Examples Of Good Interests For A Cv
These interests enhance your CV because they inform the employer that you possess excellent interpersonal, organisational and communication skills which enables you to undertake these activities. It also confirms that you are motivated and determined about the things you are passionate about.
How To List Hobbies And Interests On A Resume
While hobbies and interests can add to your resume and highlight important skills, you want to make sure you highlight your education and work experience first. Here are other key details to keep in mind about how to list hobbies and interests on a resume:
- Wait until the final section. Include your hobbies and interests at the very end of your resume.
- Keep it short and descriptive. Ideally, your resume should be one page in length. While you might be tempted to simply list your hobbies and interests to save space, a brief and descriptive statement after each one is more effective.
- Frame your interests creatively. If you are creative, you can list your hobbies in a way that makes direct application to the job you are applying for. Focus your descriptions on the professional skills you use while practicing your hobby or that you have gained while following your interests.
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How To Match Your Resume Skills To The Job Description
Many companies use an applicant tracking system , which acts as an electronic filter, to collect, scan, sort and rank resumes to narrow applicant pools to the most qualified candidates. Thats why you need to customize your resume and cover letter using keywords and phrases that match the job listing .
If an employer is looking for a graphic designer with mastery in Adobe Creative Suite, for example, you wouldnt just claim experience with software for creative professionals. List the software by name, give your expertise level, and if you have it highlight your Adobe Certified Expert certification. Likewise, if an employer is searching for an accountant with experience processing daily invoices and credit, then use similar language in your resume. Simply listing gathering receipts as a duty wont likely score well with an ATS.
Repeat common words and phrases from other postings of the same role, too. But remember, every job description is different. Tailor the keywords and skills on your resume and in your cover letter for each position.
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Add A Highlights Section
Modern resumes are built to be value-oriented, which requires providing information that is more achievement-based as opposed to task-based. If youve had multiple roles with varying achievements, select the top four you are most proud of and incorporate them into a Career Highlights section.
Try to avoid adding more than four as this section is meant to be the highlights of your achievements, and you dont want to create sections with long lists of bullets, creating a very boring way to read content.
When To Include Hobbies And Interests On A Resume
At one time, the general consensus was that including hobbies and interests on a resume was unimportant. However, today many companies are looking for employees who can fit in with the company culture, and having a good idea of hobbies and interests is one way to do this. If you are going to include hobbies and interests on your resume, you want to make sure they make you a more attractive job candidate.
Consider our previous example of baseball. If you are applying for a job with the local baseball team, you obviously want to list this as a personal interest. However, that is not the only time you should consider listing the sport as a hobby and interest in your resume.
If you are applying for a job that has a collaborative work environment, pointing out that you have played on a baseball team for years demonstrates that you have experience with teamwork, know the game and could be seen as an asset by hiring managers.
Other times you should consider listing hobbies and interests on your resume include:
- When the job posting aligns with your hobbies and interests
- When you have limited education or work experience
- When the employer is looking for unique candidates
- When the employer asks for a list of hobbies and interests
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Should You Put Hobbies And Interests On A Resume
In interviews, the hiring manager asks themself: would I ever want to be stuck sitting on a flight next to this candidate?
This is called the airline test.
You havent gotten that far in the employment process yet, but an interests and hobbies resume section starts building the picture for them.
A two-year study of hiring managers on cultural matching had some surprising findings:
Employers sought candidates who were not only competent but also culturally similar to themselves in terms of leisure pursuits, experiences, and self-presentation styles. Concerns about shared culture were highly salient to employers and often outweighed concerns about absolute productivity.
So, adding a hobbies and interests section might be just the ticket.
Youve got to carefully choose which to include.
There are a lot of resume golden rules out there, but theres one that trumps them all
Everything on your resume should increase your value as a candidate.
Which ones add value for me?
This is where a targeted resume is crucial.
You wouldnt list irrelevant skills for a job . So, dont put irrelevant hobbies, interests, or passions on your resume either.
Read the job ad to determine whats relevant.
Expert Hint: Although hobbies and interests are two different things, dont make a separate part of a resume for each. Save the space for more important info, e.g. your skills or achievements on a resume.
