties
• Volunteer to chaperon your kids’ school events
• Like to volunteer as a tour guide in your city

All of these hobbies are very social. For example, if you are someone who likes to organize events, you must do well with groups of people. Events and meet-ups require a ton of coordination, figuring out logistics and doing a fair amount of marketing and promotion.

Having these skills is very valuable for many job functions and industries such as Business, Sales, Hospitality, Education, Travel.

If you like to teach others, this exhibits a high level of patience, dedication, and care. It’s challenging to teach others new skills. For example, very high levels of frustration could build up when you’re trying to teach someone a new language, even if it’s your family.

Showing that you handle yourself well in these situations is key. Volunteer projects always look great on a resume, because you do something and expect no reward in return. This shows character.

If you volunteer at a local homeless shelter, it suggests a role of a community leader and is very likely that you are someone well-respected and selfless. This is the type of person companies want.

#analytical-hobbies-and-interests

While people and leadership skills are very valuable, we must not forget analytical qualities. These are the hobbies and interests that best illustrate your analytical side:

• Master sudoku/ cards/ board games player
• Book club member
• Read philosophy
• Play real-time strategy computer games
• Tutor others in science/ math/ literature

There are many ways to show that you are an analytical mind. For example, if you’re a member of a book club, this shows that you can think about different plots and context and draw conclusions.

The fact that you do so in a group of people shows your social side as well. This is sometimes a factor which analytical people have to pay attention to. Of course, companies would want a smart, detail-oriented employee, but you would not be any good if you don’t communicate.

Reading philosophy is another great hobby. Though a bit less social than book club, it shows that you are open-minded.

If you tutor others in math, science or literature courses, this shows that you like to help others solve problems. This type of character is always a great addition to a team.

#how-to-connect-with-a-recruiter

Connecting with a recruiter is always imperative, but it's not an easy task. The worst thing you can do during an interview (well, besides having a meltdown under pressure), is bore the recruiter to death.

While it’s their job to talk about your professional portfolio and the tasks that the job requires, recruiters are people too - they get tired of formalities. This is why it’s a great idea to do research on the person interviewing you and prepare your most suitable interests and hobbies for your conversation.

LinkedIn is an invaluable resource when it comes to finding out information about someone’s professional history and personal interests. There is even a special section dedicated to it, so do your homework.

If you see that the recruiter shares updates on fishing or hiking, that means that they are an outdoors person. If you can identify with these hobbies, the recruiter will realize you share something in common. AT that moment, you'll stop being a piece of paper, and start being human.

You can casually slip in your love for the mountains when asked how your weekend was. Simply reply that it was great and that you went hiking.

Recruiters like to talk about interests outside of the work place because otherwise, their days can get very boring.

If you see that the recruiter shared a book review on LinkedIn, it may be worth it to read a quick synopsis of the book and mention it. Sometimes, recruiters would ask what book you are currently reading.

This is meant to be something of a “smart” test. Successful people typically read a lot and can always recall what’s on their radar at any given moment. If you admit that you haven’t read books since college, your honesty is more likely to hurt you than not.

Check out what the recruiter likes to read and learn a few things. If they follow magazines and news sites like The Economist, Bloomberg or Entrepreneur, give them a follow and see what updates come up. Chances are that you will find a topic to bond over.

Taking it a step further than LinkedIn, Twitter is the key to your recruiter’s hobbies and interests. This platform is easy to use and lets you send out frequent updates on your activities, as well as share things from the web that are interesting to you.

If the recruiter is interested in travel and constantly shares beautiful photos from England or the Bahamas, talk about your last trip and mention your passion for globetrotting.

Chances are that if you are seriously considered for the job, recruiters will also check out your social media.

Interviews and resumes don’t have to be all work and no play. Don't be shy and talk about your hobbies and interests on your resume. You still should, however, do so strategically.

Begin by finding out the values and mission of your desired company. Then tailor your own interests to theirs.

A key factor here is to keep it genuine . If you say that you love to read but can’t recall the name of the last book you've picked up, this will look bad. If on the other hand, you say that you enjoy travel and you’ve got a great story to pull out of your sleeve, this can bring you major points.

Remember that the hobbies and interests on your resume communicate a message about your character.

If you say that you volunteer to coach your children’s baseball team, this shows leadership and patience. It is much more valuable than you saying “I’m a patient leader.”

Connect with recruiters based on your common interests. Remember that recruiters are people like you and anyone else. They get bored talking about job duties and personality tests all day. Bond with them over your shared love for media, sports or art.

Make sure that your social media reflects your personality by mentioning your interests in hobbies . The best way to see if someone is really into running is to go on their Twitter and see whether they post any 5K race updates or have a bunch of Usain Bolt motivational quotes reposted.

Remember that companies want well-rounded individuals, so take your resume to the next level by adding your hobbies and interests.

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Listing Hobbies and Interests on a Resume: Examples & How-to

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What are hobbies and interests you can list on a resume?

How to list hobbies and interests on a resume, best hobbies and interests for different industries.

Adding relevant hobbies and interests to your resume can show hiring managers that you’re dedicated to your profession. They can also highlight your skills and related experience to make you stand out from other candidates. Learn how to add hobbies and interests to your resumes and the best ones for different industries.

Hobbies and interests on a resume are things you do in your free time that help complete your resume. Usually, you can create a ‘Hobbies and interests’ section towards the end of your resume to show employers what you like to do when you’re not working. Listing hobbies and interests can help hiring managers understand more about you and how you could fit into their company culture. 

It can be helpful to list hobbies and interests that relate to the role you’re applying for to show you’re a dedicated professional in your field. For example, if you’re applying for a job as a mechanic, you can list interests like rebuilding classic cars or reading automotive magazines. 

Here’s how you can add your hobbies and interests to a resume: 

1. First, think about what you do in your free time

Consider anything you enjoy doing when you’re not working, like exercising, reading, cooking or anything else. Most things that you like doing in your free time can be considered hobbies or interests. 

2. Second, make a list of all of your hobbies

Write down everything you like doing. Make the list as long as you need to include all of your interests. 

3. Third, look at job descriptions

Read different job postings in fields you’re interested in to see what some common responsibilities and skills are. See if any of your hobbies or interests relate to the jobs. Your hobbies could also use some of the skills needed for the job. For example, if you’re applying for a job that listed teamwork as a needed skill, you could list playing a specific sport to showcase your teamwork skills.

4. Next, read resume samples

Find resume examples for the job you want to apply for to see some possible hobbies and interests you could list on your own resume. These examples can give you inspiration for hobbies you have that you hadn’t thought of before. Examples can also show you the best way to add your hobbies. 

5. Then, create a ‘Hobbies and Interests’ section on your resume

This section should probably be last on your resume since you want to show all of your experience, skills and education first. When you add your hobbies and interests, it’s best to add three at most, so choose your most relevant ones. 

6. Last, be descriptive

 When you add your hobbies and interests, be sure to make them specific so hiring managers have a better understanding of them. For example, instead of adding ‘Cooking’ as a hobby, try ‘Passion for French baking.’ Being descriptive helps you be more relatable to the employer. 

Not everyone adds hobbies and interests on their resumes, but it can be a useful section to show your personality. Only include a ‘Hobbies and Interests’ section if you have space on your resume. 

Here are some of the best hobbies and interests you can list for different industries: 

Information technology (IT)

Examples  that show IT interests or how you stay current in a continuously changing field:

• Building neural networks 
• Active participant in local annual hackathon 
• Learning new coding languages 
• Volunteer instructor at local high school’s after-school programming class 
• Play Sudoku and other number puzzles 

Be specific in any programming languages or other IT programs you’re learning in your free time. The IT industry also involves a lot of analytical thinking and problem-solving. Additionally, you may need to collaborate with a group or team.

Examples to highlight your communication or entrepreneurial skills for retail:

• Member of neighborhood softball league since 2015 
• Regular volunteer at local clothing and furniture charity 
• Create custom sewing patterns as side job 
• Active member of chess club 

Depending on the type of retail you’re involved in, you may be able to add more specific interests as well. You can also add any hobbies that could showcase your customer service skills, which is another valuable skill needed for retail. 

Examples for the healthcare industr y to show your interest in physical health and staying current with the latest medical trends:

• Read monthly psychology and neurology medical journals 
• Boston and New York Marathon participant 
• Volunteer coordinator at local Red Cross 
• Lead cycling class twice a week at fitness center 
• Member of group aiming to provide healthcare to underserved communities 

Healthcare has a wide variety of jobs available, so mention any other hobbies for your specific field. 

Construction

Examples for construction that show your stamina and creative problem-solving skills:

• Create custom tables for additional income, about one per month 
• Habitat for Humanity volunteer since 2017 
• Avid backpacker and speed hiker 
• Practice welding techniques 

Some of these hobbies involve working with others, which is also important in construction. 

Hospitality 

Examples for working in the hospitality industry with a variety of people:

• Traveling and exploring local culture 
• Maintain a blog about travel experiences 
• Currently learning Portuguese and Italian 
• Sailboat enthusiast 
• Volunteer at local refugee center 

Adding any hobbies that involve teamwork would be helpful for hospitality resumes as well. 

Foodservice

Examples for foodservice related to your experience with food, time management and collaboration skills:

• Maintain active food critic blog Interest in variations of curry worldwide 
• Participant in local food service kickball league 
• Volunteer three times a week at local food bank 

Depending on the job you’re seeking in the foodservice industry, there are many other hobbies you could add. A server’s hobbies and interests will likely be different than a sous chef’s hobbies.

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How To List Hobbies And Interests On A Resume (With Examples)

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Adding your hobbies and interests to your resume shows hiring managers who you are, what you’re interested in, and what you’re passionate about. It can even give them clues about your work ethic and personality. This is especially valuable if you don’t have a lot of work experience or are changing career paths .

It can be tricky to know which hobbies and interests to include on a resume and where to put them, so we’re going to show you how to do that. You’ll also see examples of hobbies and interests on a resume. Key Takeaways

Share hobbies and interests that emphasize your soft and hard skills.

Tailor the hobbies and interests you share on your resume to the culture of the company you’re applying to.

Avoid including hobbies and interests that are controversial, illegal, or dangerous.

How to list interests and hobbies on your resume

When to include a list of interests and hobbies on your resume, examples of interests and hobbies to list on a resume, how to decide whether to include a hobby or interest on your resume, tips for including hobbies and interests on your resume, hobbies vs. interests, resume hobbies and interests faq, final thoughts.

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To list your interests and hobbies on your resume, start by making sure you understand the company and role you’re applying for, then choose hobbies that relate to those and emphasize your skills. Put the hobbies you choose in a bulleted list at the end of your resume.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to including interests and hobbies on your resume:

Research the company . Before you can know what hobbies will be valuable to the hiring manager or recruiter , you have to know what the organization values. Check out the company’s “About Us” page , its LinkedIn profile, and any other public communications the company puts out.

Understand the role. Next, turn to the job description . Pay special attention to the soft skills and personality traits that are listed as essential or preferred within the job requirements section. Then, think of how your hobbies relate to those desired qualities.

