Are you an avid reader? Do you like traveling? Are you fond of animals? These can all be incorporated as hobbies in a resume. Your resume is one of the first things that a potential employer will see, so it’s important that you make sure that it’s interesting and engaging.
Hence it is necessary to spend some time thinking about the kind of person you want to present yourself to recruiters or hiring managers. Focus on hobbies that are specific and worth mentioning for the job you are applying for. Read on to know more about what hobbies should be mentioned in a resume and how.
Why is it Important to Include Hobbies on a Resume?
Hobbies show your personality. A hobby shows that you are a well-rounded person, and it helps to convey this to employers. If they see that you have interests outside of work, they will also see that you are more than just what you have conveyed in a normal introduction. This can make you seem more likable than other candidates.
Remember that hobbies are essential elements that can help you stand out from the crowd. They can also be a way of showing off what you have done outside of work and have the ability to add life to your monotonous resume, whether you write it on your own or generate it with the help of a resume builder like EZResume.
Read More:How to Make a Resume for a Job
Best Hobbies to Add to a Resume
Explaining what you have done with your hobby, like how you have met new people, how you have shared your passion with others, how you have made new friends, and so on. If you have made your hobby look more interesting, the recruiter will be more inclined to hire you. Hobbies that can help boost your chances of getting hired are:
Writing
Writing is a great skill to have, and it can be a fun hobby. If you have experience in writing (whether it’s for school or otherwise), consider including some of your work on your resume. It’s important to note that this isn’t just about writing articles or blog posts—you could also include short stories, poems, or even handwritten letters!
Also, read about Top 10 Key Skills You Should Include on Your Resume
Blogging
As a fresher, you might be wondering how blogging can help you. Blogging is a great way to build your resume and portfolio and can also help you get experience in other areas like marketing or writing.
Bloggers have great connections with influencers who are looking for content creators with specific skill sets. If you’re looking for an opportunity to network with or work with these people, blogging could be the perfect addition to your hobby list!
Learning languages
Learning another language is a wonderful way to show off your skills. Learning a new language will help you to meet people from different cultures and make friends with them, which can be very useful when you want to find a job in a different country later on.
Mentioning this on a resume may indicate that you have a good grasping power when it comes to languages and communication.
Photography
Photography is a great hobby to include on your resume. It’s a skill that can be used in many different fields, and it shows creativity and the ability to think outside the box.
It is also a terrific way to put a spotlight on what you like doing outside of work. So, if you have photography as part of your life outside of school, then this may be something worth mentioning in your resume.
Volunteering
Volunteering is a great way to demonstrate your skills and interests. It can also help you build your resume by putting experience on display, as well as making new contacts in the industry. The best part about volunteering is that it’s an engaging activity that will get people talking about you!
Travel
Traveling is a great way to learn about other cultures, explore your own culture, and learn about yourself. This can be done by traveling alone or with friends.
When listing hobbies on your resume for freshers (or anyone else), make sure to include an example of where skills you have acquired while traveling show themselves through actions rather than just words.
Sports
Sports are a great way to show off your personality and leadership skills, as well as your skills. If you are into sports, include it on your resume!
If you are not sure what kind of sport to include on your resume, think about getting into the regular ones like cricket, ball games, etc. If none of the regular ones sound like something that would work for how busy or uninterested in sports you are, don’t worry about including them; just pick something else instead.
Yoga
Yoga is a great way to relax and stay fit. Yoga helps with flexibility, strength, and balance. Yoga also has been shown to decrease stress levels which will make you more confident during interviews!
Being stress-free might earn you some brownie points from the recruiters. So, never overlook or underestimate yoga as a hobby to be worth mentioning on a resume.
Dance
If you’re interested in dancing, here are some things that should be included on your student/ fresher resume: What kind of dance do you like? Are you proficient at it? Do not include any specific types unless they are relevant to what job opportunities exist at the company where you want to work or on the job portal you are currently registered on. If there are no jobs available in this field, then just leave it out altogether!
Art
Art is a great way to express yourself. It can be about painting or sculpting, but it can also be about photography, video production, and graphic design. These are just some of the many forms of creative expression that art students use in their coursework or on an individual basis.
Art helps you learn new skills as well as relax and have fun! So, it would do you no disadvantage to adding art as a hobby on your resume.
Reading
Reading is an excellent way to learn new things and understand the world around you. You can mention on your resume that you read anything that interests you, whether it’s fiction or non-fiction. Reading helps you understand other people’s perspectives and how they think about things in their own lives. It also helps with your personal development by giving insight into how others think and feel when faced with similar situations as yourself. So, it would accelerate the process of you getting a job.
Listening to music
Listening to music is a great way to relax and unwind. It can also help you learn new languages and improve your skills, as well as make you feel better about yourself.
If you’re applying for jobs in the music industry, it’s important that you mention any musical experience or training that could be relevant to the position.
For example: “I was part of a choir for several years.” Or “I’m currently learning how to play the guitar.”
Hobbies in Resume for Experienced
If you have more than 5 years of experience, it is a good idea to include hobbies you have cultivated over the span of that time to de-stress. This is because you have probably seen a lot of things and therefore might have a wider knowledge about things not related to work. It is also a good way to connect with the recruiter, making them believe that you are a more interesting person than just your work experience. Here are some examples of hobbies that can be mentioned in a resume for experienced people:
Backpacking: This can help you showcase your interest in different cultures and places. You can also use this to highlight your ability to make travel arrangements, like booking flights and hotels or finding cheap vacation options.
Research: Research is one of the most underrated hobbies. You might not consider it as a hobby, but it can actually be very useful to your profession. It can help you gain knowledge related to your work.
Gardening: Whether you are just a beginner or a pro, gardening is a great hobby to include on your resume if you have more than 5 years of experience. You can also highlight your ability to make your home environment more beautiful with gardening.
How to Include Hobbies on a Resume
Here are some tips to follow when including hobbies on your resume:
- Include hobbies that are relevant to the job.
- Show your passion for something. If you enjoy fishing or hiking, mention it in your resume so an employer can see how much you love working outdoors, which will make them more likely to give you a job!
- Show flexibility and adaptability by listing past jobs as well as volunteer experiences on your resume (if applicable). Not only does this show employers that you’re willing to take on different responsibilities, but it also shows them how well-equipped their team would be if they hired someone new.
- Make sure your hobby is something that you are truly interested in. If you are not really doing it, then it will be hard for you to make your hobby look better.
- If you want to include your hobbies in the resume format, the best option is to mention them in a skills section.
- Find clubs and organizations related to your hobbies and join them. Participate in as many activities related to your hobbies as possible. Keep track of the achievements you make in your hobbies and add them to your resume. Add details about your experience while participating in your hobbies.
Here are some Top 10 Things Recruiters Look for in a Resume
In contrast to the other sections of your resume, hobbies might reveal a different side of your personality. They demonstrate that you have a life outside of work and that you have abilities in addition to those you utilize for your job. But relating them to the job you are applying for is also important.
To make them more apt and worth mentioning, put them on a resume template that comes off as attractive to the recruiter. To get such templates and make a resume in mere minutes, visit EZResume.