A well-crafted CV has various sections that indicate the education and professional experience as well as skill set and interests. One of the optional parts of the resume is ‘hobbies’ that many candidates tend to ignore. However, you shouldn’t if you want to offer a human touch to your document and display yourself as a well-rounded applicant. This section becomes even more crucial when you have a lot of blank space at the bottom of your vitae, especially as a newly graduated. You can also consider it a career switcher to give a peek into your life outside the work and a glimpse into your personality.

But what hobbies should you include on your CV that can potentially leverage your career success?

Thus, this blog will educate you about the top eight hobbies that will boost your chances of getting an interview call.

List Of 8 Hobbies For Your CV That Will Help You Stand Out

Blogging

In today’s internet-driven world, blogging is a practical hobby that can turn into a profitable career. More so, consistently uploading blogs, attracting visitors, and engaging with the audience requires various skills. Most importantly, it indicates the desire to seek maximum wisdom and share it with others, which employers would love to see. Therefore, include blogging to exhibit your abilities, such as creativity and a level of IT literacy, primarily for roles like:

• Journalism
• Marketing
• Advertising
• Copywriting
• Editing
• Content creation

Team Sports

Sports aficionados who watch and physically participate in sports should include it as a hobby on their CV. It will indicate their wide range of valuable transferable skill sets, such as good communication, teamwork and dedication.

However, only mention it if you have a long-term commitment in past, present, or future to it. Besides, if you are looking for some extra support in your job search, you can get your CV Ireland made by online professional resume writers. They will demonstrate your leadership or other relevant skill set persuasively. Thus, this interest is particularly beneficial for positions such as:

• Personal training
• Sports journalism
• Sports statistical analysis
• Physiotherapy
• Sports psychology
• Team leading

Music

Though almost everyone likes to indulge in music, they mostly don’t mention it. However, if you can play a musical instrument at an advanced level, include it as a hobby. Learning to play an instrument or master a musical proficiency showcases dedication, an urge to learn something new, and analytical thinking. Consequently, it will indicate your keen problem-solving abilities, creativity, and commitment, especially for roles like:

• Computer programming
• Software development
• Accountancy
• Social work
• Policing

Mindfulness Practices

Recruiters usually prefer hiring candidates who are more healthy and happy as they deliver higher productivity. It is one of the abilities many hiring managers secretly seek, so include mindfulness practices in your CV. Writing yoga, meditation, or other mindfulness exercises indicates your commitment to positive well-being. Plus, it also shows that the person can handle stressful situations calmly. Therefore, including this hobby in professions that involve high stress is a good idea, such as:

• Management
• Investment banking
• Emergency services
• Teaching
• Law
• Military or combating services
• Airline pilot

Strategy Games

Whether in a digital or board game, the player requires an excellent strategy to win and beat the opponent. So, the hobby of playing strategy games is worth mentioning. It displays your high level of critical thinking. It also signifies the logic, long-term planning, and capability to choose the proper actions to solve a problem. So, strategy games are a must-mention if you’re applying for roles like:

• Software development
• Project management
• Events coordination
• IT technical support
• Investment analysis

Reading

Reading is one of the most common hobbies recruiters notice on candidates’ resumes. But what if you are passionate about this interest and want to also display it on your vitae without being cliché?

Welp! We’ve got a solution for you.

Be specific about the genre you like; it will help the recruiter figure out your soft skills. For example, a non-fiction category highlights the desire to learn and analytical abilities. However, include interests that indicate your sociable side to not appear as a super introverted individual. Thus, mention ‘reading’ for positions such as:

• Research
• Librarian science
• Copywriting
• Video editing
• Academic writing

Traveling

While reading this one, you might sound like, ‘Ah, that sounds very cliché,’ but hold on! Traveling can showcase so much about a person, especially their outgoing and adventurous personality. It indicates their readiness to leave their comfort zone and enter new horizons, a crucial trait for career success. Plus, it highlights that the individual likes to explore new things, such as cultures, people, and more unique ways of accomplishing targets.

An employer who wants an open-minded employee may hire you by mentioning traveling as a hobby on your resume. Besides, including interests is easy, but crafting the rest of the CV is no easy job. However, hiring any reputable CV writing service in Cork will streamline the job application process and boost your career success. Hence, include this interest if you belong to workplaces that focus on inclusion and diversity, like:

• Technology
• Banking
• Finance
• Construction
• Engineering

Coaching/Mentoring

If you have coached local junior sports or participated as a mentor to your university athletes, showcase it. It will highlight your leadership skills and other associated abilities, such as motivation, support, and encouragement. Besides, it will also exhibit that you have a sense of responsibility and an urge to help others succeed. Thus, you can showcase your mentoring or coaching abilities if you’re in an industry such as:

• Teaching
• Occupational therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Personal training
• Counselling
• Business management

How do I put my hobbies on a CV?

First, list all your interests in one place, then figure out the ones you want to display on your resume. Include them in bullet form or place them in one to two sentences by separating each with commas.

What are significant ways that your hobbies can leverage your career success?

Having hobbies and practicing some consistently will bring many fruitful changes to your career. It will enable you to discover your passion and identify what interests you the most at work. It also boosts personal growth, enhances creativity, and improves critical thinking. Your confidence and leadership skills will also improve by frequently indulging in your interests.

What number of hobbies should I include on my CV?

Many candidates ask this question. The answer is to strike a balance between how many hobbies you should include on your CV. Including only one might appear out of place, whereas listing down more than four can send a confusing message about your personality. The key is only to mention your two to four interests for adding value to your marketing document. More so, it will also highlight your skill set without looking too messy.

Where should I place my hobbies section on my resume?

Your hobbies section’s correct placement area is at the end of your resume. You can leave this subheading if you have adequate work experience and skills to showcase your credibility.

Final Verdict On Leveraging Hobbies For Career Success

Including your interests or hobbies on your CV can help you stand apart from the other candidates. The recruiter doesn’t only want to know about your professional qualifications or work experience, but they want to know who you are as a person. It helps them assess whether you’re the right fit for the target position and their company.

Thus, put your interests on the resume wisely and take inspiration from our shared options to showcase your well-rounded personality on the CV. Our final verdict is that don’t hesitate to let your hobbies shine on your vitae and accelerate your career success.