Choose hobbies that emphasize your skill set. The hiring manager has already perused your resume’s skills section — now it’s time to further highlight your proficiency with outside-of-work activities that also leverage your skill set. Use your research from the above two steps to inform which skills are most valuable to focus on.

Title a separate section, at the end of your resume. Call this section “Hobbies and Interests” and place it as the last section of your resume. Typically this will come after either your education or skills section.

Make a bulleted list of 2-5 hobbies. Each hobby should be one bullet point and ideally a single line long, so as not to take up too much space. You should list at least two but no more than five hobbies.

Here’s an example of what this looks like:

Hobbies and interests Hiking – Started weekly hiking group to improve fitness. Bass guitar – Play with band at local gigs once a month. Cooking – Cooked through The Joy of Cooking in one year with roommate.

Include a list of interests and hobbies on your resume when you don’t have much experience, when it’s required, or when your hobbies and interests align closely with the job description.

Since no two job openings are the same, it won’t always be necessary (or useful) to include this information on your resume. Here are some examples of instances when you should consider adding interests and hobbies to your resume:

When you have little background experience in the industry, department, or role that you’re applying to.

When you’re just getting started in the job market and you therefore have little to no professional experience at all.

When the job description explicitly requests that job applicants include a list of their interests or hobbies in their job applications.

When the requirements and responsibilities of a given job description align well with your interests and hobbies.

When an employer mentions in a job posting that they’re interested in learning about applicants’ personalities (in addition to their work experience and background).

Okay – now that we have an idea of how (and when) to list your interests and hobbies, let’s now turn our attention to some examples of how they might look on a finished resume.

Here are some examples that you can use as a guide when listing your personal interests and hobbies on your next job application:

10+ years of experience playing violin, with an additional three years of experience playing with a small band of local musicians.

Regularly compete in chess competitions at the local and state levels as a means of sharpening my skills as a strategist and problem-solver.

Passionate hiker and mountaineering guide who has led individuals and groups of all ages to the summits of more than two dozen 14,000-plus-foot peaks.

International travel

Annually plan and organize overseas trips to expand my language skills and my cultural worldview.

Dedicated yoga practitioner with more than five years of experience studying Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga in a group setting.

Founder and sole contributor of the “Denver Food Hub” blog, which focuses on the city’s up-and-coming culinary culture and has attracted more than 25,000 subscribers since its initial launch in 2015.

Volunteering

Regular volunteer at local soup kitchens, food banks, and community shelters, with experience coordinating groups of local volunteers for the annual Thanksgiving 5k outdoor sporting event.

Stage theater

Actor with 4 years of experience producing and performing in stage productions at the local Albrington Theatre.

Long-time hockey player (left winger) with a passion for the sport, and three years of experience as a volunteer coach with the local youth girls’ hockey league (ages 6 to 12).

Photography

Photographer with eight years of experience taking family, graduation, and other portrait photos for clients. Have also had several nature photographs published in local tourism publications.

Foreign language

Studying and practicing Spanish by taking college classes, practicing during my travels to Spanish-speaking countries, and volunteering as an assistant translator at a local hospital.

Create clay vases and bowls and take classes to strengthen my creativity and problem-solving skills.

Compete in biannual team robotics competitions across the country.

Consistently bike 14+ miles three times a week with my local mountain and road biking club.

To decide whether to include a hobby or interest on your resume, you should make sure it is relevant to the job you’re applying for. Before you mention an interest or a hobby on your resume, be sure to ask yourself the following questions:

Is this interest or hobby (or the skills I learn from it) valued within this employer’s workplace culture?

Does this interest or hobby match well with the particular job requirements of the position that I’m applying to?

Will the hiring manager (i.e., the person who will be reading the resume) be familiar with what I’m talking about?

If the answer to each of those questions is “yes,” then go ahead and add that interest or hobby to your list. If the answer to one or more of them is “no,” then you should consider choosing a different hobby or interest that will be more relevant to the purposes of your job application.

Good types of interests and hobbies to put on your resume

Here are a few examples of interests and hobbies that will be useful to list on almost any job application:

Travel. Travel experience conveys a sense of adventure and an eagerness to explore new places, cultures, and ideas. Plus, the ability to adapt and fit into a new environment proves that you have the power to adjust to your new role as well.

Exercise. A job candidate who’s committed to taking care of their physical health through regular exercise can also be depended upon to take care of their professional responsibilities.

Writing for a public audience. A love of writing, particularly when it’s shared with others (as in a blog, for example), demonstrates curiosity, a passion for learning new things, and a willingness to step outside of one’s comfort zone.

Yoga. This practice is gaining huge popularity as a means of maintaining a calm, cool, and collected state of mind within a group setting.

Art (painting, music, drawing, sculpture, dance, etc.). A passion for artistic pursuits conveys creativity and independence, as well as a willingness to be outgoing and to try new things.

Volunteer work . A job applicant who routinely volunteers within their local community can be relied upon to be a strong team player and a compassionate member of the workplace.

Outdoor activities. A job candidate who spends a significant amount of time outdoors usually has strong problem-solving skills and is adventurous and curious, all of which employers value in employees.

Bad interests and hobbies for a resume

In contrast, here are some examples of interests and hobbies that should never be mentioned on a professional resume:

Coin collecting

Watching cartoons

Eating ice cream

Scrolling through Instagram

While these activities aren’t necessarily bad, they don’t convey anything about who you are and what you bring to the table as a professional. Space on your resume should be reserved for information that builds on why you’re the best candidate for the job, and these hobbies don’t do that.

In addition, to avoid giving hiring managers a negative impression of you, you should avoid mentioning any interests or hobbies that:

Involve no interaction or cooperation with other people

Are controversial or polarizing

Could be interpreted as unnecessarily dangerous

Are in any way illegal

Communicate sensitive personal information, such as your political affiliations, religious beliefs, or medical history

When including hobbies and interests on your resume, make sure you’re truthful, avoid controversy, and are specific about the extent of your hobby.

Don’t lie. You shouldn’t lie on any part of your application, but choosing to lie about your hobbies is especially silly. One of the big points of including a section on your hobbies and interests is to establish a connection with the hiring manager. If you’re caught red-handed as a total novice , it could very well sink your chances of landing the job.

Avoid controversial topics. There’s no reason to include hyper-partisan topics in your resume (unless you happen to be applying to a hyper-partisan organization).

Be specific. If you really want to give the hiring manager a glimpse at your life outside of work, it pays to be a bit more specific than simply writing “cooking” as a hobby. Instead, say “Amateur chef working on learning and improving recipes inspired by Southeast Asian cuisine.”

Don’t force it. If you can’t think of appropriate hobbies and interests to put on your resume or simply don’t have room for them, leave them off. Unless you’re specifically asked about them in your application or interview, they’re not a must-have for your resume or cover letter .

Tailor them to the interviewer. We already mentioned the importance of matching the hobbies and interests you choose to share with the company and position, but you can also take this one step further and tailor them to individual people as well.

Keep things concise. The hiring manager reviewing your resume does not need a comprehensive explanation of how you originally took up a hobby or how your skills have progressed over time.

While hobbies and interests are closely intertwined, they’re not exactly the same thing.

Interests are passive and don’t automatically entail participation. For example, you could be very interested in Spaghetti Westerns, but you’ve never engaged in an activity related to filmmaking or critical film theory.

Hobbies require active participation on your part. It’s something that you do for free, during your free time, to have fun. To use the same example, if you actively write screenplays for your own version of Spaghetti Westerns or produce animated shorts that unpack old movies, you’re engaged in a hobby.

Generally speaking, every hobby is related to a more general interest, while not all interests have associated hobbies.

When you include hobbies and interests in your resume, focus on your interests that have hobbies to go along with them. This shows hiring managers that you’re actively growing and learning, not just thinking about it.

Is it professional to put hobbies on a resume?

Yes, it is professional to put hobbies on a resume. This is especially true if you don’t have much relevant work experience.

Just make sure that the hobbies you include relate in some way to the job you’re applying for. This could be a technical skill like photography, or it could be a soft skill like the teamwork or tenacity that you learn in a sport.

How do you write your hobbies and interests on a resume?

Write your hobbies and interests on a resume by creating a section at the end titled “Hobbies and Interests.” In this section, make a bulleted list of two to five hobbies, each with a line describing them and the skills you’ve obtained from them.

Adding a short list of interests and hobbies to the end of your resume is a simple and effective way to stand out from the competition.

When you’re composing your list, remember to limit each bullet point’s explanation to a single sentence, and be sure to only emphasize those details that will be directly relevant to the role, department, and company that you’re applying to.

No matter what industry or field you’re trying to excel in, listing your interests and hobbies in a resume can increase your chances of being invited to a job interview and advancing to the final stages of the hiring process!

University of the Cumberlands – 11 Hobbies That Will Look Good to Future Employers

Utah State University – How Hobbies Improve Mental Health

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Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

Don Pippin is an executive and HR leader for Fortune 50 and 500 companies and startups. In 2008, Don launched area|Talent with a focus on helping clients identify their brand. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Digital Career Strategist, and Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Don guides clients through career transitions.

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Home » Job Tips » Resume Writing Tips » How to Write Hobbies in a Resume: For Different Jobs & Professions

How to Write Hobbies in a Resume: For Different Jobs & Professions

Your resume is more than a list of your skills and experience. It’s an opportunity to show who you are as a person. Your hobbies can give you an advantage over others by showcasing unique skills and passions. In this blog, we’ll show you how to write hobbies in a resume strategically and transform them into lively works of art. We’ll also explore mistakes to avoid when adding hobbies to your resume.

Table of Contents

When is it Necessary to Include Hobbies in Your Resume?

Adding hobbies to your resume can be advantageous if they contribute value or relevance to the position you are seeking. Here are some situations where including hobbies could be beneficial:

• To Demonstrate Job Relevant Proficiencies, Skills, and Abilities: For example, including creative writing as a hobby would be more impressive when applying for a writing role. 
• If the Company Directs You to Do So: When specifically asked by the company to include additional hobbies and interests. This becomes your chance to let your personality shine through.
• If the Company is Interested to Know: If the company places significance on its employees’ personalities and individual traits. In this case, showcasing some of your hobbies can give them a glimpse into who you are as an individual.
• Limited Work Experience: When you have limited work experience or education. In such cases, mentioning any related interests or hobbies could make you stand out.

Hobbies for Different Job Profiles & Domains

Engaging in certain hobbies can cultivate valuable skills and critical thinking beneficial for professional settings. Here are some hobbies that go well with certain job roles:

Content Writer

Hobbies for writers come in many forms, each offering a unique way to enhance your craft. Here’s how to include hobbies in a resume as a writer: 

• Traveling: This expands your perspective and improves your storytelling skills.
• Journaling: It promotes self-reflection, reduces stress, and organizes thoughts.
• Copywriting: This helps you prepare marketable stories for different platforms.
• Reading: Reading a variety of genres enhances your storytelling abilities beyond just enjoying tales.
• Creative Writing: This helps you express yourself creatively.
• Letter Writing: This allows for a realistic and meaningful way to communicate.
• Blogging: This lets you share your thoughts with people around the world and build connections.

