When looking at a resume, recruiters really like to see a bit of personality. Qualifications and experience are very useful for gauging a candidate’s potential, but it’s also good to know what you will be like to work with. Someone with no hobbies at all comes across as very boring, whereas a great selection of hobbies makes you seem more attractive. Here are 5 tips for getting those hobbies into your resume.

Jessica Gust

1. Make them relevant

Make sure that your hobbies demonstrate something useful to your career. For example, if you are a graphic designer, you could mention that you have taken up photography as a hobby. This shows that you have a creative eye and you know how to work with photographic images. If you are heading in to what you know is a largely male office environment, a hobby like football could be a great way to show you will fit in well at the office.

2. Don’t lie

However tempted you may be to make up an interesting hobby for the sake of your resume, don’t. It’s fine to take up something new, but don’t pretend you do something if you don’t. This can land you in really hot water. Imagine if you share a hobby with your interviewer and they start chatting about it, but you don’t know enough to keep up!

3. Keep the details brief

While it’s good to share what your hobbies are, you don’t need to go into great detail. Mention that you enjoy watching foreign cinema, for example, rather than stating a list of your favourite auteurs and the different independent cinemas that you have been to recently. If your interviewer is interested in finding out more, they will be sure to ask you.

4. Be ready to answer

If you do put something down on your resume, be prepared to answer questions about it. Thinking about this beforehand is really important to make sure that your answers are intelligent and relevant. For example, you should know how long you have been practicing a hobby for, in a rough figure of years. It may not leave a good impression if you leave a big gap while you work out the right answers.

5. Have a dedicated section

Don’t try to lump your hobbies in with another part of your resume, but instead put in a dedicated sub-heading for them. You can simply title it ‘Hobbies’ – nothing fancy is required – and then list your hobbies in bullet points. You could also format them as a written paragraph if you want to, but do remember to keep it brief. A longer paragraph may be skipped over if it does not seem concise and relevant.

Your hobbies could be important for checking that you are the right fit for a company and a job, so don’t ignore them. Your achievements and knowledge here are also valuable! Just be sure to follow these tips to include them in the right way.

Jessica Gust is a marketing assistant at Localpeek.co.uk– a new postcode finder. She is passionate about new marketing strategies, she is always eager to share her ideas through blogging.