Interests and hobbies: How to include them when updating your resume?

While education and professional experience should be included when updating your resume, depending on your background, you may want to include other information. Some businesses prefer resumes that feature hobbies and interests because they allow employers to interact with you on a more personal level.

In this article, we will discuss the best ways to include these important aspects of your life in a well-constructed resume. Including hobbies and interests on a resume can help bolster a CV with little or no work experience or emphasize essential interests that go beyond your work history and education.

1. What is the meaning of hobbies and interests?

2. How to properly include your hobbies and interests when updating your resume?

3. What is the best way to list your hobbies and interests in a resume?

4. What do your hobbies and interests reveal about you?

5. Which kinds of interests and hobbies should you include?

6. What should you do if you lack relevant interests and hobbies?

7. Looking for more tips for updating your resume skills? The Talent Point is here!

1. What is the meaning of hobbies and interests?

Let us define what interests and hobbies are before moving on to the next step.

A hobby is an activity you do for recreation when you have free time. It is a relaxing pastime that aids in the reduction of stress and tension. Playing chess, reading books, writing, cooking, and traveling are just a few examples of popular hobbies.

Interests are a set of activities that you appreciate but only do once in a while. Volunteering for a non-profit organization, joining social organizations, and hosting community meetings are just a few examples.

When you are updating your resume, it is important that you know the difference between them.

1.1 The distinction between interests and hobbies

A lot of people mix up hobbies with interests. These two terms are not interchangeable. Even though they are entangled, they are definitely not identical. Activities that you undertake on a daily basis, such as cooking, are examples of hobbies. Your interests are more like your passive thoughts, and they include activities that you would like to do more of. For example, you enjoy traveling on occasion. You appreciate this pastime, even if you do not do it every month. Take this into account for the best resume update possible.

2. How to properly include your hobbies and interests when updating your resume?

While including your interests and hobbies on a professional CV may not be the first thing that comes to mind, doing so can help a CV stand out in a variety of situations, even when you have little or no work experience. Some employers even prefer to see resumes that include interests since it offers the hiring manager a more complete picture of the individual as a person. When updating your CV, you must know when and how to include hobbies and interests.

2.1 Why should you list your hobbies and interests on your resume?

You should consider putting your hobbies and interests when updating your professional resume in a number of situations. Before you do so, think about what this information will communicate to potential employers and whether it corresponds with the requirements of the job ad. Hiring managers can get a sense of who you are as a person and how you spend your time outside of work if you include your interests and hobbies. Employers can see what extra abilities you have and what subjects you desire to learn more about by looking at your interests and hobbies.

There are a few occasions where including interests and hobbies on your resume is a good idea:

• Not having a lot of relevant talents for the position you are looking for.
• When you do not have much or any employment experience.
• You lack educational background.
• When the company expressly requests that applicants list their interests and hobbies in their application.
• The organization actively seeks people with certain personality traits and characteristics.
•  When duties related to your interests and hobbies are included in the job description.

Depending on the company’s specific needs and work culture, you should consider including hobbies or interests when updating your CV for each job you apply for.

3. What is the best way to list your hobbies and interests in a resume?

When it comes to including your passions on your professional CV, you should take the following steps:

3.1 Investigate the company

Spending time getting to know the organization you are applying to is the first step in mentioning interests and hobbies for the best resume update. Start by reading the job description to determine what qualities they are searching for in candidates. After that, go to the company’s website and seek any references for the company’s work culture. You may also learn more about the company’s culture by looking at its social media accounts.

3.2 Select hobbies and interests that correspond to the desired personality attributes

Choose a handful of your interests that best line up with what the firm is looking for in terms of personality qualities and talents once you have a decent sense of what they are looking for. If the job description calls for candidates who are good team players, for example, mentioning your interest in a sport shows that you are capable of and like participating in team activities. This is a great way to get your resume updated.

3.3 Include hobbies that complement your abilities

You can also use your resume’s interest section to highlight relevant talents. If you do not have any work experience but have a hobby or passion that gives you a relevant skill for the job, mentioning it encourages hiring managers to consider you as still being qualified for the job. If you are applying for a copywriting job and do not have much experience, you may mention that you freelance write for a blog or magazine in your spare time. Take this into consideration when updating your professional resume.

3.4 Make a section on your resume for it

Create a separate section at the conclusion of your resume with a heading such as ‘hobbies and interests’ or ‘interests,’ rather than lumping your interests and hobbies in with your professional experience and talents. For this, make sure you choose the right updating resume format.

Include up to 5 or 6 different hobbies or interests in your list. Include a few interests or hobbies on your resume that are most relevant to the job you are applying for. Give each one a distinct description. Instead of writing ‘writing’, you might write “I enjoy writing short stories”

A list of interests and hobbies should be included when updating your resume for a variety of reasons. It is beneficial to highlight hobbies and interests on a resume as a newcomer to the sector. It enhances your job application and increases recruiters’ interest in your personal or online job profile. Hiring individuals with a diverse range of interests can assist to brighten a workplace and increase employee productivity.

Here is why it is a good idea to include personal interests on your CV while using a good updating resume format:

• It will help the recruiter get a better sense of your personality.
• You are only an all-rounder if you have certain extracurricular interests and hobbies. It demonstrates that you have interests outside of work.
• During a job interview, your resume’s list of interests and hobbies may become a topic of conversation. Sports, for example, show that you are concerned about your health.
• It demonstrates your interpersonal abilities if you add community involvement. This part is especially vital for emphasizing your transferable skills, which are useful in a variety of jobs.
• Hobbies and interests when updating your resume can also help you stand out from the crowd of other candidates or applications.

4. What do your hobbies and interests reveal about you

The simple answer to that question is that they reveal a great deal of information about you. If you say you enjoy writing or solving riddles, it reveals a lot about your leisure activities. Personal hobbies on a resume can have a lot of depth.

If you write that you enjoy solving puzzles, for example, this could imply that you have strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Similarly, certain hobbies, such as playing video games, have deeper connotations. For example, if you enjoy playing chess, you may come across as a strategist, a skill that may be beneficial to both your profession and your company.

5. Which kinds of interests and hobbies should you include?

Depending on your application, you can strategically add your hobbies and interests. Here are some alternatives you can choose in order to increase the value of your CV:

If you are in a job search for a marketing or business position, including sports in your resume is a good idea. These activities demonstrate that you like engaging in social activities on a daily basis.

Include extra cerebral activities, such as the already mentioned chess. If you are seeking technical positions. This demonstrates your enthusiasm for analytical tasks.

Some examples of hobbies and interests you can add are the following:

5.1 Economy and finances

Following financial activity and news, or reading financial magazines, is an example of something intelligent. Being a regular participant in the professional community, a non-profit organization, or other organizations. Mentoring, teaching, and coaching are examples of actions that depict you as a leader.

5.2 Informatics and technology

On the other hand, if you want to demonstrate your technical abilities, include things like computer repair, computer programming, and WordPress website development. This can also include things like setting up computers and reading technical blogs and periodicals, among other things.

5.3 Art and literature

Hobbies such as designing, sketching, drawing, painting, and making “do it yourself” homemade products can be included for persons who are creative and innovative. People in creative positions, in particular, can benefit greatly from listing writing and reading as personal interests on their CV. Including a link to your blog reveals a lot about your personality. If you are a writer, the recruiter will be able to learn a lot about your writing abilities by reading your blog.

5.4 Photography

Photography is something that a lot of people are interested in. This is helpful if you are just starting out in the realm of digital marketing.

5.5 Cuisine

Demonstrating your passion for baking, cooking, exploring new restaurants, and reading food periodicals can be beneficial in various employment settings.

5.6 Traveling

Traveling is a good pastime and an interest to have on your resume. It implies that you enjoy visiting new areas.

5.7 Volunteering

Some people additionally mention that they volunteer on a regular basis, attend charity events, and so forth. Your employer will be able to see your organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills if you have these activities.

As a result, it is critical to strategically include interests in your CV. You do not want the recruiter to think you are careless or preoccupied with yourself.

6. What should you do if you lack relevant interests and hobbies?

It is conceivable you do not have any relevant hobbies to include on your CV. You may employ transferable abilities like time management, prioritization, and leadership in this situation. It is pointless to include anything that your employer might not be interested in when updating your resume. A CV for an engineer, for example, should not include singing. It does not make sense since it is completely unrelated.

Everything on your resume should be oriented toward the application for a job. You should appear to be the ideal prospect in every manner. If you have any passions on your CV that might conflict with your employment responsibilities, do not include them.

If you cannot think of anything to add to this area, do not include it. Filling up space may simply serve to divert your boss’s attention away from the main point.

7. Looking for more tips for updating your resume skills? The Talent Point is here!

Crafting a good-looking resume is a delicate art. Even if you have 1 or 1,000 abilities to show in your repertoire, you still need to have the correct guidelines in order to succeed. We at The Talent Point have exactly the tools you are going to need for that process of building a great resume and developing your career.

Would you like to learn more about us? Contact The Talent Point by calling us at +971 43 316 688. Also, reach us via email through the following address: [email protected]. Our team of experts will be ready to assist you with all of your inquiries.