 You can also check out this creative writing course to sharpen your skills.

Professor/Teacher

Here are some of the hobbies you can include in your resume while applying for teaching jobs.

• Reading: Helps you learn about the different perspectives of life, inspiring students.
• Writing: This sharpens your communication skills to enhance lesson plans and convey expertise successfully through articles.
• Public Speaking: This helps you captivate students with engaging storytelling and confident communication.
• Traveling: This expands viewpoints and enhances teaching by incorporating global experiences into lessons.
• Blogging: This helps showcase expertise and reach students effectively, amplifying teaching impact.

Web Developer

Here are some of the hobbies you should add to your resume as a web developer: 

• Writing/Journaling: This helps develop important thinking abilities needed for coding, boosts creativity and communication skills, and assists in solving problems. 
• Animation Creation: Creating animations helps you practice how to add dynamic elements to websites.
• Board Games: Playing games helps you think smarter, solve problems better, be more creative, and remember things easier. It also lets you make social connections and relax.
• Game Development: This sharpens your problem-solving abilities.

If you are applying for the role of an artist, here are some of the hobbies you should include in your resume:

• Painting: Shows the ability to tell a story and convey emotions through art.
• Photography: Highlights your attention to detail and visual storytelling.
• Writing: Displays talent for creating engaging narratives and effective communication.
• Knitting/Crocheting: Demonstrates patience, attention to detail, and ability to create complex designs. 
• Jewelry Making: Showcases design skills with precision.

Executive Manager

If you are applying for a leadership/manager position, you should include hobbies that show people management skills. These include:

• Traveling: Exposes you to different cultures, which enriches your leadership capabilities through diverse experiences.
• Reading: Expands knowledge in areas such as leadership to gain valuable insights.
• Yoga: Cultivates a calm mindset needed for critical decision-making.
• Exercising: Demonstrates the importance of maintaining efficiency and well-being.

10 Best Hobbies to Put On Your Resume

When deciding what hobbies to include in your resume, there are some excellent choices that stand out from the rest. Below is a list of some of the best hobbies you can put in your resume.

• Writing & Blogging: Being able to write in different styles, such as novels, scientific papers, or blogs, demonstrates strong communication abilities important for any company. It is also highly appreciated by employers.
• Podcasting: Hosting a podcast shows off what you know, how good you are at getting people to listen, and how organized you are.
• Composing Music: Music composition requires both imagination and dedication, as well as endurance. Additionally, research suggests that playing an instrument can enhance your ability to remember things and concentrate better.
• Learning Different Languages: Learning different languages is a great hobby to have on your resume. It shows that you’re good at solving problems and that you’re open to learning.
• Photography: Photography is a great hobby for your resume as it helps you look more creative. It also shows your attention to detail and ability to capture stories.
• Traveling: Travel is a great hobby to put on your resume as it shows that you’re open-minded and love trying new things. It suggests that you’re exposed to different cultures and experiences.
• Sports: It helps you learn how to be disciplined and resilient in a team. These are all valuable skills for any job.
• Yoga: Yoga is another great hobby to have on your resume as it shows that you’re mindful of relaxing your body and mind, which can really improve how well you do at work.
• Reading: Having reading as a hobby on your resume shows that you are focused, constantly learning, have good communication skills, and can handle stress well.
• Volunteering: It shows employers that you take initiative, have strong values, and possess important organizational and leadership skills. In fact, 82% of managers actually prefer candidates with volunteer experience.

Tips While Adding Hobbies to Your Resume

Picking the best hobbies for your resume can make a big impact. Here are some tips for how to write hobbies in a resume successfully.

• Match Your Hobbies with What the Company Wants: Let your hobbies reflect what the company wants and stands for. Begin by checking out their website, social media, and reviews to get an idea of their style. Pay attention to any qualities or values that match yours. Then, create a resume that highlights how your hobbies line up with their requirements, showing why you’re just right for the role.
• Make a List of Most Important Hobbies: Create a list of 5 to 10 hobbies that reflect your personality. Choose the best 3 to 5 from this list and feature them in your hobbies section using bullet points or short sentences, separated by commas.
• Move Them to the Bottom: Hobbies can add a personal touch, allowing potential employers to connect with you on a different level. They’re important, but not the main focus. Keep them at the bottom so the attention is on your top qualities, i.e., education, experience, achievements, and skills.
• If There’s No Space, Leave it Out: When deciding whether or not to include your hobbies, remember that they should flow naturally and not look forced. If there’s no space left on your resume, think of your online portfolio as an alternative to showcase all of your hobbies. You can place them in an engaging “About” section without overcrowding the professional appearance of your actual resume.
• Keep it Honest: Be honest about your hobbies on your resume, just like with your job experience or cover letter. Don’t exaggerate or make up interests to seem impressive. Keep it real and genuine for better connections in interviews.

Things to Avoid While Adding Hobbies to Your Resume

When deciding how to put hobbies on a resume and what to include, it is important to think about how they may affect the way others see you professionally. Here are some things that should be avoided:

• Avoid Personal Affiliations: Be careful not to mention your political, religious, or extreme sports connections. For example, talking about supporting certain politicians may not be wise.
• Skip Risky or Time-Consuming Hobbies: Don’t talk about hobbies that are dangerous, take up too much time, or could put you at risk. Things like rock climbing and bungee jumping can make employers worried about how healthy and available for work you will be.
• Don’t Lie About Your Interests: Don’t pretend to have interests just to impress potential employers. They might find out the truth later and think less of your honesty.
• Don’t Overload: Keep the number of hobbies you list on your resume to a reasonable amount so it’s not too cluttered. Too many hobbies might give the idea that you can’t focus or don’t have time for work responsibilities. Therefore, stick to relevant interests only.

Adding hobbies to your resume can be helpful if they relate to the job or highlight useful skills or aspects of yourself. When deciding how to write hobbies in a resume, make sure your hobbies fit with what the company values. However, remember to be careful with your choices so that they don’t distract from important parts of your resume, such as education and work experience.

What’s your most interesting hobby and how do you think it can impact your career positively? Share your answers with us in the comments. Also, check out how to make a resume for any job profile .

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Harshita is an English Literature graduate from the University of Delhi with 3 years of experience in Content Writing and Editing. Dedicated to her craft, she loves creating magic with words. She is a big fan of hoarding cute planners and journals and can be seen watching FRIENDS (almost EVERYTIME) in her spare time. Her meticulous attention to detail makes her stand out from the crowd. A typo epidemic is her worst nightmare!

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Hobbies and Personal Interests on Your Resume

Should you include them or not?

Whether or not to  write a hobbies section on your resume is an ongoing debate  for many career advisors. Here you’ll find the pros and cons of a resume personal interest section.

When we first learn  how to write a resume , we’re often taught to include some of our hobbies or personal interests but later in life, we find that it seems less professional and are convinced to avoid them at all costs.

So, which is it?

Do we include hobbies on the resume or not?

And if so,  which are the best personal interests to put on a resume?

Read on for a guide with expert  advice on how to write a personal interests section for your resume  and what not to include as well as ideal  hobby examples for all types of jobseekers  to use to make an effective resume which will stand out from other candidates.

DOs and DON’Ts for resume interests

It is vital to keep in mind that a hiring manager will be reviewing dozens if not hundreds of resumes for possibly just one vacancy and can easily get bored of seeing the same  skills and qualifications  over and over which is why adding some interests can be of great benefit, as long as you follow the right guidelines.

DO – The first thing that all candidates must do when  adding a hobbies section to a resume  is to consider at all times that there resume must  represent them as a qualified, suitable applicant to the position and company  in question. That means it is essential to maintain an idea of the company, sector and role you are applying to.

DON’T – The  most important element to avoid throughout a resume  including in the personal interest section is  lying ! In some cases jobseekers may be tempted to fabricate a little white lie thinking it won’t be found out and can only help the application along.

Our resume experts cannot stress enough the  importance of not lying on a resume . It is not worth the risk, even in a less significant area of a resume.

DO – A  must-do to ensure your resume gets noticed  is to show your ‘you-ness,’  think of something unique  that will be memorable but intriguing to the employer, to make him or her want to contact you and have you as part of their team.

DON’T – Another aspect that you  must not include on a resume in a hobbies section  is anything related to  religion, politics or your intimate personal interests . This is a  basic rule of thumb for resumes  and any professional profiles on social networks or job applications.

DO – The aim of  listing hobbies on a resume  is to offer a part of your personality that may not shine through in your academic and professional experience but that can allow the prospective employer an  insight into who you are as a person , what drives you and in turn let them gauge whether you will fit well in their business or not.

Should you include your hobbies on a resume?

So you know what you should and shouldn’t put in a personal interest section but is it really a good idea to include hobbies on a resume?

Lots of human resource and resume experts may maintain that including a  section on your resume detailing your hobbies is perhaps unprofessional  or they see personal interests as irrelevant for a job application, however with the world’s business culture evolving so rapidly, it could end up being the  positive edge you need to convince a hiring manager  to contact you.

Your  resume is your first chance at showing a potential employer what you can offer  their company and that doesn’t just involve your  professional experience  and skills but also your expertise on a range of subjects, your passions and  what makes you a good candidate for the role  they advertise.

If you know you have what it takes to get the job but your  experience is limited , you can  use your personal hobbies in a way that demonstrate your abilities  that make you the appropriate candidate.

The main purpose of  including your personal interests in your resume  is to  stand out from other candidates  in the application process, make yourself memorable to the hiring manager and show them a part of your personality that speaks to them as a human being.

This helps the company or  hiring manager get to know you better as a person  and not just another resume with the skills and qualifications the position requires.

Of course, if you are applying for an  executive-level position in a corporate environment  it may be  more appropriate not to include hobbies in your resume . With each application, the candidate will have to use their own discretion after researching the business culture.

It does  depend majorly on the type of job or company  that you are applying to and all jobseekers should consider their individual profile before adding personal interests to a resume.

Further along the application process, such as  in a job interview or even a cover letter ,  mentioning hobbies could also be beneficial to your candidacy  as discussing personal interests often helps the body to relax and can build confidence to take the tension out of a stressful situation, thus you are able to show a more natural side when answering questions in a job interview.

If you’re still wondering whether or not to  include your hobbies on your resume , why not try out an  online resume builder  to get a clear digital vision of how your resume looks with all the information you need to include and then decide if you want to  show a little of your personal side to the prospective employer  as an extra – you never know who might share your interests!

How to write a personal interest section on a resume

Having decided to include a section for hobbies on your resume, now you need to know  how to write a personal interest section  that will land you the interview.

The  structure of a hobbies section for a resume  is simple as it is not one of the principle areas like the education or work experience sections. It should be a  short list  or simply a few lines indicating the hobby and a  brief descriptive  sentence to explain some aspect of the hobby and it’s relevance alluring to the skills you’ve gained or the knowledge it has given you.

The  hobbies section should be clearly titled  to ensure it is not encompassed with  volunteer work , honors and awards or another of the optional resume sections. It could be simply named ‘ Personal Interests ’ or could include other important facts or certificates that you are relevant to your job application under the heading  ‘Extracurricular.’

