Putting hobbies and interests on your resume can make you stand out from other job seekers. These personal details show employers who you are beyond your work experience. They give a glimpse into your personality and skills that might not be obvious from your job history alone. Adding the right hobbies to your resume can boost your chances of getting hired. Employers often look for well-rounded candidates who have interests outside of work. Your hobbies can show that you’re passionate, creative, or have leadership skills. In this article, we are sharing a list of hobbies and interests you can put on your resume to help you shine.
Hobbies vs Interests: What’s the Difference?
Hobbies are activities you do for fun in your free time. They’re things you actively do, like playing guitar, hiking, or cooking. Interests, on the other hand, are topics or subjects you enjoy learning about. These might include art history, space exploration, or fashion trends.
While hobbies are usually hands-on, interests can be more passive. For example, if you love reading about ancient Egypt, that’s an interest. If you actually go on archaeological digs, that’s a hobby.
Both hobbies and interests can be valuable on your resume. They show your personality and can sometimes relate to job skills.
Identifying Your Hobbies
To figure out your hobbies, think about what you do for fun when you’re not working. What activities make you lose track of time? These could be things like:
- Playing sports
- Creating art
- Gardening
- Building computers
- Writing stories
Your hobbies can reveal important traits to employers. For instance, team sports show you work well with others, while solo hobbies might highlight your self-motivation.
Identifying Your Interests
Your interests are the topics that grab your attention. They’re what you enjoy reading about, watching videos on, or discussing with friends. To identify your interests, ask yourself:
- What sections of the news do you always read?
- What kinds of museums do you like to visit?
- What topics do you often search for online?
Interests can show your curiosity and willingness to learn. They might also connect to the job you’re applying for. For example, an interest in current events could be great for a marketing role.
Your interests don’t have to be fancy. They just need to be genuine.
Examples of Hobbies and Interests to Put on a Resume
Hobbies and interests can be grouped into several categories. Each type offers unique ways to showcase your skills and personality on a resume.
Creative Activities
Creative hobbies let you show off your artistic side. They can highlight skills like problem-solving and attention to detail.
- Painting: “Created watercolor landscapes”
- Writing: “Wrote short stories for local magazine”
- Photography: “Captured nature scenes for personal portfolio”
- Knitting: “Knitted hats for charity drives”
- Woodworking: “Built custom furniture pieces”
- Graphic design: “Designed logos for small businesses”
- Cake decorating: “Crafted themed cakes for events”
- Pottery: “Made ceramic bowls and mugs”
- Jewelry making: “Created beaded necklaces and bracelets”
- Scrapbooking: “Compiled family memory books”
- Origami: “Folded paper cranes for art installations”
- Calligraphy: “Addressed wedding invitations”
- Cosplay: “Designed and made superhero costumes”
- Floral arranging: “Created centerpieces for local events”
- Quilting: “Sewed patchwork quilts for gifts”
- Digital art: “Illustrated book covers for indie authors”
- Candle making: “Crafted scented candles for craft fairs”
- Glass blowing: “Made decorative vases and ornaments”
- Upcycling: “Transformed old furniture into new pieces”
- Embroidery: “Personalized clothing with custom designs”
Physical Fitness and Sports
Sports and fitness hobbies show you’re active and healthy. They can point to skills like teamwork and dedication.
- Running: “Completed three marathons”
- Yoga: “Practiced daily meditation and stretching”
- Basketball: “Played in local recreation league”
- Swimming: “Trained for open water competitions”
- Cycling: “Biked 50 miles weekly for fitness”
- Rock climbing: “Scaled indoor and outdoor routes”
- Martial arts: “Earned black belt in karate”
- Dancing: “Performed salsa at community events”
- Hiking: “Explored national parks on weekends”
- Tennis: “Competed in regional doubles tournaments”
- Weightlifting: “Set personal records in powerlifting”
- Surfing: “Rode waves at local beaches”
- Golf: “Played 18 holes weekly with colleagues”
- Soccer: “Coached youth team on weekends”
- CrossFit: “Attended daily group fitness classes”
- Skiing: “Mastered black diamond slopes”
- Volleyball: “Organized beach volleyball meetups”
- Archery: “Practiced target shooting weekly”
- Rowing: “Participated in community regattas”
- Parkour: “Trained in urban obstacle courses”
Community and Volunteer Work
Volunteer work shows you care about others. It can highlight leadership and communication skills.