What Are The Best Skills To Put On A Resume
Its no secret that many hiring managers spend only a short amount of time looking at a resume before deciding whether to pass on a job candidate or add them to the shortlist. What you may not know is, employers today are looking for both hard and soft skills on your resume. Read any job posting, for example, and you might see the following requests:
- Computer skills
- Collaboration talent
- Problem-solving abilities
These skills and attributes, and others we discuss in this post, are essential for todays workplace. Hard skills are the technical skills required to accomplish the tasks and responsibilities associated with the job. Theyre acquired through practice, education and training. Theyre measurable and easy to advertise: You either have the desired technical skills and experience, or you dont. Your work history and certifications will speak to them.
Soft skills, or interpersonal skills, reflect ones personality and personal attributes. They can relate to an ability to fit into a companys work culture, handle stress, communicate clearly or play well with others, for example. They may be soft, but theyre important skills for a resume: When job candidates possess comparable experience levels and technical skills, soft skills can tip the balance.
See later sections for tips on how to showcase soft and hard skills on your resume. But lets talk first about which skills employers are looking for.
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Different Companies Means Different Hobbies On Resume
The classification presented in the sections above will help you pick hobbies and personal interests on resume. But sometimes, a company’s setting and work environment will matter the most.
Example: A company that has a sports team that excels in tennis is likely to recruit you if you play tennis. This is because it will help the company maintain its image in the social and industrial setting.
However, it is highly unlikely that these personal interests on resume will be given preference over required technical skills.
Skills Mentioned In The Job Description
The skills that employers value most are the ones mentioned in their job descriptions, so include them in your resume but don’t copy the language verbatim.
For example, if a job listing says that the role involves working almost exclusively in teams, tailor your resume so that it mentions more of your work in group settings, as opposed to your individual work.
If the description places a large emphasis on certain certifications that you have, bring them to the top of your resume or bold them so that they’re front and center.
This tip may sound obvious, but it points to an important piece of advice that I often give: Nine times out of 10, it’s better to market yourself as the perfect candidate for the job, rather than the candidate who can do it all.
Peter Yang is a career expert and the CEO of Resume Writing Services, the parent company of ResumeGo. Before that, he worked as a resume writer, hiring manager and recruiter. Follow him on Twitter .
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When To Include Hobbies And Interests On Your Resume
Before adding hobbies and interests to your resume, consider what youre trying to communicate to potential employers with this information. Hobbies you include gives employers an idea about how you spend your time and what additional skills you may have. Interests, on the other hand, may indicate topics youre currently exploring or would like to explore and that might make you a good match for the company.
There are several situations in which including hobbies and interests add little value to your resume. If youre applying to a job where you have considerable professional experience and skills, for example, an employer would find these qualifications more helpful than your hobbies and interests.
You should consider putting hobbies and interests on your resume when:
- You have limited work and educational experience
- You have limited skills related to the job to which youre applying
- The employer values uniqueness and personality among applicants
- The employer asks for additional hobbies or interests from applicants
- The job posting lists responsibilities or duties that align with your hobbies and interests
Before writing a section for hobbies and interests, research the company receiving your resume. You may find that the employer values employee hobbies and interests outside of work. Alternatively, you may find the employer has a work culture where hobbies and interests are less emphasized.
Should I Add Hobbies And Interests To My Cv
Yes, adding personal hobbies to your CV can strengthen your job application and increase the chances of securing a job interview. This is because recruiters invest in people they hire and work with human beings, not robots. Recruiters actively look for every clue in the candidates CVs to find out about their interests, skills and competencies.
The benefits of including your personal interests on your CV:
- It will give the recruiter a fuller and more complete picture of you
- Extracurricular interests tell the employer that you are an all-rounded person who, besides just working, also enjoys having a good time
- They form a great basis for discussion at the interview stage
- Sporting activities indicate that you are fit, healthy and outgoing
- Involvement in the community suggests good interpersonal skills
A. Candidates who should write their interests on your CVs
- School leavers
- Candidates with little or no work experience
- Candidates who have blank space in their CVs
Remember that your CV is your personal marketing tool, and you should make the most out of using the totality of your CV, including the interests section, to sell yourself to the prospective employer.
B. Candidates who shouldnt write their interests on your CVs
- Senior professionals including managers and executives
- Candidates with a lot of work experience
- Candidates whose CVs are overflowing to more than 2 A4 pages
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Why Write About Interests
While your resume gives a hiring manager information about your skills, experience and education, adding interests to your resume shows who you are as a person. Hiring managers not only want to know your qualifications but also how you would fit in with the company’s culture. You can show a hiring manager your adaptability to their organization’s culture with your interests. By adding your interests to a resume, you are adding your personality and will be more likely to stand out in a pile of resumes that may otherwise be similar.