This part of a professional, student or  entry-level resume  should be the last thing for a hiring manager to see therefore the  hobbies section should always be put at the end .

It is essential to remember to  list the hobbies that illustrate how your character will harmonize with the company  and their work ethic.

After writing this section, review the  hobbies you choose to include in your resume  to ensure that any meaning construed from them is positive and  speaks of you as a strong candidate for the specific role  and company you are applying to.

How to find good hobbies to add to a resume

Some personal interests are not appropriate for a professional profile and should not be included in your resume. Follow these steps to find  the best hobbies for your resume .

Before getting into  how to write a hobbies section on your resume , you must prepare the  types of personal interests  or pastime activities you will list. The best method for  finding good hobbies to add to a resume  is by researching the sector, company and role you are applying for.

The following steps will show you  how to make a list of the most suitable interests to have on your unique resume :

• Firstly start with the information you have to hand: the vacancy ad and the job description. Find the characteristics that are required or desired for the person specification.  Think of your hobbies in terms of the abilities you have learnt and match them with these personality traits.
• Next you should start your standard research of the company in question by  taking a look at their website , paying special attention to an ‘about us’ or  employee profiles pages . You may find you even share hobbies or passions with one or more of the current staff members.
• Thirdly, check any other  webs or social media sites that the company manages  to find out how they interact with partners, clients and customers. Take note of their  company culture  through their online activities and what they choose to share to be inspired to find similar interests.
• Finally, look up the company on third-party websites, news sites, forums, review sites etc. for extra information which could bring something to your application or even for the interview.

Some of the  best hobbies to include on a resume  are those that help you to develop  transferable skills  which could be beneficial to your sector or position for example blogging for a marketing firm giving you existing knowledge of social media and internet publicizing or team sports for sales positions proving leadership skills or outgoing characteristics.

Tips for adding your hobbies

For a  winning resume with a personal interest section  that attracts attention for all the right reasons, take a look at these  tips for adding hobbies to a resume .

The following expert  advice for including extracurricular interests on your resume  will help you make the most out of a hobby section to  optimize your resume for the industry  and role you are seeking.

• Be honest about your hobbies within reason, do not overshare and do not lie but you can  relate your interests to the company  or position offered.
• Remember to consider the various skills you will have gained through your freetime activities and include these to show your suitability to the role.
• Choose a few, select hobbies that  match the company culture  or work ethic.
• Do not be too specific or peculiar as you want to be able to relate to a variety of people.
• Use your hobbies to demonstrate skills  that you have mentioned in your resume objective or  qualifications summary .

Examples of hobbies and interests to put on a resume

Still struggling to find  good hobbies to put in your personal interest section ? Check out these expertly chosen examples .

As mentioned, it is  ideal to include a variety of hobbies or interests in your resume  if you decide that it is appropriate. The following  examples of hobbies  are optimized to  show certain skills or abilities that will be advantageous to different profiles .

• Individual Sports  such as running marathons, swimming, skiing, tennis, training for triathlons etc. are great hobbies to showcase to demonstrate a person and who likes to challenge themselves and has a strong will power.
• Team Sports  such as football, basketball, baseball, soccer, hockey, water polo etc. are also good examples of someone who already knows how to work well and communicate in a team, persevere for common goals and possibly possesses effective leadership skills in appropriate cases.

Also, sports are a good addition as they are a clear example of being physically fit which is beneficial if it is necessary for the position or if the company is dedicated to the health or exercise industry.

• Technological hobbies  such as video editing, blogging or computing show a clear passion for the IT sector and extracurricular expertise.
• Puzzles or certain game-playing  such as crosswords or chess demonstrate an analytical profile with problem solving or strategic planning skills.
• Social hobbies  such as mentoring, volunteering or being part of a club establish the candidate as a person with interpersonal or communication skills.
• Interests that involve  collecting objects  exhibit passion for a product and an acute attention to detail.

Whether you enjoy translating poetry, designing your own clothes or practising an extreme sport, it might be worth  including your interests as an extra section on your resume  because you never know where it might lead.

This is a  great way to end a winning resume  but if you’re struggling to get started, you could try using a  resume template  to get the basic structure and launch yourself from there. Or take a look at some of  ResumeCoach ’s  guides to writing an effective resume  section by section.

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How to List Hobbies on a Resume? [+Examples]

Your hobbies and interests make you, well, you. But that's not the only reason to put them on your resume . 

Sure, they can say a lot about what makes you tick. But most importantly, they can help an employer decide whether they'd like you as a person or not — and have you on their team. What's more, your hobbies are a great indication of whether you fit a company culture or not. 

In this how-to guide, we'll show you how to list your hobbies on a resume and leverage them to your advantage.

This guide will answer the following questions:

What is the resume hobbies section?

• Why include hobbies on your resume?
• What's the difference between hobbies and interests? And why does it matter?
• What hobbies to include on your resume?
• How to list them on your resume?

Too long, don't wanna read? 60sec Video Guide

The hobbies section is an important but optional part of your resume where you can mention your interests and hobbies.

Many people leave it out it because they think it ultimately won’t make any difference. But whether you’re a student , a fresh graduate or a seasoned professional, it can be useful both for you and your future employer. If you do it right.

It usually sits at the bottom of your resume and includes 5 interest or hobbies, either described in few sentences or simply portrayed as an icon.

Why include hobbies on your resume?

In general, the main purpose of a resume is to show that you have what it takes for a given job. Your hobbies and interests have little to contribute to this goal. For this reason, it’s never a mistake NOT to include hobbies in your resume. But still, there are some benefits to including them.

• You show that you fit the company culture. You may ask: Why would employers care about your love for reading complicated novels? Well, many companies today aren’t looking for faceless corporate minions anymore. Instead, they’ll want to know whether you’re going to fit their company culture.
• You show that you’re an actual person, not just a name. It’s always nice to let recruiters know you’re a human being, too. It makes them think of you in a different way. All of a sudden, you become an intriguing human being with their own hopes and dreams, things they like or don’t like, etc.
• It sets you apart from others. If done right, your hobbies section can increase your chances of scoring a job. There is a chance the hiring manager will remember you as the person who has an interesting hobby, compared to other candidates who only listed their work achievements . However, only include hobbies on your resume if you consider them instrumental in supporting your job-related skills and qualifications. Listening to music and watching Netflix? Everybody likes that. Try to come up with something that really sets you apart from others.
• It can demonstrate personal growth and commitment. If you have a hobby that you've consistently pursued over a long time period, it can indicate dedication, adaptability, and a commitment to personal development . This can make you seem more dynamic, interesting and gives a positive impression of your personality. This could potentially make you more likable in the eyes of the recruiter and could be the deciding factor when two applicants have a similar professional background. 
• It can indicate transferable skills . Certain hobbies can showcase specific qualities or skills that are applicable to many jobs. For instance, someone who enjoys playing in a local softball league could show important teamwork and leadership skills. Hobbies like photography or blogging can indicate creativity, adaptability and detail-oriented characteristics.

All right, then. Where should you place your hobbies? At the bottom of your resume . As we’ve already said, your hobbies are not the most important part of your resume. More important sections, like work experience or skills, should precede them.

Still, you can make this section look a bit fancier. The little icons can give it a nice artistic touch, but do everything in moderation. Sometimes less is more.

Of course, don’t make stuff up just to seem more interesting.

Do you feel like you don’t have any hobbies that are relevant to the job or the company, or they don’t have a lot of transferable value? Then don’t mention them. After all, a resume should be exactly one page long. You’ll easily find better ways to utilize this space.

Oh, and whether you have job-related hobbies or not, you can now  turn your LinkedIn profile into a polished resume with just one click.

What’s the difference between hobbies and interests?

Hobbies and interests are related but are not the same .

An interest is something you enjoy, but it doesn't necessarily mean you actively do it. If yes, you enjoy doing it just from time to time .

A hobby is something you practice or do regularly . You usually do it during your free time for enjoyment. So, your interest can become a hobby if you do it everyday and make it the part of your life.

You paint from time to time but don’t have sufficient time to practice it regularly. That’s an interest. Do you meditate and do yoga daily? Good! That means you have a hobby.

Finally, and this is important, nobody cares about your interests. Being interested in something is no achievement. But taking time to practice something regularly, that's impressive! 

Because of that, your resume should (ideally) only include your hobbies. 

What hobbies should you include on a resume?

Avoid being vague. The point of listing hobbies on your resume is NOT to mention everything you like to do. For example, saying that you like music isn’t going to help you make a stronger case for your candidacy. Everybody likes music. It’s vague. It doesn’t say anything about you.

Do you only listen to music or do you also write your own music? Do you like dancing to music? You get the idea.

Moreover, you especially want to mention those of your interests that are interesting or impressive. Do you enjoy running? Don’t forget to mention that you finished a marathon. Do you love traveling? Tell them how many countries have you visited already.

Yet again, if you want your hobbies to work as icebreakers and conversation starters, be REALLY specific. After all, a “fervent golf player” or “contemporary American documentary novel lover” sounds much more engaging than vague statements “playing every kind of sport” or “getting lost in a good book.”

Finally, always highlight those of your interests that are in any way  related to a desired position.  Start with scanning the job description . You can find there what kind of qualities and skills they’re looking for. Write them down, think about them and try to transfer them to a specific hobby.

Let’s say that you are looking for a job that requires analytical thinking. What do you think will impress them more? Your passion for solving the Rubik’s cube or your love of good food?

Or let’s say you’re applying for a managerial position at a travel agency. Being an avid hitchhiker can help you a lot. Or perhaps you’re applying for a job at a vinyl shop. Playing an instrument will help you look like you have a deep connection to the industry. See the point?

You can also research the company to find out about their company culture and tailor your hobbies section to it.

How to list hobbies on a resume?

• You can name the section simply as “Hobbies”.
• Instead of listing too many of your hobbies and interests on a resume,  pick 4-5  based on the criteria described in the section “What hobbies and interest should you include” . Think about a skill or an achievement that best illustrates your passion for an activity and put it right next to it.
• Depending on a company, you can also follow up by simply listing some of the quirkier hobbies you have. The point is to give them a peek of your personality. At the same time, don’t go all out with companies that have a very formal company culture.
• Finally, keep your hobbies section short.

Kick’s two cents of advice

• Be professional. Don’t include any sensitive subjects such as politics, any controversial issues, religion or sex.
• Don’t mention risky and time-consuming activities. Your future employer wants to have you fit and able to work. Any activities that put your life at risk or are too time-consuming may scare them.
• Don’t use buzzwords. Football, reading, traveling, music, social media? Nope. If you really like reading so much that you want to mention it, at least be specific. Reading is not a unique interest. Reading 55 books a year is.
• Don’t overdo it. Adding too many hobbies and interests to fill up more space isn’t a good idea. Keep it simple, list only the best ones and leave the valuable space on your resume for more important information.

While it's great if your hobbies tie into the job you're applying for, it's not a necessity. Hobbies that showcase relevant skills, like leadership or team-building, can also be beneficial. It's important to include hobbies that truly speak to your interests and personality.

