IS HOBBIES APART OF A RESUME??
I don't know about others, but to me having a "hobbie" entry doesn't look professional, what do you think?
I would say no. To me, it is not important to know a person's hobbies. If it comes up during the interview, that fine, but I don't see where it is needed on a resume.
If your hobby is work related or shows skills related to work then fine. However if the hobby has nothing to do with work and may be dangerous (hang gliding) leave it off. I tell students and graduates to leave off the hobbies and if during the interview it looks like the interviewer has similar interests then bring it up.
Good question, Claudia. We suggest having a section on a resume for "other" or "interests" or hobbies. Some people have very interesting hobbies or volunteer for community organizations. All these demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and the kind of people they are. We believe in including relevant interests and hobbies on resumes. Thanks, Susan
Thought provoking response. Perhaps some hobbies should be omitted. But if the interviewer shares the same hobbies that's definitly a good rapport builder. Thanks, Susan
HI Furman
Good points. What if the topic were titled "Interests" or "Community Involvement?" Would that create a different opinion? Some hobbies or interests could be relevant to the job search and fill out details of the job seeker. And show additional skills, motivation, initiative, and more. Thanks Susan
I feel that this is correct. If it is work related or based around your career it could be put on the resume
HI Brenda, Good points. We find the best resumes are those that clearly describe a person's work responsibilities and accomplishments. Listing anything personal like hobbies might help the interviewer break the ice during the interview. But in terms of getting through the door, hobbies, in our opinion, don't mean a lot. However, if a student has limited experience, including hobbies and community service would be beneficial. Thanks, Susan
I would list Hobbies at the end of the resume. It tells the employer that you have other interests that might benefit the company. If your resume is long I would not list it.
Interesting thought. We would say it depends on the hobbies. You're right that the employer may interpret the hobbies as showing the person has the ability to reach out, share, contribute, etc. Probably just depends on the resume and the hobbies! Thanks, Susan
I always tell my students to leave any "interests" or "hobbies" off of their resume. I feel that this provides an opportunity for the employer to be judgemental.
Hi Mindi, We can argue for hobbies and against. Perhaps it depends on the hobbies or interests. If they show community service that's good. If they distract that's bad. But if the interviewer has the same hobby that can be a pro. So - it depends. Thanks, Susan
Perhaps I'm a contrarian, but I think that listing "Interests" (let's not call them hobbies - that sounds too cute) can be occasionally useful. Think of it this way. You are an employer. You have two candidates of equal merit, but only one spot. Their experience, work history, references and even education all speak to their equal merits. What criteria do you then use? Well, say this potential employer is a baseball fan and among the job-related interests one candidate has is also baseball. An employer might just then give the first interview to that candidate due to that common interest. I use this example because similar situations have played out for many of my students and graduates. The trick, as stated by others on this message board, is to make sure that the interest is fairly innocuous. Therefore, knife-throwing, membership in a particular political party or religion should be omitted, whereas gardening, knitting or jazz music might help.
Good points Jason. We agree that yours is a great example of the benefits of listing interests. And we also agree that one must be careful about the interests listed. We find that anything related to community service and involvement is really helpful. There are many interests that can also be considered work experperience. Lots of volunteer work requires a lot of skills and yield a list of accomplishments. Thanks, Susan
I agree with Jason that when used appropriately, extracurricular "interests" can be beneficial on a resume. Beyond giving the candidate a little edge due to the fact that they share a common interest with the employer, they can allow students to convey values that may be consistent with the firm they are interviewing with.
As an example, many companies have placed a much greater emphasis on environmental sustainability. If a potential candidate were to list their interests in conservation, it could give the hiring firm the impression that the candidate will fit in well interpersonally at the office.
Very well said, John. We also think hobbies are good to add to resumes sometimes. We like to see community service on a resume. Community service is about giving. Also has a lot of networking opportunities. The school career services professional needs to weigh the pros and cons when seeing hobbies on a grads resume. And discuss with the grad. This can continue with discussions about the interview where talking about hobbies might work. Or not. Thanks, Susan
