Should you include personal interests and hobbies on your CV?
I often get asked about whether adding personal interests to a CV is the right thing to do, and as with many things in life, the short answer is: it depends.
In this LinkedIn article, the writer argues that you should always include a bit of personal detail on your CV to make you more 3D. And while I agree it can be valuable, there’s more to think about before you add stand-up paddle boarding to your current CV.
Here are some things to consider if you want to include personal interests and hobbies on your CV.
Can you use hobbies and interests on your CV to demonstrate skills?
One reason to include hobbies and personal interests on a CV is to show you have knowledge or skills that are relevant to jobs you’re applying for. Maybe it can showcase some different skills or knowledge you have gained from your personal pursuits that you haven’t demonstrated in your career experience. Maybe you’re looking to change career and your personal interests are especially pertinent to show some links to the new direction you want to take.
Maybe you’re a sports team captain so can show leadership qualities, or you could be a fan of escape rooms, which enables you to demonstrate you’re a great problem-solver. Maybe you write a personal blog and are looking to get into marketing or you have a personal podcast or YouTube channel that will help you get your first role in PR or journalism. Or maybe you love DIY or interior design and want to develop your career in this. If you can draw links between your hobbies and the skills and attributes an employer is looking for, that’s a super good reason to include them.
Are they a genuine passion, or are you adding a personal interests section to make you sound more interesting?
The big thing to note about a personal interests or hobbies section on your CV is that it’s an invitation to the recruiter/hiring manager to ask you about the information you include.
Expect interviewers to ask you questions and start a conversation with you about the latest book you’ve read, your favourite film or your golf prowess so only include things that are a genuine passion and you feel confident to talk about. You’ll need to be able to share information about in a way that celebrates how it brings you joy or the skills it’s helped you develop.
Don’t get caught out by saying you’re really keen on something if you aren’t. Whatever you include needs to be true, and to add some value to the person reading your CV. What does it help them know about you? Equally if you are struggling to think of any interests that make you different or if you spend all your spare time ferrying kids to and from their hobbies rather than having time for your own, it’s probably best to leave this section out!
Hobbies, personal interests or achievements?
A different way to think about your hobbies is to flip them into achievements. Maybe you play an instrument to a high standard or represent your town/county/country at a sport. Each of these achievements says something about who you are and the determination you would bring to a role.
So if you love reading and set up a book club, major on that achievement, rather than simply your love of books. If you conquered a difficult hill run or completed a half marathon, can you turn it into an achievement showing your persistence and determination to put in the hours of training?
Interest or voluntary role?
Sometimes your interests may cross over with volunteering. Maybe you’re a volunteer member of the school PTA, a school governor, trustee of a charity, scout leader or football coach – that’s also information a recruiter will find valuable so you can either position this under a separate volunteering section if these showcase different skills and achievements, or you could include it as an interest.
Do you have space?
The final consideration is about space, which is at a premium on your CV. If you’re a long way into your career or have quite a few roles to add to your CV, you might find you run out of space for a personal interests or hobbies section.
Ideally, CVs take up no more than two pages, so you need everything you include to work hard on your behalf. Is writing about your love of Lego, passion for cycling or gift for painting going to convince a recruiter to add you to their shortlist? Or would you be better using a couple more lines to explain your achievements in your most recent role?
It’s a personal choice to decide what is the priority for the space. If you’re a school leaver, student, graduate or early on in your career, you might have a bit of space which could be filled with some detail about how you spend your spare time. But if you have to make a choice between hobbies and job detail, always sacrifice your hobbies!
(And remember that with the increasing use of application tracking systems, your CV needs simple formatting so it can be read properly when you apply. More on that in my blog on AI in recruitment here.)
Can’t decide whether to include personal interests on your CV?
As part of my career coaching and job preparation services we talk through whether to include personal interests and hobbies on your CV – drop me an email to book a free short session to find out more.
