50+ Hobbies and Interests to Put on Your Resume

145+ Hobbies and Interests to Put on a Resume

Are you crafting a perfect resume for your job? Confused about whether to include your hobbies and interests or not? It is widely spread that the presence of a list of hobbies on your resume isn't very appropriate.

This brings up confusion in the jobseeker's mind about whether to talk about hobbies and interests in the resume or not. Let us untangle the confusion. This article goes into full detail about hobbies and interests to put on a resume.

Key Takeaways on Hobbies and Interests for Your Resume

• It is a common opinion that listing hobbies and interests on the resume is not necessary. However, listing the relevant hobbies and tailoring the hobbies to the job description makes your resume stand out.

• Dedicate a separate section for hobbies at the end of the resume.

• Hobbies are performed regularly and for personal satisfaction, and interests are those that fascinate you.

• Hobbies and interests reflect the skills that are needed for the specific job.

• Avoid using hobbies that are controversial or conflict-raising. Try to sound professional always.

• Do not over-list your hobbies and interests. Do not list more than 5 hobbies.

• To successfully pass through ATS, use keywords that are present in the job description.

Why Should You Include Hobbies and Interests on a Resume?

Though it is believed that listing hobbies or interests on a CV is not a very good practice, there are cases where listing them makes your resume stand out, such as when the hobby is relevant to the job description. Let us walk through how they enhance your resume and when to include them.

How Hobbies and Interests Help You Stand Out

The skills you highlight on your resume outline your work-abilities, but your hobbies and interests speak to your in-person qualities. Every job or work doesn't run only on your technical abilities, but also on your behavioral traits and your life habits.

Despite the theories that say hobbies and interests reduce the interest of the employer, why do we say that hobbies can enhance your resume? Go through the following lines.

• Gains the trust of the employer. For instance, if you are applying for a creative job like designing or photography, then your drawing or designing hobby will imprint a thought in the employer's mind that you are suitable for this role.

• Reveals your in-person habits. If your hobby personally matches the employer's interests or habits, you will be able to make a friendly relationship with the employer.

• Showcase your interpersonal skills. Let's say you mentioned "playing chess" as one of your hobbies, then it will demonstrate your strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and decision-making skills. These are demanded by many jobs in various sectors.

• Builds a rapport with the interviewers. Through shared interests, you can facilitate the conversation with the interviewers and keep them engaged in the discussion. This makes the interviewer comfortable and prefer you over others for the job.

• Compensates for fewer years of experience. If you are a fresher or have only a few years of experience in the industry, there will be limited factors on which the recruiter can assess such candidates. Hobbies and interests will help them get a clearer understanding of the candidate's interests and living standards.

When to Include Hobbies and Interests

CareerBuilder's survey in 2017 revealed that 37% of employers are more likely to call candidates with unique hobbies for an interview because it gives them something interesting to discuss.

Listing hobbies complements the resume, but only when they are listed when relevant. Include habits on your resume if you fall under any of the following categories:

Beginners or Candidates with Limited Experience

If you are a beginner or someone who has just entered the corporate world, then including hobbies and interests on your resume is beneficial since there are not many strong factors that the recruiter can rely upon.

When Applying for Roles that Emphasize Company Culture

Including hobbies that stress the company's culture is recommended because it shows that you are adaptable to the company's environment.

• Let’s say you are applying for a position at Intel. Then listing your “participating in hackathons and exploring advancements in semiconductor technology” hobby is catchy because these are the attributes that prove your suitability.

• Let’s say you are applying for a role at Square, a financial company. Then listing your “running a small business” hobby or “interested in startup incubation” can build a step higher.

When There is a Space Left Out in Your Resume

If you still find a space left out on your resume after listing all the essentials, then you can think about listing your hobbies and interests.

What's the Difference Between Hobbies and Interests?

So, the title says hobbies and interests are not the same thing. Yes, they are not the same, though sometimes used in place of one another.

