Home » 14 Best Hobbies and Interests to Put on a Resume | The Complete List

14 Best Hobbies and Interests to Put on a Resume | The Complete List

Your resume should highlight all the strengths that will help you secure your dream job. Apart from your educational qualifications and work experience, one other thing that can help you grab your prospective employer’s attention is to list your hobbies and interests. They have a more profound role than just stating how you like to spend your free time.

Your hobbies and interests reflect who you are as a person, which often has long-term implications on the kind of employee you are going to be. It also showcases your capabilities and hidden strengths, as well as some of your soft skills. Having a “Hobbies and Interests” section on your resume and listing them down is the best approach.

The section does not have to belong, and a couple of them are fine. Here is how you can use them to your best advantage.

Interests v/s Hobbies: What is the Difference?

Interests denote a more comprehensive concept, whereas hobbies are activities that you actively pursue. For example, your interests could be learning and understanding Pop Culture, while your hobbies may include participating in karaoke events of pop music. You can grow your knowledge about a particular aspect when you have some interests, and your hobbies can help you engage in them.

You can include hobbies and interests in your CV when you have limited work experience. Yet, you want to enrich your resume by highlighting aspects like your creativity, time management, and organizational skills.

How to Make Your Interests and Hobbies Relevant to Your Resume?

If you have multiple hobbies and areas of interest, try to speak about those relevant to your resume and the position you are applying for. For example, if you are applying for an accountant position, then listing dance as one of your hobbies will not help. However, if you list solving Sudoku as one of your hobbies, it will show that you are good with numbers, but you have a sharp eye and analytical skills that can be very useful to ensure flawless accounting.

Hence, choosing which hobbies and interests should make your resume is vital to creating the perfect impression. Make sure you relate them to the position you are applying for, for maximum impact. Listing hobbies that you pursue at present or interests that have added to your oeuvre of knowledge that you can use while working will earn you brownie points.

What Form of Interests and Hobbies Should You Avoid from your Resume?

While it is an excellent idea to write about your interests and hobbies, some of them are best avoided from your resume. They can adversely impact your opportunities of landing the job. Hence, it would be best if you avoided hobbies and interests of the following kind:

  • Activities that reveal your religious and political preferences or any other type of affiliations
  • Activities that can be deemed violent and will portray you as a careless person
  • Hobbies that have some anti-social message
  • Activities that involve no interaction 
  • Activities that may clash with the core values of the company

List of Hobbies and Interests that You can Include on your Resume

Here are some categories of hobbies and interests that you can list on your resume. Each category has certain kinds of hobbies and interests, and they reveal a particular aspect about yourself. You can list them and add a couple of lines regarding how they have helped your personal growth.

1. Nature

Nature
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When you list it as an interest, it shows that you have a love for the outdoors. Being inclined towards nature also means that you are passionate about the environment and would be interested in taking up activities that promote sustainability.

2. Culture and Geography

Culture and Geography
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The best thing about following world culture is that you come to know about various communities around the world. You follow the culture and how geography influences that culture. It makes you more open towards people and respects them for who they are, making you an excellent team player.

3. Healthcare and Fitness

Healthcare and Fitness
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If your interests are healthcare and fitness, then it shows that you are mindful of your health. You exercise regularly and follow a healthy diet. And a healthy employee, who remains fit and active, is an asset to any organization.

4. Community Service

Community Service
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If you are into community service and take a keen interest in it, it shows you are passionate about helping others. Listing some of your volunteering work in your resume will further accentuate this interest. This will be of great interest to list if the organization has a good Corporate Social Responsibility Program and the people to manage it.

5. Reading and Blogging

Reading and Blogging
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If you are into reading and blogging, it shows your zeal to gather knowledge and share it with the world. You can also share the blog link on your resume. It shows that you have a way with words, which can be very helpful if you are trying to apply for a position in the publishing industry or as an editor or copywriter.

6. Making Music

Making Music
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If your hobby is singing or playing a musical instrument, and you are a part of a band, including it in your resume reveals your creative side, and it also shows you are a team player. Those drawn towards music are also inherently talented people, and it could help them handle work with a lot less stress.

7. Foreign Languages

Foreign Languages
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If your hobby is learning foreign languages, this is a great hobby to include in your resume. Knowing a foreign language like French, German, Spanish, or Mandarin can significantly increase your chances if you are applying to an organization with offices overseas or applying for the position of translator and copy editor in foreign languages.

8. Sports

Sports
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If you are associated with any sports like football, cricket, volleyball, swimming, tennis, or any other, then it shows that you are physically fit and active. It also indicates that you have stamina, and team sports are always good for building morale, and it goes to show you are a team player.

9. Mental Games

Mental Games
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If your hobby is playing a game that has more to do with the brain, like chess, Sudoku, or solving Rubik’s cube puzzles, it shows that you have a sharp mind. You will also have enviable organizational skills and be very methodical in your approach while solving problems.

10. Outdoor Activities

Outdoor Activities
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Outdoor activities like camping, hiking, trekking, or running a marathon show that you are a very active person. Those who move around also have a very open worldview, and they also have a lot of stamina that helps them combat the stress and anxiety of a job. They don’t get tired quickly and are also open to moving around if the job requires it.

11. Gardening

Gardening
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Being a gardener is fantastic because it shows that the person has nurturing qualities and patience. This is a great hobby to include since many companies are now promoting sustainability and are taking measures to save the environment. Planting trees and caring for them will capture your employer’s interest.

12. YouTube Channels and Podcasts

YouTube Channels and Podcasts
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If you have a YouTube channel or podcast through which you share your talents with the world or are trying to promote something meaningful, it reveals many things about you. Making your channel or podcast requires a lot of hire work, and most importantly, you need to be consistent while uploading content. You connect with other people, and you can help bring exposure to the company as well at some point if you have a significant number of followers.

13. Coding

Coding
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Yes, some people take up coding just for fun, but it can be a beneficial hobby to list if you apply for a software developer or in a related field. When you are into coding as a hobby, you do not just look at it from the point of view of work, but you are also genuinely interested in its dynamics and look beyond the obvious.

14. Photography

Photography
Image Credit: https://www.pixpa.com/

If you are into photography can be an excellent hobby when you are applying for the position of graphic designer or video editor. It shows you have a clear concept of images and perspectives, and that can be an asset when you are applying for any position that deals with visual arts. The same can be said of hobbies like drawing and painting because they too allow you to express yourself through images, especially ones you made on your own.

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Conclusion

Hobbies and interests are not to be taken lightly, and the way you present them on your resume is sure to influence your employer. The idea is to list their merits, how they shaped you as a person and how they can help you do better at your job, all written precisely and in a crisp manner. Your hobbies, interests, work experience, and educational qualifications will make for a robust and detailed resume to help you land your dream job.