Generally, it's best to limit it to 2-4 hobbies. You want to keep it concise and not detract from your work experience and education. 

The hobbies section typically goes at the end of your resume, after your work experience, education, and skills. However, if a hobby is highly relevant to the job you're applying for, you may choose to highlight it at the beginning of your resume.

Not necessarily. If the hobby is self-explanatory, no additional information might be needed. However, if you believe that further explanation would accentuate a certain skill or quality, a brief description could be beneficial.

Absolutely! Employers are interested in seeing a well-rounded candidate. Hobbies that may seem unrelated can still showcase important qualities like discipline, creativity, or initiative. However, ensure that whatever you list contributes to presenting you as a professional and dedicated individual.

Nikoleta Kuhejda

A journalist by trade, a writer by fate. Nikoleta went from writing for media outlets to exploring the world of content creation with Kickresume and helping people get closer to the job of their dreams. Her insights and career guides have been published by The Female Lead , College Recruiter , and ISIC, among others. When she’s not writing or (enthusiastically) pestering people with questions, you can find her traveling or sipping on a cup of coffee.

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How to List Hobbies on a Resume? Full Guide for 2024

As a job seeker, you might have come across the “Hobbies and Interests” section of a resume, and wondered why this section is included. Though some may view hobbies as irrelevant, this section can be a valuable asset in showcasing skills and personal qualities that make you stand out from the competition.

The following article will explore how listing hobbies and interests on a resume can improve your job prospects, and offer tips on how to present this section effectively. Our goal is to help job seekers understand the importance of highlighting their hobbies and interests and to demonstrate how doing so can add additional value to their candidacy.

So let’s dive in!

Understanding the Role of Hobbies on Your Resume

Hobbies can be a valuable addition to your resume, especially when listed correctly. They can showcase important skills, add personality to your application, and distinguish you from other candidates. In this section, we will explore the various ways hobbies can enhance your resume and how to present them effectively.

How the Hobby Section Adds Skills

Listing your hobbies on your resume can do more than show your extracurricular interests. They can also highlight skills that are relevant to the job you are applying for. For instance, if you are applying for a sales position, your skills in public speaking and networking can be showcased through your hobby of Toastmasters. Similarly, if you are applying for a freelance writing role, sharing your blogging hobby can help to demonstrate your writing skills and expertise.

Most Effective Ways to Present Hobbies

When listing hobbies on your resume, it’s important to present them in a structured and organized manner. Here are some of the effective ways to list hobbies:

• Bullet Points: List your hobbies as bullet points under your “Interests” or “Activities” section. This makes them easy to read and scan by hiring managers and recruiters.
• Grouping: Group your hobbies based on category, such as sports, volunteering, or creative pursuits. This helps to highlight the diversity of your interests and skills.
• Relevance: Only list hobbies that are relevant to the position you are applying for. Avoid hobbies that may be controversial or unrelated to the job.

How Hobbies Can Show Personality

Sharing your hobbies on your resume can also reveal your personality to potential employers. These interests can help to add personality to your otherwise dry, professional application. For instance, if you are applying for a creative or arts-based role, sharing your love for film and theater can demonstrate your passion for the arts.

Importance of Selecting the Right Hobbies

Lastly, it’s crucial to select the right hobbies when listing them on your resume. The wrong hobbies can be detrimental or irrelevant to your application. When selecting hobbies, consider its relevance to the job, whether it showcases transferable skills, and whether it can be a conversation starter during the interview process. It’s critical to remember that your hobbies can make or break your resume, so choose them wisely.

Listing hobbies on your resume can be an excellent strategy to enhance your application. It can showcase your skills, add personality, and help you stand out from other applicants. By following the tips we’ve shared in this section, you can present your hobbies in the best way possible and improve your chances of landing your dream job.

Choosing the Best Hobbies to Add on Your Resume

When listing your hobbies on your resume, it’s important to consider how relevant they are to the job you’re applying for. This is especially important if you’re hoping to use your hobbies to showcase skills or traits that are valuable in the workplace. A hobby that’s irrelevant to the job or the skills required for the job might not add much value to your resume.

Importance of Relevancy

Relevant hobbies can show an employer what you’re passionate about, and how that passion might translate to your work. For example, if you’re applying for a job that requires strong leadership skills, listing hobbies that involve leading a group of people or managing a project could give you a leg up.

How to Identify Relevant Hobbies

Think about the particular skills or traits that are required for the job, and consider how your hobbies might demonstrate those skills or traits. If you’re not sure what the job requires, take a look at the job description or do some research on similar roles.

Tips to Pick the Best Hobbies

When selecting which hobbies to include in your resume, it’s helpful to choose those that demonstrate achievement, leadership, or creativity. These hobbies show that you are a well-rounded individual with a diverse set of skills. It’s also important to choose hobbies that you’re passionate about, as this passion is often evident in how you talk about and engage with the activity.

How to Enhance Hobbies to Make Them More Fitting for the Job

If you’re passionate about a hobby but don’t feel like it directly relates to the job, you can enhance it in a way that makes it more fitting for the role. For example, if you enjoy playing video games but you’re applying for a job in data analysis, you could emphasize the analytical skills required to strategize and win games.

When choosing the best hobbies to list on your resume, ensure they are relevant to the job, demonstrate valuable skills or traits, and showcase your passions. If you have a hobby that seems unrelated to the job, find creative ways to demonstrate how it can be applied to the role.

Format of the Hobbies Section on Your Resume

When drafting your resume, it’s important to consider whether or not to include a hobbies section. This section can help showcase your personality and interests, but it’s crucial to format it effectively. Here’s a closer look at the format of the hobbies section and what to include:

Where to Add the Hobbies Section

The best place to add your hobbies section is toward the end of your resume, after your work experience and education sections. While the hobbies section isn’t always necessary, it can benefit job seekers who are looking to show off their well-roundedness and unique interests.

What to Include and What to Avoid Including

When drafting your hobbies section, it’s important to keep in mind that it should be brief and to the point. Avoid trying to list every hobby or interest you have, as it can come off as unfocused and unprofessional. Instead, choose two or three hobbies that could be relevant to the job you’re applying for.

For example, if you’re applying for a job in marketing, you could mention that you enjoy exploring branding techniques or attending industry conferences. On the other hand, avoid mentioning anything too controversial or divisive, such as political affiliations or religious beliefs.

How to Write it Effectively

It’s important to remember that the hobbies section shouldn’t be the focus of your resume. Keep it brief, and use it as an opportunity to introduce yourself in a positive light. When formatting your hobbies section, consider using bullet points or short sentences to keep it organized and concise.

Different Resume Formats and How They Include a Hobbies Section

Different resume formats can vary in how the hobbies section is presented. In chronological resumes, the hobbies section may be placed at the bottom after work experience and education, while functional resumes may include it at the top as a way to highlight skills and interests.

The key takeaway is to keep the hobbies section brief and tailored to the job you’re applying for. It can be a great way to add some personal flair to your resume, but it’s important to ensure that it doesn’t distract from your professional experience and qualifications.

Top Hobbies to Add on Your Resume

Your hobbies can say a lot about you as a person and a potential employee. They offer a glimpse into your personality, interests, and skills. Including hobbies on your resume can make you stand out from other candidates and showcase your unique strengths. Here are some popular hobbies to consider adding to your resume, and how they can benefit your job prospects.

List of popular hobbies to include

• Running or participating in marathons:  This shows dedication, perseverance, and a willingness to challenge yourself both physically and mentally.
• Volunteer work:  This demonstrates a commitment to giving back to the community and the ability to work with others towards a common goal.
• Creative pursuits (e.g. painting, writing, music):  These hobbies highlight your artistic side and can demonstrate creativity, attention to detail, and the ability to think outside the box.
• Team sports (e.g. basketball, soccer):  This shows that you work well within a team, can communicate effectively, and understand the importance of collaboration.
• Traveling:  This can represent a global perspective, cultural awareness, and adaptability to new situations and environments.

How each hobby can benefit the job prospects

• Running or participating in marathons:  Demonstrates perseverance, goal orientation, and discipline, which are qualities that can transfer to the workplace.
• Volunteer work:  Shows a commitment to helping others and the ability to work well with diverse groups of people – qualities that are highly valued in many work environments.
• Creative pursuits (e.g. painting, writing, music):  These hobbies can reflect a broader set of skills like problem-solving, attention to detail, and creativity, attributes highly valued in industries like marketing, advertising, and even finance.
• Team sports (e.g. basketball, soccer):  Shows the ability to work as part of a team, communication skills, and a competitive nature. All these attributes are highly sought after by employers looking for team-oriented individuals who can work together to accomplish common objectives.
• Traveling:  Demonstrates a global perspective, cultural awareness, and the ability to be adaptable and open to new experiences – all highly desirable qualities in today’s multicultural workplaces.

How to discuss the listed hobbies in the interview

During a job interview, discuss your hobbies in a way that will show how they relate to the job you’re applying for. Be authentic and enthusiastic about your hobbies, but don’t go overboard. Don’t let your hobbies detract from your professional qualifications, but rather add an extra dimension to your overall profile that can make you a more memorable candidate.

• Running or participating in marathons:  Explain how this hobby has helped you build endurance and discipline, which could translate well into a driven and focused team member.

Hobbies and Your Job

When it comes to crafting a strong resume, listing your hobbies may not initially seem like a priority. However, incorporating your hobbies can actually be a valuable addition to your job application in several ways.

One way hobbies can enhance your job application is by showing how they match the job description. For example, if you’re applying to be an outdoor educator, including hiking or kayaking as a hobby can demonstrate your experience and passion for working outdoors.

Additionally, the inclusion of hobbies can increase your chances of getting a job. Many employers are looking for well-rounded candidates who are passionate about life outside of work. If you share a hobby with the hiring manager or recruiter, it can create a connection and make you stand out among other applicants.

Finally, hobbies can convey passion and interest, showcasing traits that are highly sought after by employers. For example, if you’re an avid reader, it may suggest that you have strong critical thinking and analytical skills. If you’re a musician, it could indicate your creativity and ability to think outside the box.

Including hobbies on your resume can be a compelling way to demonstrate your personality, interests, and skills beyond your work experience. However, it’s important to remember to keep it relevant and professional. If your hobbies don’t align with the job you’re applying for, it’s best to leave them off.

Unique and Creative Hobbies to Add on Your Resume

In today’s competitive job market, job seekers are always looking for ways to stand out from the competition. One way to do this is by adding unique and creative hobbies to your resume. Not only do they catch the eye of potential employers, but they can also show off your multitasking and adaptability skills.

Here are some creative yet professional hobbies that you can add to your resume:

• Photography:  Photography is not only a great hobby but also a useful skill to have in many industries. It shows that you have an eye for detail and can capture and edit images to create a desired effect.
• Writing:  If you enjoy writing short stories or blogging, consider adding it to your list of hobbies. Writing not only shows your creativity but also your communication skills and attention to detail.
• Volunteering:  Volunteering for a local charity or organization shows that you are committed to making a difference in your community. It also shows that you can work well with others and can adapt to new situations.
• Foreign language:  If you are fluent in a foreign language or learning one, make sure to include it in your hobbies section. Knowing a foreign language is an invaluable skill in today’s global economy and can open up many job opportunities.
• Cooking:  Cooking is not only a relaxing hobby but also shows your ability to multitask and think on your feet. It also demonstrates that you are capable of following instructions, improvising when necessary, and adapting to new scenarios.

These hobbies show that you have skills that can be applied to various job positions. They also show your multitasking and adaptability skills, which are essential in any workplace. By adding creative and unique hobbies to your resume, you are proving to potential employers that you are a well-rounded individual who can handle anything that comes your way.

Adding unique and creative hobbies to your resume is an excellent way to stand out from the competition. Make sure to include hobbies that show your skills, such as photography, writing, volunteering, foreign language, and cooking. These hobbies not only demonstrate your creativity but also showcase your multitasking and adaptability skills, making you a valuable addition to any workplace.

Example of Listing Hobbies on a Resume

If you’re considering including a hobbies section on your resume, it can be helpful to see some examples of how other job seekers have approached this section. Here are some sample resumes featuring hobbies sections and explanations of each listed hobby:

Sample Resume #1

Hobbies Section:

• Photography

This job seeker has taken a straightforward approach to listing their hobbies. They have included three interests that are relatively common and don’t require in-depth explanations. The running hobby can suggest that the candidate is committed to their fitness and well-being, while the reading and photography hobbies suggest that they enjoy spending time in solitary activities.

Sample Resume #2

• Competitive swimming: 5-time national champion
• Playing guitar in a local band
• Volunteering at the animal shelter

This job seeker has used their hobbies section to showcase some impressive achievements related to their interests. The mention of being a 5-time national champion in competitive swimming could catch the attention of a potential employer and suggest that this candidate is highly driven and dedicated. The mention of playing in a local band suggests that they have a creative outlet outside of work. Finally, the mention of volunteering at the animal shelter shows that they have a giving nature and are willing to give up their free time for a good cause.

Sample Resume #3

• Hiking and camping
• Traveling to new countries
• Learning languages

This job seeker has used their hobbies section to highlight their adventurous spirit and curiosity. The hiking and camping hobby suggests that they are comfortable with physical challenges and enjoy spending time in nature. The traveling hobby suggests that they have a desire to explore new cultures and see new places. Finally, the language learning hobby suggests that they have a drive to constantly learn and improve themselves.

When listing hobbies on a resume, it’s important to consider how they might be perceived by a potential employer. Are they relevant to the job you’re applying for? Do they demonstrate qualities like dedication, creativity, or a willingness to learn? By carefully selecting and explaining your hobbies, you can use this section to further showcase your strengths and interests to a prospective employer.

Mistakes to Avoid When Listing Hobbies on Your Resume

When it comes to listing hobbies on your resume, there are some common mistakes that you should avoid. These mistakes can not only make your resume look unprofessional and cluttered but can also impact your chances of getting the job. This section will discuss these errors and how to avoid them.

Common Mistakes

Including Irrelevant Hobbies: One of the common mistakes that many job seekers make is including hobbies that are not relevant to the job they are applying for. For instance, if you are applying for a job in Finance and list “Baking” as a hobby, it may not be pertinent to the role.

Listing Too Many Hobbies: Listing too many hobbies can make your resume look cluttered and unprofessional. It is recommended to list only 2-3 hobbies that are relevant to the job and showcase your skills.

Being Too Vague: Being too vague about your hobbies can make it difficult for the recruiter to understand how they relate to the job. For instance, listing “Traveling” as a hobby may not provide a clear picture of your skills.

Impact on your Job Application

Listing irrelevant or too many hobbies can have a negative impact on your job application. Recruiters may consider your resume as disorganized, unprofessional, and may put your application into the “no” pile. Furthermore, if the job requires certain skills and you list hobbies that do not support those skills, it can indicate that you are not the right candidate for the role.

How to Avoid these Mistakes

To avoid these mistakes and increase your chances of getting the job, here are some tips:

Tailor your Hobbies to the Job: Consider the job requirements, company culture, and industry trends when listing your hobbies. Choose hobbies that showcase your skills, personality, and interests and demonstrate how they relate to the job.

Be Specific: Instead of being too vague, provide specific information about your hobbies. If you list “Running” as a hobby, mention that you have completed a half-marathon or regularly participate in charity runs.

Limit the Hobbies Listed: List only 2-3 hobbies that are relevant to the job and highlight your skills. This will make your resume look organized, clean, and professional.

Listing hobbies on your resume can be a great way to showcase your personality and skills, but it is important to avoid common mistakes that can hinder your job application. By tailoring your hobbies to the job, being specific and limiting the hobbies listed, you can increase your chances of getting the job.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Hobbies on a Resume

If you’re wondering about how to list hobbies on your resume, you’re not alone. Here are some common queries about including hobbies on a resume:

Common queries about including hobbies in a resume

Q:  Should I include hobbies in my resume at all? A:  It depends on the company culture and the position you’re applying for. In some cases, hobbies can be seen as irrelevant or even distracting. However, in some fields, certain hobbies could demonstrate your relevant skills or traits. For example, if you’re applying for a marketing position, mentioning that you enjoy photography might be beneficial. Always consider the company culture and requirements of the position before including hobbies.

Q:  How much detail should I include about my hobbies? A:  Keep it brief and to the point. You don’t want to dedicate too much space on your resume to your hobbies. It’s generally enough to provide a short description of your hobby and maybe mention any awards or achievements related to it.

Q:  Can I mention controversial hobbies? A:  Use your discretion. If your hobby is something that could be seen as offensive or unprofessional, it’s better to leave it out. Remember that your resume is a reflection of you as a person and a professional.

How to handle potential awkwardness when discussing hobbies

Sometimes, the idea of discussing personal interests or hobbies in a professional setting can feel awkward. Here are some tips to handle that potential awkwardness:

• Emphasize the relevance of your hobbies to the position you’re applying for. This will help the hiring manager see your hobbies in a different light.
• Don’t worry too much about it. Remember that everyone has hobbies, and there’s nothing wrong with sharing yours.

How to figure out the relevance of the hobby

When you’re deciding whether to include a particular hobby or not, it’s important to consider its relevance to the position you’re applying for. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Is there a clear connection between your hobby and the skills required for the position?
• Will including this hobby add value to your resume, or will it detract from it?
• Does this hobby speak to your overall character or work ethic?

By answering these questions, you can make an informed decision about whether to include the hobby on your resume.

Tips to Maximize the Impact of Your Hobbies Section

Your hobbies section may seem like a small and inconsequential part of your resume, but it can actually be a valuable tool in showcasing your personality and highlighting skills that may not be immediately apparent from your work experience. Here are some tips to make your hobbies section top-quality and stand out to potential employers:

1. Choose your hobbies carefully

When selecting hobbies to include on your resume, think about what skills and interests you want to emphasize. For example, if you’re applying for a job in a creative field, listing hobbies like painting or writing can demonstrate your creative abilities. If you’re applying for a job in a team-oriented industry, including hobbies like sports or volunteering can highlight your teamwork and leadership skills.

2. Be specific and descriptive

Avoid listing generic hobbies like “reading” or “watching Netflix.” Instead, be specific about the types of books you read or the genres of movies and shows you enjoy. This can give potential employers a better idea of your interests and personality.

3. Highlight unique hobbies

If you have hobbies that are less common or unique, don’t be afraid to include them. This can make you stand out from other applicants and show that you have interests beyond the typical ones.

4. Tailor your hobbies section to the industry

Different industries may value different hobbies, so make sure to customize your hobbies section to match the industry you’re applying to. For example, if you’re applying for a job in the tech industry, including hobbies like coding or building computers can demonstrate your technical skills and interest in the field.

5. Show how your hobbies relate to the job

When listing your hobbies, try to find ways to connect them to the job you’re applying for. For example, if you’re applying for a job as a marketing manager, including hobbies like blogging or social media management can demonstrate your marketing and communication skills.

Your hobbies section can be a great way to showcase your personality and skills to potential employers. By choosing your hobbies carefully, being specific and descriptive, highlighting unique hobbies, tailoring your hobbies section to the industry, and showing how your hobbies relate to the job, you can create a top-quality section that stands out and sets you apart from other applicants.

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BEST Examples of Hobbies and Interests to put on a CV (2024 Guide)

Putting hobbies and interests on your CV is a great way to make your CV stand out from the crowd and impress the employer.

What you spend your free time on tells the employer a great deal about you, your values, your motivations, and in some cases, your skills and intelligence. This information can add real value to your job application and improve your chances of being shortlisted for a job interview.

David Littleford et al. , (2004) in their book Career Skills (pg. 14-15) mention under “other interests”:

“You should include hobbies and other interests, especially if they involve social and community activities. These activities are important – cover membership of societies, sports clubs/teams, etc. All these activities and the extent of your involvement give the recruiter clues about the real you and your interests.”

Use the guide and examples below to find out more about hobbies and interests and how to include them on your CV – let’s begin!

What are hobbies and interests?

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A hobby is an activity that you regularly  pursue for enjoyment purposes, particularly during your leisure time. These are activities that generally relieve you from stress, tension or fatigue.

Examples of hobbies for a CV:

• Playing sports (football, tennis, hockey, cricket, etc.)
• Playing chess and solving puzzle games
• Reading and writing books, articles and publications
• Travelling and meeting new people
• Designing, drawing, sketching and painting
• Cooking and baking

An interest is an activity that you want to do or are currently doing on an  irregular  basis.

Examples of personal interests for a CV:

• Volunteering at local companies, clubs and organisations
• Organising events in the community
• Participating in fundraising events for charity
• Joining a professional, social or environmental group

The answer is, yes! Research has shown that adding relevant hobbies to your CV can make your CV more interesting, strengthen your job application and increase your chances of getting shortlisted for an interview. Putting your personal interests on your CV also shows the employer that you are a whole human being with a satisfactory life outside work and not a work robot.

If you lack work experience, your interests may show your suitability for the job in other ways. For example, they may give valuable information on your leadership potential or ability to work in a team.

Interviewers also use your interests to come up with ‘relaxing’ questions if the interview gets too hot or heavy; something which can help calm your nerves and improve your performance during the interview.

The benefits of including your personal interests on your CV:

• It will give the recruiter a fuller and more complete picture of you
• Extracurricular interests tell the employer that you are an all-rounded person who, besides just working, also enjoys having a good time
• They form a great basis for discussion at the interview stage
• Sporting activities indicate that you are fit, healthy and outgoing
• Involvement in the community suggests good interpersonal skills
• School leavers
• College students
• University graduates
• Candidates with little or no work experience
• Candidates who have blank space in their CVs that can be utilised

Remember that your CV is your personal marketing tool, and you should make the most out of using the totality of your CV, including the interests section, to “sell yourself” to the prospective employer.

• Senior professionals including managers and executives
• Candidates with a lot of work experience
• Candidates whose CVs are overflowing to more than 2 A4 pages

It’s not always appropriate to add this section to a senior CV. The more experience you have, the less important the hobbies and interests section becomes. Managers, executives and other experienced professionals are expected to show their skills and personal qualities from their work experience, achievements and educational background, without the need to resort to outside interests.