- Animal shelter: “Walked dogs and socialized cats”
- Food bank: “Sorted donations and packed meals”
- Habitat for Humanity: “Helped build homes for families”
- Big Brothers Big Sisters: “Mentored at-risk youth”
- Red Cross: “Assisted at blood drives”
- Beach cleanup: “Organized monthly litter removal events”
- Soup kitchen: “Prepared and served meals for homeless”
- Library: “Read stories to children weekly”
- Senior center: “Visited and played games with residents”
- Community garden: “Grew vegetables for local food pantry”
- Tutoring: “Helped students with math and science”
- Disaster relief: “Distributed supplies after hurricanes”
- Tree planting: “Participated in urban forestry projects”
- Homeless shelter: “Organized clothing donations”
- Cancer walks: “Raised funds for research”
- Political campaigns: “Canvassed for local candidates”
- Museum docent: “Led tours for school groups”
- Fire department: “Volunteered as emergency responder”
- Neighborhood watch: “Patrolled local streets monthly”
- Special Olympics: “Coached athletes for competitions”
Learning and Development
Learning hobbies show you’re curious and always growing. They can point to skills like adaptability and self-motivation.
- Learning languages: “Studied Spanish to conversational level”
- Coding: “Built personal website using HTML and CSS”
- Public speaking: “Gave talks at local Toastmasters club”
- Chess: “Competed in online tournaments”
- Reading: “Finished 50 books annually across genres”
- Podcasting: “Produced weekly show on tech trends”
- Investing: “Managed personal stock portfolio”
- Cooking: “Mastered cuisines from five countries”
- Gardening: “Grew organic vegetables year-round”
- Astronomy: “Observed celestial events with telescope”
- Genealogy: “Traced family history back six generations”
- Wine tasting: “Completed sommelier certification”
- Birdwatching: “Identified 100 local species”
- Debate: “Participated in community forums”
- Car mechanics: “Restored vintage automobile”
- Musical instruments: “Learned to play guitar and piano”
- Beekeeping: “Maintained two hives in backyard”
- Foraging: “Identified edible plants in local parks”
- Home brewing: “Created custom beer recipes”
- Sign language: “Interpreted for deaf community events”
Leisure and Lifestyle
Leisure hobbies show what you enjoy outside work. They can reveal your personality and social skills.
- Travel: “Visited 20 countries across 5 continents”
- Blogging: “Wrote weekly posts about local restaurants”
- Collecting: “Curated vintage comic book collection”
- Board games: “Hosted monthly strategy game nights”
- Fishing: “Caught and released in local rivers”
- Camping: “Spent weekends exploring state parks”
- Photography: “Captured landscapes and portraits, showcased in local gallery”
- Cooking: “Experimented with international cuisines and hosted dinner parties”
- Gardening: “Maintained a vegetable garden and shared produce with neighbors”
- Reading: “Completed 50 books annually, focusing on historical fiction”
- Hiking: “Explored national trails and documented experiences”
- Volunteering: “Organized community clean-up events”
- Music: “Played guitar in a local band”
- Yoga: “Practiced daily and attended workshops”
- Painting: “Created watercolor landscapes and exhibited in local shows”
- Running: “Participated in marathons and charity races”
- Dancing: “Took salsa classes and performed at community events”
- Writing: “Authored short stories and submitted to literary magazines”
- DIY Projects: “Built custom furniture and home decor”
- Language Learning: “Studied Spanish and practiced with native speakers”
Intellectual Pursuits
- Learning languages: “Currently studying Mandarin Chinese”
- Coding: “Develop small web apps as personal projects”
- Chess: “Participate in online chess tournaments”
- Crossword puzzles: “Complete the New York Times crossword daily”
- Robotics: “Build and program small robots as a hobby”
- Podcasting: “Host a weekly podcast about local history”
- Public speaking: “Member of Toastmasters International”
- Writing short stories: “Published fiction in online literary magazines”
- Sudoku: “Solve expert-level Sudoku puzzles daily”
- Historical reenactment: “Participate in Civil War reenactments”
- Debate: “Compete in local debate tournaments”
- Investing: “Manage a mock stock portfolio to learn about markets”
- Genealogy: “Research and document family history”
- Cryptography: “Solve and create complex ciphers for fun”
- Philosophy club: “Attend monthly philosophy discussions”
- Science experiments: “Conduct at-home physics experiments”
- Memory training: “Practice memory techniques and compete in local contests”
- Logic puzzles: “Create and solve complex logic problems”
- Creative writing: “Participate in National Novel Writing Month annually”
- Documentary filmmaking: “Produce short documentaries on local issues”
Group Activities
- Volunteering: “Organize monthly beach clean-ups with local environmental group”
- Team sports: “Captain of a recreational soccer team”
- Book club: “Lead discussions in a monthly science fiction book club”
- Improv comedy: “Perform with a local improv troupe twice a month”
- Community theater: “Act in and help produce annual community plays”
- Dance classes: “Take weekly salsa lessons and participate in social dances”
- Choir: “Sing tenor in a community choir that performs at local events”
- Board game nights: “Host weekly strategy game nights for friends”
- Kickball league: “Play in a city-wide adult kickball league”
- Group fitness: “Attend and sometimes lead group HIIT classes at the local gym”
- Trivia team: “Captain a pub trivia team that competes weekly”
- Language exchange: “Participate in Spanish-English conversation groups”
- Hiking club: “Organize monthly group hikes for all skill levels”
- Community garden: “Contribute to a neighborhood community garden project”
- Debate club: “Engage in friendly debates on current events twice a month”
- Karaoke nights: “Regular participant in local karaoke events”
- Charity runs: “Organize teams for annual charity 5K runs”
- Film club: “Attend and lead discussions at a monthly foreign film club”
- Cooking classes: “Take part in group cooking workshops focusing on world cuisines”
- Escape room team: “Solve puzzles with a dedicated escape room group”
Individual Interests
- Reading: “Enjoy exploring diverse genres, from classic literature to contemporary non-fiction”
- Photography: “Amateur photographer specializing in nature and landscape shots”
- Gardening: “Maintain a small vegetable garden and experiment with organic growing methods”
- Painting: “Create acrylic landscapes inspired by local scenery”
- Running: “Completed three half-marathons in the past year”
- Cooking: “Love trying new recipes and hosting themed dinner parties”
- Yoga: “Practice yoga daily for mindfulness and flexibility”
- Writing: “Maintain a personal blog about travel experiences”
- Hiking: “Explore local trails and document flora and fauna”
- Playing guitar: “Self-taught guitarist who enjoys playing folk music”
- Knitting: “Create handmade gifts for friends and family”
- Meditation: “Practice daily mindfulness exercises”
- Birdwatching: “Identify and catalog local bird species”
- Astronomy: “Amateur stargazer with a passion for astrophotography”
- Geocaching: “Participate in local geocaching events”
- Calligraphy: “Design custom invitations for special events”
- Cycling: “Bike to work daily and participate in weekend rides”
- Upcycling: “Transform old furniture into unique, functional pieces”
- Aromatherapy: “Create custom essential oil blends for relaxation”
- Origami: “Fold intricate paper designs for stress relief”
Importance of Hobbies and Interests on a Resume
Reflecting Your Personality
Your hobbies say a lot about you. They give employers a peek into your life outside of work. This helps them see if you’d be a good fit for their team.
For example, if you enjoy team sports, it might show you work well with others. If you like puzzles, it could mean you’re good at solving problems. Volunteering at an animal shelter might show you’re caring and community-minded.
Other hobbies that reflect personality:
- Gardening – patient and nurturing
- Travel – open-minded and adaptable
- Cooking – creative and detail-oriented
- Reading – curious and always learning
- Hiking – adventurous and goal-oriented
Demonstrating Skills Through Interests
Your hobbies can show skills that are useful for the job you want. These are often soft skills that are hard to prove on paper but very valuable to employers.
- If you run a book club, it shows leadership and organization skills.
- Playing chess might indicate strategic thinking.
- Being in a band could demonstrate teamwork and creativity.
More ways hobbies show skills:
- Blogging – writing and social media skills
- Fantasy football – data analysis and decision-making
- Organizing community events – project management
- Woodworking – attention to detail and patience
- Improv comedy – quick thinking and public speaking
Selecting the Right Hobbies and Interests for Your Resume
Choosing the best hobbies and interests for your resume can help you stand out to employers. Pick activities that show off your skills and match the job you want.
Relevance to the Job Description
Look at the job posting and pick hobbies that fit. For example:
- Playing team sports might impress for jobs needing teamwork.
- Photography may show creativity.
- Chess could prove strategic thinking.
- Cooking might display attention to detail.
- Running marathons could indicate discipline.
- Learning a new language may demonstrate adaptability.
- Travel can show cultural awareness.
- Gardening suggests patience.
- Home improvement projects indicate practical skills.
Do’s and Don’ts for Including Hobbies and Interests
Being Honest and Authentic
Always be truthful about your interests. Don’t claim to enjoy activities you’ve never tried just to impress a potential employer. If you say you love hiking, be ready to talk about your favorite trails or gear.
Highlight hobbies that show off skills useful for the job. For example, if you’re applying for a team-based role, mention your experience playing sports or volunteering for group projects. This shows you work well with others.
Pick interests that make you stand out. If you’re an entry-level professional, sharing unique hobbies can help your resume catch an employer’s eye. Maybe you build model airplanes or write short stories in your free time.
How to List Hobbies and Interests on a Resume
Formatting and Placement
Put your hobbies and interests near the end of your resume. Give this section a clear title like “Hobbies & Interests” or “Personal Interests.” Keep it short – about 2-4 items is enough.
Don’t go overboard. Pick hobbies that relate to the job you want. If you’re applying to be a teacher, mentioning that you coach youth soccer could be great.
Make sure your formatting matches the rest of your resume. Use the same font and text size. This keeps things looking neat and tidy.
Utilizing Bullet Points for Clarity
Bullet points make your hobbies easy to read. They also let you add more detail.
Here’s an example:
โข Photography
- Operate DSLR camera and editing software
- Won local photo contest in 2023
โข Volunteer at animal shelter
- Help with dog training and socialization
- Organize adoption events
This format is clean and gives just enough info. It shows both what you do and what you’ve achieved. Hiring managers can quickly see how your interests might benefit their company.
Q & A
How can I effectively list hobbies and interests on my CV?
Choose 3-5 relevant hobbies that match the job you’re applying for. Place them in a separate section near the end of your resume. Use bullet points to list each hobby. Include a brief note about how long you’ve been doing the activity or any achievements related to it.
How should I differentiate between personal and professional interests on a resume?
Focus on listing interests that relate to the job you want. You can include personal hobbies if they show useful skills. For example, playing team sports shows you work well with others. Reading business books shows you’re eager to learn. Etc..
What are the best practices for including skills and hobbies in a resume for someone with little work experience?
List relevant coursework, internships, or volunteer work first. Then add hobbies that show job-related skills. For example, if you’re applying for a design job, you can mention your photography hobby.
Can hobbies and interests on a resume make a significant impact during the job application process?
Yes, they can help you stand out from other applicants. Hobbies can show your personality and skills that might not be clear from your work history. They can also give you talking points during interviews. Just make sure to choose hobbies that are relevant to the job you want.