When To Include A List Of Interests And Hobbies
This brings us to one more important question: When is it appropriate to include a list of interests and hobbies?
Since no two job openings are exactly the same, it wont always be necessary to include this information. Here are some examples of instances when you should consider adding interests and hobbies to your resume:
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When you have little background experience in the industry, department, or role that youre applying to.
-
When youre just getting started in the job market and you therefore have little to no professional experience at all.
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When the job description explicitly requests that job applicants include a list of their interests or hobbies in their job applications.
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When the requirements and responsibilities of a given job description align well with your own personal interests and hobbies.
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When an employer mentions in a job posting that theyre interested in learning about applicants personalities .
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Look For Target Keywords
If youre still not sure if any of these skills are right for your situation, one quick way to check which skills the employer is seeking is to check the job description.
Read through it a few times and youll likely spot three or four key skills mentioned several times throughout the document. If thats the case, you should do your best to focus on those skills in your resume, too.
Tips To Remember When Including A Hobby & Interests List
Be honest
While it is essential to have an impressive resume, lying about your skills and interests could give your employer the wrong impression.
You may be asked to perform tasks you do not understand based on everything you listed as a hobby.
Avoid embarrassing yourself, or become untrustworthy by not lying on your resume.
Pick hobbies that have relevant skills
It is possible to enjoy doing over ten things, but not have them on your resume. Your hobbies and interests should demonstrate skills that are essential in your job.
For example, an IT expert should include tech hobbies, rather than showcasing how good of a cook they are!
Avoid political and religious inclinations
Remember that your employer may not agree with your political and religious beliefs. Your hobbies should be free from any political or religious bias that could irk, or insult your potential employer.
Provide details
Instead of saying that you simply enjoy traveling, give a summary of some of the places you have traveled to.
If you enjoy blogging, mention some of the topics you enjoy writing about, any websites you may have and awards you may have received during your writing journey.
Keep the List Short but adequate
Remember that the Hobbies and Interests section is an addition.
Do not make it the main subject of your resume, and end up boring the employer.
Research the Company to Understand Their Work Culture
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What Skills Should I Put In My Cv
The skills in your CV should include skills from the adverts that interest you.
Look at this example:
“We’re looking for a conscientious self-starter, proficient in Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop, who works well with others and can learn new computer systems easily.”
The key words are:
- proficient in Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop
- teamwork
- willingness to learn.
Show how you used skills
For each skill on your CV, include an example that shows how you used or developed it.
You could write:
I collected and managed money from my schools 40 Hour Famine fundraiser.
Self-starter Ran a coffee kiosk. Managed and counted the till takings, opened and closed kiosk.
Teamwork Worked with the school trustees to make decisions about school issues. I played netball on a school team for four years and was captain in Year 13.
Willingness to learn I updated my Microsoft skills through online courses.
Make your experience stand out
Employers may get many job applications from people who have, for example, ‘good communications skills’ or who are ‘flexible’.
You could write:
Good communication skills Can follow instructions and ask questions when I need to. I’m confident in front of an audience. I was a member of my schools debating team, took part in school drama productions, and won a regional speech competition.
Flexibility I usually work after school, but I’ve taken on later shifts to cover staff shortages.
List technical skills
For example, write:
Should I Put Interest On My Cv
Are hobbies and interests important on a CV? First of all, its all dependent on where youre applying for: corporate or startup. Up to now in the corporate environment, including your interests seemed useless and sometimes even unprofessional. But trends are moving, the personal touch has become more important, therefore corporates are also starting to shift their view on this and see the value behind including interests on your CV.
When you apply to startups, there can be many benefits if you include your hobbies. Such as the points below:
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Create An Interests Section On Your Resume
The best place to list interests on your resume is in a dedicated section title Interests & Hobbies. This way, theyre easy to separate from the work experience on your resume.
List each interest or hobby in a bulleted list, similar to how youd format your resumes skills section. Heres an example of what that looks like:
If you lack work experience, consider making your resume interests section more detailed. For instance, you can include a brief one-line description for each interest that explains what you do or how its relevant to the role. If possible, quantify each point by adding a number, percentage, or time.
These short descriptions are a great way to make up for a lack of professional experience because they showcase some of your achievements even though they were outside an office setting.
Heres an example of a detailed resume interests section: