List of Hobbies and Interests for Resume

While hunting for a job, the first step is to prepare a resume. Are you wondering what a resume is — or more importantly, what it contains? A resume can be defined as a formal document that outlines a candidate’s academic qualifications and professional experiences. It plays a crucial role when applying for jobs and internships. If you have a strong resume filled with detailed information — from scholarships to hobbies and interests — you are more likely to stand out during the hiring process. While education and work experience are typically the most prominent sections of a resume, there is also a dedicated segment for hobbies and interests. Here is a complete blog on hobbies and interests for resumes, explaining their importance.

Why do we add Hobbies and Interests to a Resume?

While hunting for a job, educational qualifications are key to success, but including specific hobbies and interests on a resume can also be impressive. Adding interests and hobbies not only enhances your personality but also adds value to your academic background. Whether you are passionate about community service, enjoy running marathons in remote areas, or play bass in a band, your application will carry more weight if you can demonstrate creativity and individuality. There are several benefits to adding hobbies and interests to a resume:

• It helps to highlight your personality. 
• It can get a conversation started 
• It can prove that you’re an enthusiastic person

What are Interests?

Interests are things that one is curious about and would like to know more about. These are focused on an activity, idea, event, or topic and may be short-term or long-term. Interests show your desire to learn additional information about something. Having interests grounded in your personal life or influenced by your profession shows that you have a mindset of growth and are seeking ways to better yourself. 

What is the Difference Between Hobbies and Interests?

The following are the differences that you will find between hobbies and interests!

Hobbies are Activities

Taking part in hobbies actively allows one to participate in a sport or activity. Interests are more often feelings or desires to gain more knowledge. For example, if you are interested in playing badminton, you occasionally study it and observe players. However, if badminton is your hobby, then you participate in it actively.

Hobbies are Consistent

Active dedication is shown toward hobbies. Interests can be in various subjects depending on your mood, profession, or attention span.

Interests can become hobbies

Hobbies are activities, and interests are the need to learn more about something. It is very common for interests to become hobbies. Learning more and more about something could push you towards making it a hobby.

Reasons to Include Hobbies and Interests on a Resume or CV

A section for hobbies and interests on your resume or CV showcases your interests that extend beyond your work and helps the hiring manager, interviewer, or employer connect with you on a personal level. When done with purpose, indicating hobbies and interests on your resume helps to show the strengths of your personality, highlights your interpersonal skills, and can function to communicate important information to a prospective employer. You may also consider including this section if:

• You have limited work and educational experience.
• You are just entering the industry.
• Your job responsibilities are correlated to your hobbies and interests.
• The employer values this information or requests it.

Also Read: How to Write a Medical Representative Resume

List of 50 Common Hobbies and Interests

The best capacity of having hobbies and interests is that it serves as an icebreaker at interviews. Here is a full list of 50 common hobbies and interests for a resume.

3D printing	Table Tennis	Quilling Singing
Computer Programming	Digital Designing	Sculpting
Sewing	Yoga	Gaming
Writing	Photography	Colouring
Instrument Playing	Cooking	Magic Performances
Cryptography	Calligraphy	Baking
Crossword Puzzles	Fishkeeping	Painting
Reading	Embroidery	Mountain Biking
Rafting	Skydiving	Handball
Bodybuilding	Gardening	Rugby
Water Sports	Roller Skating	Taekwondo
Swimming	Fishing	Shooting
Bird Watching	Mountaineering	Sailing
Scuba Diving	Motor Sports	Skateboarding

Job-Specific Hobbies for a Resume

Contingent upon the conditions, remembering side interests and hobbies for your resume can fortify your application – particularly on the off chance that you don’t have a great deal of work experience. Here is a list of job-specific hobbies for you:

Technical job profile

• Python
• C++
• Blog writing
• Game programming
• Web designing
• Digital music production

Management job profile

• Marketing
• SEO
• Social network analysis
• Leadership skills
• Cycling

Content writer profile

• SEM
• Google Analytics
• SEO
• Copywriting
• Keyword analysis
• Blogging
• Google AdWords

Photography job profile

• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Lightroom 
• Illustrator
• Graphic Designing

These are a few interesting collections of ideas for hobbies and interests for resume building.

Must Read: Career Objective for Teacher: Stand Out with a Strong Resume Statement

How to Choose the Perfect Hobbies for a Resume?

Including hobbies in your resume is not mandatory, but it is always a good idea to include those hobbies that are relevant to the job profile and the company. For example, companies like Google and Facebook frequently recruit people who are passionate about their hobbies, which align with the company and job description. They are always looking for creative people who are imaginative and open, no matter what the profile. You should look for the following when choosing the hobbies for your resume tailored for a specific job profile or company:

1. Job Description

Read the job description carefully and identify the key skills and complementary traits that are required for the position. Now make a list of your hobbies and match both the lists to find out which of your hobbies fits in with the description.

2. Website

Go through the website of the company, read the ‘about us’ section, company profile, team descriptions, and any other information you might get about their organizational culture. It is equally important for a newly hired employee to be compatible with the organization and its culture. 

3. Social Profiles

Go on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms to check out the profiles of prospective superiors and employees. Social activity can give you a pretty good idea of the desired traits that the company looks for.

4. Reviews

You can find company reviews on Glassdoor and Indeed and get a good idea of how the company works and what it focuses on. These reviews will again help you get an insight into the company from the perspective of a working employee and help you filter relevant hobbies for your resume and CVs.

What to Include as Hobbies in My Resume?

Hobbies can be like a wild card that can get you to the top of the pile of endless resumes, but you should be careful how to present them as well. Be sure that you are:

• Specific and Direct: Just list down the main activity and do not beat around the bush. You should write one line about the hobby and not just a word that is the hobby itself.
• Honest: Do not try to fabricate or exaggerate a hobby just for the sake of a resume. They will sense out pretty easily that the mentioned activity is not your hobby if you lie.
• Relevant: You may have 10 hobbies in total, but can identify that only 4 are relevant to the present profile. Do not write all 10 and stick to the relevant hobbies only. 

What Not to Include as Hobbies in a Resume?

There are some things that when included as a hobby may negatively impact your application. Make sure you’re wary of the following:

• Dangerous Activities: You may be a thrill junkie and live your life on the edge. But refrain from mentioning extremely dangerous activities, as they may hint towards being irresponsible. But it is recommended to add these if the profile demands risk-taking and initiative.
• Criminal Activities: Your passion may lie in graffiti or murals. But usually, this is associated with vandalism and is not appreciated. Be careful when adding such hobbies to your resume.
• Anti-Social Activities: Some activities may scream ‘introvert’ and that too in a negative way. Every company wants someone who can gel with the company employees nicely and usually prefers extroverts over introverts.
• Personal Opinions: Some activities might reflect personal information with political preferences and opinions. These hobbies in a resume are considered unprofessional and should be avoided. 
• Misinterpreted Activities: Some activities might be misinterpreted and have multiple meanings. They can have multiple interpretations and therefore can be taken in a light that was not intended by you. So our advice is that you steer clear of them altogether. 

How do Hobbies and Interests Communicate Valuable Information about You?

Your hobbies and interests are a reflection of your personality. Time and time again, movies and shows tell us how we need to be more than just robots in our corporate life. We need to have a part of our personality that extends over our professional responsibility and just gives us joy. Other than just being an escape, these hobbies and interests are constantly developing your character. They show what your strengths and weaknesses are. This information not only helps the recruiter in determining whether you will be a good fit for their company but also helps you in making informed decisions about your own life.

Also Read: All About Job Application Letter

FAQs

Additional Reads

How to Write a Medical Representative Resume	Career Objective For Resume For Fresher: A Complete Guide
20+ Career Objectives for a Software Engineer Resume with Examples	Top 22 Career Objective Examples for a Software Engineer Resume
Career Objective for Resume for Fresher in Computer Science: A Complete Guide	Declaration for Resume for Freshers: Format & Best Examples

So, to wrap it up, hobbies and interests for a resume can get you your dream job. After reading this article, you can easily frame your resume in less time. If you experience difficulty thinking of supporting interests or exercises, follow the above information to have the option to concoct a couple. Stay tuned to Leverage Edu for more such informative articles!