Defining Hobbies vs Interests

Hobbies are the work or activities that you do in your free time.

You do hobbies regularly and for no financial gain. Hobbies are habits that are performed for relaxation or personal satisfaction.

There can be a variety of hobbies, creative ones like designing and drawing, intellectual ones like coding and reading, and sports like basketball, volleyball, etc.

Interests are the ones that you are curious to learn or do, or those that mesmerize you.

You may or may not engage in these interests as regularly as you do in hobbies. But if you are very eager to know about something, or to perform something, then you can term it as an interest.

For example, your interests can be technology, space exploration, or similar things.

Examples of How Hobbies and Interests Differ

• Hobby: Playing the guitar
  Interest: Music theory

• Hobby: Cooking
  Interest: Watching cooking shows and reading cookbooks

• Hobby: Playing football
  Interest: Following popular football tournaments and players

• Hobby: Gardening
  Interest: Plant life and botany

When to Exclude Hobbies and Interests from a Resume

So far, you only know when to include hobbies and interests. Let's understand when you must exclude hobbies and interests from a resume.

• Must not include when you don't have relevant and not-so-unique hobbies.

• It is better to avoid listing hobbies and interests when the resume has only limited space. Prioritize skills and experience sections.

• If you are a senior employee. It is not necessary or needed for a senior employee in any industry to highlight their hobbies since they already have lots of experience that the employer can count on.

• No controversial or generic hobbies included. Controversial ones like political activities and religious beliefs, and weak hobbies like playing games and watching TV, do not complement your dedication.

Hobbies to Avoid on Resumes

Avoiding certain hobbies is advantageous because they either spark a debate or lower your chances of selection. Some of them are given below:

• Hobbies that violate ethical behavior (Animal violence, gambling.)

• Hobbies that bring up discrimination (participating in hate speech groups.

• Hobbies that are controversial (religious beliefs, political activities, hunting)

• Hobbies that are less useful and appreciated (collecting stamps, online gaming)

• Time-consuming hobbies that might indicate a lack of commitment (binge-watching, excessive time on social media.

Interests to Avoid on Resumes

Not only hobbies but also the interests that you outline are important. It is advantageous to have insights on what kind of interests to avoid on resumes.

The following are a few interests to avoid on Resumes:

• Interests that seem unprofessional. (unrelated collections like comics, novels, etc)

• Interests that spark controversies. (promotion of religious activities while discriminating against others)

• Overly common interests to everyone (Exercising, TV shows)

• Interests that tend to expose your details (personal conflicts, health information)

• Anti-social interests (animal violence)

Best Types of Hobbies and Interests for Different Roles

Depending on your role, you can choose the best hobbies and interests for your resume. Ensure you have that specific hobby too!

Hobbies That Showcase Soft Skills

Teamwork

Hobbies that highlight your teamwork abilities. Some examples of such hobbies are sports like football and basketball, or group projects that you have done.

Playing these sports or being involved in group projects will push you to work together with others for success. This develops teamwork ability within you.

Leadership

Hobbies like volunteering, leading a club, or mentoring and tutoring can demonstrate your leadership abilities, which are one of the most sought-after soft skills for any role. You can include interests like organizing camps and leading clubs.

Communication

Hobbies such as blogging, podcasting, and public speaking showcase how effortlessly and diplomatically you can tackle a situation and also how respectfully you interact with others. You can include interests like meeting new people and making professional contacts.

Hobbies That Showcase Hard Skills

Technical

Technical hobbies play a crucial role in strengthening your competency.

Examples are coding, software development, etc. These hobbies directly align with the IT job demands and hence raise your chances of selection. Your interests should be highlighted as competitive programming, developing algorithms, or similar ones.

Creative

Creative hobbies like photography, design, and digital illustration showcase your creativity and innovation.

These hobbies are extremely catching for roles like graphic designer, photographer, and editor. Your interests can be painting and their achievements, interior design, etc.

