Hobbies in your CV or Resume

Most CVs will have a section in which candidates can state their hobbies and interests away from the workplace. Opinions between employment recruiters are divided as to whether this section is relevant in actually landing a job. But there are a few hobbies and interests that demand attention on a CV and will be picked up on by a potential employer.

Not everyone has hobbies and interests. A great number of people come home from work and have children to look after, and the nearest thing to an interest is the latest drama in their favourite soap. But most job seekers won’t put down “watching television” in the hobbies and interests section. It won’t impress an employer and will show a certain lack of imagination on the part of the candidate. Don’t be modest when it comes to any awards you have gained through your hobbies and interests. Outstanding excellence in any field will show commitment and talent.

Relevant hobbies and interests are activities that may be relevant to the employment you are seeking. Your hobbies and interests will be a reflection of your personality and will show to employers what actually motivates you. Hobbies that involve teams will reflect that you work well with people and may fit in easily into the workplace. If a candidate were seeking a job position that entailed overseeing staff then hobbies such as the captain of a local football team may be relevant in proving leadership qualities. If a candidate undertakes voluntary work at Citizens Advice offices or national associations such as the Samaritans then it could mean good people skills. Look at the job requirements and the type of candidates the employer is looking for and then see if your hobbies and interests actually reflect these traits.

Most employers will have looked over a CV before interviewing a candidate. Employers usually like a diversity of employees and will be looking at someone who can bring something different into the workplace. If your hobby makes an interesting talking point at the interview then the employer may see you as an interesting person all round.

Hobbies and interests are an important part of the CV; this is the section that can be used as a talking point away from your work skills and the employer will be able to judge your personality and how you relate to other people.

Exercise 7. Choose the right answer.

1. What are the hobbies that demand attention on a CV?

a) usual hobbies;

b) irrelevant hobbies;

c) relevant hobbies;

d) unusual hobbies.

2. What hobby will job seekers NOT put down in the hobbies and interests section?

a) watching TV;

b) travelling;

c) reading;

d) golf.

3. What will your hobbies and interests reflect?

a) ego;

b) personality;

c) nature;

d) identity.

4. What type of hobbies will reflect that you work well with people?

a) that involve games;

b) that involve collecting;

c) that involve outside interests;

d) that involve teams.

5. What section do most CVs have?

a) list of hobbies section;

b) leisure time activities section;

c) favourite soap-opera section;

d) hobbies and interests section.

Exercise 8. Fill in the gaps using the words given below, and translate the sentences into Russian.

employer skills interests section fishkeeping travel

outdoors games team building hobbyists hobby

1. Known to have been played as far back as prehistoric times, … are generally distinct from work.

2. This hobby can be broadly divided into three specific disciplines, freshwater, brackish, and marine … .

3. An outdoor sport is also frequently used as an extremely effective medium in education and … .

4. Depending on the persons’ desired level of adrenaline, … can be considered a type of hobby.

5. … is movement of people between relatively distant geographical locations for any purpose and any duration.

6. The … can make it easy for the recruiter to understand you, your values and what motivates you.

7. It is already natural for an … to ask what your favorite past time is.

8. It is important to site activities or hobbies that have related … to your applied job.

9. It is advisable to choose the right … you will include in your list.

10. Whilst some hobbies strike many people as trivial or boring, … have found something compelling and entertaining about them.