When to Include Hobbies and Interests on Your Resume

It is generally appropriate to include hobbies and interests on your resume when they are suitable to the job or industry you are applying for. If your hobbies and interests align with the values or skills required for the job, it can be beneficial to include them to showcase how you might fit in with the company culture or how you can contribute to the role.

For example, if you are applying for a job in the sports industry, mentioning that you are a passionate sports fan or a recreational athlete could be relevant. Similarly, if you are applying for a job in the creative field, mentioning your interest in art, photography or music could be relevant.

It’s also worth mentioning that, if your resume is sparse or you have limited work experience, adding hobbies and interests can also help to fill out your resume and make it look more impressive.

It’s important to keep in mind that Hobbies and Interests should not be the main focus of your resume, the main focus should be on your education, work experience, and skills. It is best to keep the section brief, typically one or two lines, and if you are running out of space on your resume, it is perfectly fine to leave it out.

While most recruiters advise that one shouldn’t include hobbies or interests on their resume as it looks unprofessional, but it’s not exactly true. There are some benefits that come with citing the right hobbies and interests on your resume. 

When it comes to mentioning your hobbies and interest on a resume, you must choose relevant hobbies that can boost your personality. If you’re thinking about listing hobbies like “I like reading books and watching movies”, then you’ll definitely lose out and become a part of the crowd who doesn’t impress recruiters in the first place. 

The hobbies and interest section in the resume might look irrelevant and boring but it’s a great way to catch the eye of recruiters. The Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and many others highlight the importance of adding interests and hobbies to your resume. But why? It’s all about the work-life balance. Employers are looking for humans who have fun outside of work and it will definitely show the real you.

Let’s be real that not every hobby belongs on your resume. Some unusual or weird hobbies can show you in a bad light in front of recruiters and potentially blacklisted in the future. This is why it’s very important to choose the right hobbies and interests to put on a resume.

In this article, we’ll list such examples of hobbies and interests that will create a positive impression and stand you out from the crowd. Before that let’s see how hobbies differentiate from interests.