Analytical

Analytical skills emphasize problem-solving and decision-making. Critical thinking is very crucial irrespective of the sector because many companies and organizations work on solving existing problems in the world.

Some hobbies that demonstrate your analytical skills are playing chess, solving puzzles, and stock trading.

Industry-Specific Interests

When we say including interests can be beneficial, we mean that listing the interests that are related to your industry is beneficial. To gain a deeper understanding, look at the examples of industries and their specific interests below.

Marketing

Interests that you can include if you are seeking a job in the marketing industry are:

• Storytelling

• Digital marketing trends

• Content creation

• Blogging

• Social media management

IT

• Programming

• Hackathons

• Conferences (tech-meetups)

• App development

• Website making

Finance

• Cryptocurrency

• Stock market analysis

• Blockchain technology

• Investing

• Budgeting

Best Examples of Hobbies and Interests to Put on Your Resume

Depending on the job you are applying for, you can mention a wide variety of hobbies and interests on your resume if they are relevant and follow any of the conditions from the When to Include Hobbies and Interests section, or if you feel that listing them helps you.

Creative and Artistic Hobbies

• Painting

• Graphic design

• Crafting

• Sketching

• Photography

• Music Composition

• Creative writing

• DIY making, and origami

• Dancing

• Video shooting

• Acting

• Fashion design

• Interior design

• Sculpting

Tech and Gaming Interests

• Robotics

• App development

• Website making

• Game development

• Cybersecurity

• AR gaming

• Programming

• Artificial Intelligence

• Machine learning

• 3D printing

• Video gaming

• Automation

• Tech blogging

• Virtual Reality

• Cryptocurrency

Sports and Outdoor Activities

• Team sports (volleyball, basketball, football)

• Hiking

• Tennis

• Swimming

• Running

• Martial arts (karate, judo)

• Golf

• Fishing

• Trekking

• Scuba diving

• Yoga

• Cycling

• Surfing

• Camping

• Skiing

Cultural and Social Interests

• Learning languages

• Visiting museums

• Art exhibitions

• Literature

• Event planning

• Public speaking

• Networking (meet-ups)

• Charity work

• Traveling

• Culinary interests

• Cultural festivals

• Research on the traditions of various places

• Volunteering

• Music from various cultures

• Cultural dances

Volunteer Work and Social Causes

• Community services

• Charity work

• Animal welfare

• Elderly care and support

• Orphanage support

• Mental health care

• Disaster funds

• Education access

• Economic empowerment

• Human rights

• Refugee support

• Nature protection activities

• Environmental conservation

• Teaching

• Mentoring

Intellectual and Educational Hobbies

• Reading

• Online courses

• Projects

• Study groups

• Academic clubs

• Mathematical solving

• Book club memberships

• History research

• Exploring and discovering facts

• Lectures, webinars, and workshops

• Scientific experiments

• Podcasts on educational topics

• Developing modern tools

• Educational debates and public gatherings

Organizational and Problem-Solving Activities

• Task management

• Event planning

• Time management

• Participating in hackathons

• Software troubleshooting

• Organizing gatherings and conferences

• Inventory management

• Working on algorithms

• Bullet journaling

• Organizing charity fundraisers

• Coding

• Escape room challenges

How to List Hobbies and Interests on Your Resume

As always said, doing something brings you nothing if it is not done in the right way. So when listing hobbies and interests also, you should do it in the right way.

Keep the Section Short and Relevant

Anything in excess is just a failure. So when listing the hobbies, ensure the number doesn't cross beyond 4-5.

Align Interests with the Job Description

Firstly, understand the job demands thoroughly by reading the job description. Then check if the specific hobby or interest that you are thinking of listing is aligned with the job description or not. If yes, list the hobby or interest. If not, avoid listing that hobby or interest.

Also, learn about the company's culture, history, and atmosphere, and then list the hobbies as per its culture. 82% of hiring managers believe that cultural fit is an essential factor in hiring decisions. Hobbies that align with the company culture can make a candidate more attractive.

