Deciding whether to add a section for personal interests on a resume is a common challenge for job seekers. It’s a question that lacks a straightforward answer, as the impact can vary significantly. For some, it’s a waste of valuable space, while for others, it can be the detail that sets them apart.
The Case for Including Personal Interests
Adding a curated list of personal interests can offer a glimpse into your personality beyond a series of job titles and qualifications. It helps to humanize your application, making you more memorable to a hiring manager who may be reviewing hundreds of similar resumes. This small section provides a potential point of connection, especially if you share a hobby with the interviewer, which can build rapport and make the interview feel more like a natural conversation.
Beyond creating a personal connection, specific hobbies can effectively demonstrate valuable soft skills. These activities provide tangible, albeit indirect, evidence of the traits that employers often seek but can be difficult to quantify through work experience alone. This section can also show that you are a well-rounded individual with passions outside of your professional life. A person with diverse interests may be seen as more adaptable, creative, and intellectually curious.
The Risks of Listing Hobbies
Despite the potential benefits, listing personal interests is not without its risks. The most significant concern is the introduction of unconscious bias. A hiring manager might make assumptions based on a hobby’s perceived connection to your age, socioeconomic status, or political leanings. For example, mentioning an expensive hobby like polo or sailing could create a perception of privilege, while an interest in online gaming might be misinterpreted depending on the reviewer’s personal views.
Another risk is that including irrelevant hobbies can appear unprofessional or juvenile. The primary purpose of a resume is to market your professional skills and experience. Listing generic or passive interests can dilute the impact of your qualifications and make it seem like you are trying to fill space. Every line on your resume should ideally strengthen your candidacy, and a poorly chosen hobby can detract from that goal.
Resume space is a finite and valuable resource. Every square inch dedicated to hobbies is space that could have been used to elaborate on a project, list another technical skill, or provide more detail on a professional accomplishment. For candidates with extensive work history, sacrificing this space for personal activities is often an unnecessary gamble. The information might simply be seen as distracting clutter by a busy hiring manager focused on finding specific qualifications.
When It Makes Sense to Add Interests
There are specific situations where adding a personal interests section can be a strategic move. For recent graduates or individuals with limited professional experience, hobbies can be used to fill out a resume and provide a more complete picture of who they are. When work history is sparse, interests that demonstrate soft skills, dedication, or a proactive attitude can help compensate for the lack of on-the-job examples.
The relevance of a hobby to the specific job or industry is another consideration. If you are applying for a position at an outdoor gear company, listing hiking, rock climbing, or kayaking as interests directly aligns with the company’s mission and culture. Similarly, mentioning that you contribute to open-source coding projects is highly relevant for a software development role, as it shows passion and initiative beyond formal employment.
Adding interests can also be a tactical decision to address resume formatting. If you are left with a small, awkward amount of white space at the bottom of the page, a brief, well-chosen line of interests can provide a clean and polished finish to the document. This can make the resume appear more complete and thoughtfully designed.
Finally, consider the culture of the company to which you are applying. Startups and companies known for a vibrant, close-knit work environment may be more receptive to learning about a candidate’s personality. If a company emphasizes a “work hard, play hard” mentality, showing your personal side can indicate a good cultural fit.
What to Include and What to Avoid
Choosing the right interests is a process of strategic selection. The goal is to present hobbies that align with the job or suggest positive character traits. The wrong choice can send an unintended message.
Interests That Can Help Your Candidacy
Focus on interests that reflect positive attributes. Volunteering for a charity demonstrates empathy and social responsibility. Endurance sports like running marathons or cycling signal discipline and perseverance. Participating in team sports like soccer or basketball can highlight your collaborative spirit.
Creative pursuits can also be beneficial. Playing a musical instrument suggests dedication and creativity. Maintaining a professional blog showcases writing skills and passion for your field. For those in tech, side projects like developing an app can underscore technical abilities and continuous learning.
Interests to Leave Off Your Resume
Certain categories of interests are best excluded from a professional document. Avoid hobbies tied to controversial topics like political or religious affiliations, unless applying to a relevant organization. These subjects can be divisive and may introduce biases that have nothing to do with your qualifications for the role.
Generic and passive activities should also be left off. Phrases like “reading,” “watching movies,” or “listening to music” are too common to be memorable and do not convey any meaningful skills. Also, be cautious about listing interests that could be misinterpreted as solitary or anti-social, which might not align with roles that require significant teamwork. Be truthful; never invent a hobby, as it can be exposed during an interview.
How to Add Interests to Your Resume
If you decide that including personal interests will benefit your application, the execution should be simple and professional. This section should always be placed at the very end of your resume, after your professional experience, skills, and education. It serves as a final, minor note rather than a central feature of your application.
For the title, choose something clear and straightforward. Common options include “Personal Interests,” “Hobbies & Interests,” or simply “Activities.” The goal is clarity, so avoid overly creative or informal titles that might confuse the reader or come across as unprofessional.
The format should be concise. The most effective approach is to list a few select interests in a single line, separated by commas. For example: “Interests: Marathon Running, Volunteer Tutoring, Chess, and Digital Photography.” This method is clean, takes up minimal space, and is easily scannable.