Phrases such as ‘Playing football’ , ‘solving puzzles’ , and ‘fixing computers’ are not generic terms without any meaning, rather; they carry a deeper message.

Here’s what the prospective employers will be subconsciously asking themselves when reading through the candidates’  CVs :

What do statements such as, “I play football on a regular basis”, “I enjoy solving puzzles” or “I like fixing computers” tell me about this candidate and their suitability for the job?

Many candidates do not realise that the hobbies and interests they include in their CVs can reveal a lot of information about them and their personalities.

Below is a list of some personal interests and activities and what they tell employers about the candidate:

List of hobbies and interests for a CV

Ask yourself: how do these interests add value to my application? Try to highlight your ability to interact, help and/or communicate with others.

Answer: Those that are relevant and add value to your application!

When deciding which interests to include, the golden rule to apply is;

Will it help me get the job?

Only include relevant hobbies, sports and leisure activities that display you in a positive light and strengthen your application; for example; interests which show that you are active, sociable and responsible.

Martin Yate, a best-selling careers author, outlines three broad categories of leisure activities to include on your CV in his book The Ultimate CV Book (Pg.35):

• Team sports (football, cricket, basketball, etc.)
• Determination activities (running, swimming, cycling, climbing, etc.)
• Brain activities (chess, reading, etc.)

However, not every one of the above categories may be suitable for your situation and the job that you are applying for. Only select the hobbies and interests that are relevant to the job and add value to your application.

• Bain activities (such as playing chess) are a good match for jobs which are technical or analytical in nature  (e.g. jobs in IT or science).
• Team sports (such as playing football) are a good match for jobs which require working with people on a daily basis (e.g. jobs in business or marketing).

Example of relevant and irrelevant hobbies for a web developer:

NOTE: Different activities can be interpreted differently depending on the job you are applying for. For example, “playing computer games” as a hobby is irrelevant to most jobs and may sometimes portray you as a self-absorbed individual living in their own little cyber world. However, the same hobby can add tremendous weight to your CV if you apply for a job as a video game developer, graphics designer or shop assistant at your local games shop!

How to match your interests with the job you are applying for:

There are thousands of hobbies and interests that people include in their CVs. Selecting the correct hobbies to include will depend on a number of factors, including the job sector and the job role/specifications.

Use the guidelines below to select the correct interests for your CV:

For example, if the job holder must have “excellent people skills” , you could mention your volunteering, team sports or socialising activities – all of which develop your communication, interpersonal and people skills. Don’t mention playing chess or jogging as that would be irrelevant.

If, on the other hand, the job specification states that the person must possess “outstanding technical skills” , you would mention playing chess, building computers and upgrading computer networks – things that indicate that you are technically competent and analytical-minded. Don’t mention socialising events because that would be less relevant.

Many companies have a ‘culture’ in the way they operated and how employees of that organisation behave. Google, for instance, is now famously known for allowing employees to play games, take a walk or do sports in order to relieve stress or become more productive during working hours. When applying for a job at a company like Google, there is no harm in showing a little bit of your fun, playful and human side because that fits in nicely with their company culture.

It is always a good idea to write down the list of skills and abilities that you possess and see which of these would add value if you include it in your CV. Skills and abilities are closely related to your hobbies and interest; therefore, you may include them in this section too.

List of interests and their relevance to different jobs

Interests enhance your CV because they show the employer that you are an all-round person with a passion and determination to undertake activities outside work.

The following personal interests will make your CV shine:

• Involved in local clubs, classes and groups. Involvement in clubs and student societies demonstrates that you have excellent interpersonal and people skills, traits that are highly valued by employers. Don’t forget to make mention any professional bodies you are a member of.
• Volunteering at local companies and organisations. Research has shown that the most important part of a candidate’s CV is their work experience section. If you don’t have any relevant work experience, it is highly recommended to take up some voluntary work to improve your skills, gain exposure to your industry and give your CV a great boost!
• Attending events, shows and exhibitions. Attending events, whether they are for business or pleasure, demonstrates to the employer that you are keen to learn about the latest trends in an industry or on a subject. It also shows that you are confident and enjoy meeting new people; two personal traits that are highly desired in almost all jobs.
• Organising events in the community. Employers love candidates that show initiative and take on additional responsibilities to further their skills and experience. Having experience in helping with community events is particularly useful if you want a job in events management, marketing or business management.
• Involved with charities (including campaigning and fundraising). Employers value charity work because it shows that you are socially conscious, compassionate and caring. It also demonstrates that you have great people skills and are capable of dealing with the public.

These interests enhance your CV because they inform the employer that you possess excellent interpersonal, organisational and communication skills which enables you to undertake these activities. It also confirms that you are motivated and determined about the things you are passionate about.

The following hobbies will give a boost to your CV:

• Exercise and sports. Adding sports to your CV will portray you as a healthy and fit individual. There are two types of sports; individual sports such as running, swimming and cycling, and team sports such as football, basketball, cricket and tennis. Individual sports portray you as a determined, passionate and strong-willed individual whereas team sports show that you have excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills.
• Playing brain games. Brain activities are great hobbies to add to any CV, especially if you pursue a career in computing, mathematics or science because they demonstrate excellent problem-solving and analytical skills. Playing chess or puzzle games also tells the employer that you are intelligent, thoughtful and capable of overcoming challenges.
• Writing. Writing as a hobby indicates that you have excellent written communication skills, a key requirement for copywriters, editors, public relations professionals, marketers and journalists. You don’t necessarily have to be writing voluminous books to mention this hobby on your CV! You can also include writing poems, short articles and blog posts.
• Mentoring and coaching. Employers highly value mentoring because they understand that teaching, advising or supervising someone requires great skill, patience and determination. This hobby is particularly useful to add to your CV if you’re applying for a job as a teacher, tutor, mentor, teaching assistant, sports coach or fitness instructor.
• Computing and IT. If you’re applying for a job in the information technology (IT) industry, you can add the following activities to your CV to enhance it; coding and programming, building and fixing computers, designing and developing websites, setting-up computer networks and keeping up with the latest developments in technology.
• Designing. Designing is an essential requirement if you’re looking to apply for a job in a creative industry such as marketing or design. Activities that you could add to your CV include designing art, drawing, sketching and painting by hand, and using computer-aided design (CAD) software to create 2D drawings and 3D models.
• Cooking, baking and eating. Who doesn’t like food, right? Cooking new dishes and baking cakes are great hobbies to add to your CV if you’re applying for a job in the hospitality and catering industry. You could also mention things like, ‘going out and eating at restaurants’ or ‘watching Food Channel or other food-related TV programmes (e.g. MasterChef)’. Passion for food goes a long way in this industry!

Below are the guidelines for writing a perfect hobbies section of your CV:

• Keep this section short and to the point as it is an extra/optional section; one to three interests are usually sufficient.
• Only include interests that are relevant to the job. For example, what value does “stamp and coin collecting” as a hobby add to the application of someone who applies for the logistics manager position? The answer: none. However, stamp collecting would be a very valuable hobby to mention when applying for a job as a stamp appraiser .
• Don’t use the usual lines about enjoying walking, reading or swimming; be more specific and describe them in sentences. For example, change “I enjoy reading” , to “I enjoy reading non-fiction and current affairs books” ), or change “Travelling” to “I have visited most major European cities,” etc.)
• Try to list interests that show a balance . A healthy interest in sports and the outdoors should be counterbalanced by other, more intellectual pursuits.
• Keep it real and don’t lie or exaggerate.

The interests section should be placed at the end of the second page , just before the CV references section :

Remember: This section is optional so placing it higher up on your CV will give the prospective employer the impression that you do not understand how to prioritise things. Think about it, how can your personal interests be more important to the employer than your work experience or qualifications?

Example 1 – Economist

Example 2 – teaching assistant.

Note: The example below is a bit long because the candidate had blank space in their CV and utilised it accordingly.

Example 3 – Civil Engineer

Example 4 – credit controller.

Example 5 – Journalist

It is best to avoid putting anything controversial or sensitive on your CV. Humans are by their nature very judgemental, so be wise about what you disclose on your CV. For example, some recruiters may judge you negatively if you included heavy metal as your favourite music genre.

Avoid mentioning interests that could reveal your private beliefs.

Stating that you are an “active member of the local church” may harm your chances of being invited to an interview, especially when the potential employer reading your CV is a strict atheist. Similarly, stating that you “volunteered on a number of Labour election campaigns” or that you are a “huge fan of Manchester United” is also not a very good idea.

Don’t mention very risky, dangerous or time-consuming hobbies such as rock climbing, deep sea diving, bungee jumping, parachuting and boxing. It is in the employer’s best interest that you are fit and well when you’re working for them!

One recruitment expert commented, “Personally alarm bells go off for me when I read about people jumping out of perfectly good aircraft or hanging off tall buildings on the thinnest of ropes!”

Interviewers use the interests section of your CV to identify any conflict of interest if your hobbies demand too much of your time that could interfere with your ability to do your job or meet deadlines. A potential conflict of interest could arise, for example, if you state that you run two part-time businesses alongside your day job.

You may think it’s a good idea to make up some hobbies to impress the employer but this is not a good idea.

One unfortunate applicant had put ‘theatre’ as one of their interests but was left speechless and embarrassed at the interview when they were asked about the kind of theatre they liked and the name of the last play they saw.

Make sure that you know enough to talk about every interest you list on your CV at the interview. Don’t include “Karate” as your hobby if the nearest you ever got to karate was watching a martial arts film! What if the interviewer is a black belt and asks you about the style of karate you have studied?

Over the years, recruiters have documented the many weird and inappropriate interests that they have seen on CVs, including:

• Eating pizzas
• Handling guns
• Frog dissection
• Swimming with saltwater crocodiles

Needless to say, none of these candidates was invited for a job interview!

Adding too many hobbies to your CV fills up valuable space that could be used for more important information. The following is a sample of a CV’s interests section that contains too many activities:

At this stage, the prospective employer will most likely be wondering: “Gosh, when will this person have any time to do some work?!”

Putting hobbies and interests on your CV is an excellent way of enhancing your CV and improving the chances of being shortlisted for a job interview. Regardless of your job or industry, you should only include hobbies or interests that are relevant and add value to your application.

If you’re still undecided on what to include, have a look at the great examples below to see which of these you can add to your CV.

The best personal hobbies and interests to put on a CV:

• Sports such as football, basketball and swimming.
• Exercise such as walking or going to the gym.
• Volunteering and participating in the community.
• Reading books, magazines or publications.
• Writing books, poems, articles or blog posts.
• Designing or drawing by hand or computer (CAD).
• Building things such as computers and product prototypes.
• Coaching, teaching, tutoring or mentoring someone.
• Organising events/activities for local charities or organisations.
• Learning a new skill such as public speaking or new technology.
• Cooking and baking when applying for food-related jobs.
• Playing brain games, puzzles, riddles and solving quizzes.
• Travelling to experience new cultures and meet new people.
• Learning a new language.

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How to Nail your next Technical Interview

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List of Hobbies and Interests to Put on Your Resume

While making your resume or revamping it, the only thing that appears necessary is your professional experience, education, and background. We often leave out hobbies and interests in the resume because they don’t quite seem important.

As such, including your interests and hobbies supports your case when you have no professional experience, or just a few years of work history. Some organizations especially take note of your personal interests to understand how quickly you would be able to adjust in the workplace environment. Hence, it only seems logical to add your personal interests and  hobbies to your resume .

Below, we’ve discussed everything you need to know about this section on your resume. We’ve discussed examples of hobbies and interests and how you should add them in your resume.

Here's what this article will cover:

What are hobbies and interests, the difference between  hobbies and interests, reasons to include list of interests and hobbies in a resume, who should include this section on their resume, when you should avoid including this section, what do your interests and hobbies say about you, what type of hobbies and interests should you include, how to match this section with your profile, how to write this section, top hobbies and interests to include on your resume, things to avoid including on your resume, what to do when you don’t have relevant interests and hobbies, how many pointers to include in this section, factors to keep in mind for this section, examples of hobbies and interests, mistakes to avoid when writing this section.

Before we start exploring anything else, let’s understand what are interests and hobbies.

A hobby is something you enjoy doing in your free time. It is an activity that  helps you relieve stress and tension. For example, playing chess, reading books, writing, cooking, traveling, etc. are prominent examples of hobbies.

An interest includes activities which you enjoy but only pursue sometimes. Examples include  volunteering for an NGO, joining social groups, organizing community meetings, etc.

A lot of individuals confuse hobbies with interests. These two terms are not synonymous. They are closely related but aren’t the same. Your hobbies include activities that you do on a regular basis, such as making food. Your interests include activities that you would like to do more - they’re more like your passive ideas. For instance, you like to travel occasionally. You may not do it every month but you enjoy this activity.

As a professional just entering the industry, it is good to include hobbies and interests in a resume for a fair number of reasons. It improves your job application and builds the interest of recruiters in your profile. Every recruiter is willing to hire employees who have additional interests outside work. Hiring employees with rich and interesting hobbies can help lighten up a work environment and perhaps even enhance employee productivity.  

Here’s why including personal interests on your resume is a good idea:

• It will allow the recruiter to understand your personality better. This section reveals who you are.
• Having some extracurricular interests and hobbies only indicates that you are an all-rounder. It shows that you enjoy activities other than work.
• Sometimes, the list of interests and hobbies on your resume becomes a topic of discussion during the interview.
• Activities, such as sports, indicate that you look after your wellbeing.
• If you include community involvement, then it shows your interpersonal skills.
• This section is also important to highlight your transferable skills, which are necessary for multiple job roles.
• Hobbies and interests in resume also help in differentiating yours from other candidates or applicants.

Above all, interests on your resume simply portray you as a person who has a pleasant personal life. Today, no one hires an employee based on their technical skills alone. That said, your interests and hobbies help in understanding how you are as a person in your professional and personal life.

Here’s a list of professionals who should have the interests and hobbies section in their CV:

• College students looking for internships
• Candidates looking for their first jobs
• Applicants who have some blank space in the CV
• School and college drop-outs

Here’s a list of professionals who can avoid adding personal interests to their resume:

• Senior professionals, such as executives
• Candidates with multiple years of experience
• Applicants with multiple CV pages

Your personal interests in your resume say a lot about you.

If you say you like writing or solving puzzles , it speaks a lot about how you like to spend your free time. Personal interests in your resume often hold deeper meanings.

For example, if you write that you like solving puzzles , this could indicate that you have excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities. Similarly, playing certain games as hobbies also hold deeper meanings. For instance, if you like playing chess , you could come across as a strategist, a skill which could be useful to your job as well as your employer.

Here’s what certain activities could say about you:

• A writer is creative
• A designer is also creative
• A traveler is adventurous
• Someone who likes swimming is healthy
• Someone who likes computers has a grasp on technology

If you are trying to highlight a skill on your resume, it would be great to add a l ist of interests and hobbies related to it.

You can strategically add your hobbies and interests depending on your application. If you wish to add value to your CV, here’s what you should do:

• If you are applying for a marketing or business job, then adding activities like sports is the right choice. These activities show that you enjoy daily activities that include other people.
• If you are applying for technical roles, include more brain activities like playing chess. This shows your interest in analytical tasks.
• You should avoid including something irrelevant such as playing Xbox. This is not useful in any job and could portray you in a bad light.

From the above discussion, it is obvious that you should include a list of interests and hobbies which are related to your job. Read on to synchronize this section with the rest of your CV.

Check the specifications of the role

Firstly, check the specifications on the job application. If there’s a section including must-haves or good-to-have, then relate these skills. For example, if the application says that you should have good people skills, then add socializing or sports activities.

On the other hand, if the application requires analytical skills, then add hobbies such as playing chess or solving puzzles.

Check the company’s culture

You can also check the company’s culture to know what should go in your interests section. If the company’s culture is more inclined towards helping employees de-stress from time to time, then you can show your fun side as well, such as playing football or computer games.

Make a list

The best way to write interests in your resume is to make a list of hobbies and interests you have and then match these one-by-one with the application, company’s culture, and other CV sections. You would automatically find out activities worth including in your resume.

Now, let’s figure out how to actually write hobbies and interests in the resume :

Although you may have multiple hobbies to put in your resume, always select the ones that highlight your abilities related to the job role.

• Your hobbies should be relevant to the application
• Add only 1-2 interests in your resume
• Select hobbies which highlight you as an all-round individual

Let’s see some tips to decide interests to put on your resume:

• Keep this section short. There’s clearly no point in dragging or bragging. Two to three  lines are more than enough.
• Be clear about your interests. Instead of I like writing , you should use I like writing poetry .
• Don’t add a list with words. It is best to describe these interests as sentences
• Pick relevant interests only.
• Include only three or four interests. The more, the merrier doesn’t quite work here.

There are three types of hobbies and interests that you can include in your CV:

• Sports, such as cricket and football.
• Determination tasks, such as cycling and swimming.
• Brain tasks, such as reading and playing chess.

Some people may be able to include all three types in their resume and others would be able to include only one. It depends on your career choices and interests.

Check the examples of hobbies that you can add to your interests and hobbies section:

• Something intellectual, such as following financial activities and news, or reading financial magazines.
• Being a regular member of the professional community, NGO, or other groups.
• Interest in activities, such as playing puzzle games, chess, and other sports like swimming cricket and basketball. Here, you can add team sports like tennis and football or individual sports like cycling.
• There are other activities that portray you as a leader, such as mentoring, teaching, or coaching.
• If you wish to show your technical skills, then add activities like fixing computers, building computer programs, or developing WordPress websites. This can also include setting up computers and exploring technical blogs, magazines, etc.
• For people who are innovative and artistic, they can include hobbies like designing, sketching, drawing, painting, and DIY handmade items.
• Multiple individuals also include photography as their interests. This is beneficial if you are entering the field of digital marketing.
• In some job roles, depicting your interest in baking, cooking, exploring food places, and reading food magazines can help you.
• Especially people in creative roles can benefit a lot from adding writing and reading as their personal interests on resume.
• Traveling is also a favorable hobby and interest in your resume. It says that you love exploring new places.
• Some people also add that they regularly do volunteer work, attend fundraising events, etc.
• Adding a link to your blog says a lot about you. If you are a writer, then the recruiter would be able to figure out a lot about your writing skills through this blog.

These hobbies allow your employer to understand the organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills that you have.

For this reason, it is imperative to strategically add interests to your resume. You don’t want the recruiter to believe that you are irresponsible or self-engrossed.

While the above discussed has some attractive hobbies for your resume , the following are the ones you should avoid.

When you are adding a list of interests and hobbies to your resume, it should invoke positive thoughts about your application. If there’s an activity, which might allow the employer to think otherwise, then you should not include this personal interest on your resume.

• Hobbies that may be violent or risky, such as collecting knives.
• Interests that are antisocial, such as avoiding meetings or community gatherings.
• Adding a joke, which can easily become offensive for others.
• Including personal beliefs, such as political views, etc.

It is possible that you don’t have relevant interests to put on your resume. In this case, you can use transferable skills , such as time management, prioritization, and leadership.

There’s no point in adding anything, which might not interest your employer. For example, folk dancing should not be present in the resume of an engineer. It just doesn’t make sense.

Everything in your resume should be inverted towards the job application. In every way, you should come off as the perfect candidate. If there are interests in your resume that might go against your job role, avoid adding it.

If there’s nothing that you can add to this section, then don’t add this section. Just filling up space might only distract your employer from the point.

As already discussed, just add 4-5 skills to your list of interests and hobbies. Anything more than that can be seen as bragging and exaggerating. Stick to only relevant pointers, and remember, less is always better here. Focus on making this section more valuable, not more lengthy.

When you are writing this section, here are tips you can utilize to add attractive hobbies to your resume:

As we have already discussed, your interests in the resume should be relevant. No one would like to read that you are a dancer if you are applying to be a quality analyst.

• The length of this section should not be more than 3-4 lines. Just add the most relevant hobbies and interests to keep it short.
• Place this section at the bottom of your resume. It is important but not more important than your qualifications.
• Label this section correctly. You don’t really have to use hobbies and interests. Get creative; especially if your job requires it. For example, use Personal Interests or Activities as the label.
• Be professional! Even if you like partying, that’s not something you put on your resume.

I enjoy volunteering for the local paper. I also occasionally enjoy reading business magazines and socializing at economist events.  

Teaching assistant

I like meeting new people and having a valuable conversation with them. Along with making connections, I frequently take interest in volunteering at the community center.

Credit controller

I like keeping myself updated with the latest news in the field. Therefore, I frequently read Financial Times and other such sources for the latest data.

As an engineer, I keep exploring how to advance my career. I enjoy exploring new methods of building websites and utilizing a new technology.

In my free time, I enjoy attending literary events. I also keep myself updated with current news through various online sources.

There are some mistakes that you should avoid when writing your resume. Check out what are these:

• Eliminate any sensitive and controversial tone and language. It is only human to judge what you write in your resume. Hence, consider that your recruiter is judging your every move. Don’t put things like you enjoy the heavy metal genre.
• Don’t put your political views on the paper. There’s no point in adding that you have volunteered for election campaigns. The personal choices of the recruiter might clash with yours.
• It is best to avoid adding time-consuming activities as your interests. Don’t let the interviewer think that you may go rock climb for weeks.
• Exclude irrelevant activities, such as stamp collecting, from your resume.
• As a senior-level professional, you can completely eliminate this section on your CV.
• Don’t lie! You can’t add hobbies and interests that you don’t actually enjoy. That’s out of the question! You would only face embarrassment if you lie on your resume.

Depending on your experience and the length of your resume, it may be interesting to add a list of interests and hobbies. Just utilize the above tips and factors to make this section worth your recruiter’s time. There’s no point in adding irrelevant pointers here, as that would put you in a bad light. Hence, check the above guide, find relevant hobbies, and include this section.

Utkarsh Sahu

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