Add Hobbies and Interests in a Separate Section

At the end of the resume, allot a separate section that can accommodate 5-6 lines easily. Use this section to list your hobbies and interests. Keep it brief and short. Do not place this dedicated section above all others in the resume, ordo not place it in the middle. Their place at the end of the resume, following the skills and experience sections, will do right.

An example of a dedicated hobbies and interests section might look like this:

Hobbies and interests

• Participating in hackathons

• Passionate about designing web pages

• Active and regular player of chess

• Highly curious to implement algorithms

How Hobbies and Interests Relate to Soft and Hard Skills

That being said, after all, there arises a question. If listing hobbies has so many benefits, then why do we showcase skills separately? The answer is that hobbies and interests indirectly reflect your skills and competencies. These are just complementing your skills section so that the employer can trust you in whatever way he comes in.

Examples of Hobbies That Showcase Transferable Skills

Transferable skills are those that are required everywhere, irrespective of what job you are doing. These are not job-specific. Through hobbies and interests, you can showcase these transferable skills. Let us look at how:

Hobby: Basketball

Playing basketball requires teamwork because it is not a single-person game. It requires keen attention and cooperation between team members, and if you are the captai,n needs leadership abilities.

When you mention basketball as your hobby, it informs the recruiter that you have teamwork and leadership abilities because those will be used in the game.

Hobby: Blogging

Blogging requires the ability to convey the idea properly through writing, so it shows communication skills, and also it needs a unique writing style, and hence it shows the creativity of the blogger.

When you mention blogging as your hobby or interest, it tells the recruiter that you have good communication and creativity skills.

Customize Your Interests Based on the Job

Let us say the following are your interests, basically, without the need for any job.

• Traveling

• Drawing

• Playing video games

• Space exploration

• Designing

• Solving sudoku

• Web development

Now imagine you are applying for an IT role in a software company. What all interests and hobbies do you think you can mention?

Out of the given, only the following ones help you perform the role successfully;

• Designing: It is useful for designing websites and outlining them for better visuals.

• Solving sudoku: This hobby highlights your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

• Web development: One of the most sought-after skills in the IT industry.

So you have to customize your skills such that they align with your job.

How to Optimize the Hobbies and Interests Section for ATS

Since the resume has to be passed through the ATS first, we have to optimize our resume for the same. Even the slightest negligence can impact because it is a mechanical process and not a human process.

Use Keywords from the Job Description

The famous optimization technique is "using keywords". Simply crafting a resume with your own words is taking you nowhere. To pass through ATS, you should be able to meet some criteria.

When your resume is fed to the ATS, the machine will search for some keywords that are already instructed to the ATS by employers. What keywords are these? In the job description, there will be some relevant keywords that describe the job.

These keywords should be highlighted often in the resume. When these keywords are found, the ATS will promote your resume, and your resume will stand out. Tailor your hobbies and interests to the job description.

For example, have a glance at the job description below:

At [Company name], we believe diverse perspectives lead to innovation. As a Product Manager, we're looking for someone who is passionate about developing products that make a difference. We value creativity, leadership, and the ability to think differently. Tell us how your personal insights and experiences contribute to your problem-solving approach and leadership style.

Hobbies and interests that you can include for the above job description may look as follows;

• Strategic puzzle solving

• Active participation in hackathons

• Engagement in tech conferences (national and international)

• Implementing DIY projects

• Enthusiastically involved in organizing seminars and workshops

Be Concise but Descriptive

Always be straight to the point. Providing irrelevant information makes anything boring, and also the employer might lose interest in going through your resume. You have to be concise but descriptive. This means you have to convey the exact information without any unnecessary information.

For example,

If you have to demonstrate your interest in chess, then listing it as "playing chess" is good enough rather than listing it as "playing chess and collecting antique chess pieces, including chess clocks and rare chess sets.. The statement provides information that is not very much needed; only "playing chess" will notify you of transferable skills that the employer is looking for.