Yet, the culture is changing. A lot of companies are no longer looking for mere minions to sit and drink coffee and answer phones all day. They want them to fit in with their culture, so they need something more than just work experience.
Take a look at this: Google hires people who are open and playful. If you want to work at Google, you should tailor your resume so that your best hobbies match their work culture.
On the other hand, if you are applying to a buttoned-up accounting firm, you might want to skip putting hobbies in your resume altogether. Candidate discretion is advised —to borrow from a TV disclaimer. Most of the hobbies and interests you put on your resume will say something about you to the hiring manager. You can use them to 1 resonate with the interviewer, 2 give them an ice-breaker question, 3 signal character traits they might be looking for.
According to Zety's analysis of , resumes , the most commonly mentioned passtime activities were, you guessed it, watching movies , listening to music , reading books , and travel. Hiring managers have seen these hobbies a million times And neither would you if you were looking for a date. Selecting activities for your resume is about choosing what aspects of your personality you want to emphasize and communicate. Volunteering shows a lot of initiative and strong morals. It also teaches organizational and leadership skills.
Communication is the heart of every organisation. Writing novels or publishing scientific papers give a clear representation of your written communication skills. Blogging, just as any kind of writing, proves you have communication and writing skills. Data shows communication is the most important skill for people entering the workforce. The podcast format has become incredibly popular. Podcasting allows to demonstrate you have industry expertize, know how build an audience marketing skills and connect with thought leaders networking and research skills.
It's a good way to improve organizational skills , too. The rise of social media has created such new job professions as a social media manager, content creator, or SEO specialist. The three fastest-emerging languages of global consumers are Russian, Hindi, and Japanese.
Studies have found a correlation between learning languages and problem-solving abilities , intelligence , and memory skills.
Photography is so much more than just taking pictures. It develops conceptual skills and technical expertise , but also teaches how to collaborate with others. Curiosity, courage, and self-organization. And flexibility and adaptability are among the most important workplace personal traits. Exercising in general develops self-discipline, patience, and helps bounce back from disappointment.
Team sports create opportunities to improve leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills , too. It also involves concentrating on breathing and is a great way to relax your mind. And data shows a relaxed employee is less likely to leave their job. It also boosts cognitive performance and helps to unwind. Hundreds of jobs require creativity skills. Imagination and inventiveness are also parts of critical-thinking skills. Reading shows you follow your passions.
It also prevents cognitive decline and reduces stress. And helps maintain work-life balance. Making music is good for your brain. You might find it surprising, but research shows learning how to play instruments fosters math and science ability. It also helps improve your mental performance making you better able to concentrate and memory. Listening to music lowers stress and elevates your mood.
It strengthens learning and memory abilities, too. In the ever-changing corporate world being able to learn new things on a daily basis is a top employability skill especially in the rise of AI.
The list above is more-or-less sorted by how appropriate listing them on a resume is. The last four? Skip them unless you can be more specific and know for a fact that they will resonate with the hiring team. Let's be honest, if you boil down your passions into a single word, they become a yawn fest. Listening to music, reading books, and watching movies? Saying you like these is like saying you like to breathe. Here's what to do instead—.
Take Shanice, for example. She's applying for a junior position with an advertising agency. She noticed the company is laid-back and a bit geeky—at least juding by a photo she saw on the about us page.
The team seems to love Rick and Morty. She does too! There you go, immediate connection. Then there's Mike. He likes reading books, sure, but his favorite writer is Wang Shuo. He could mention that on his resume: Reading books by Wang Shuo.
Maintaining a work-life balance shows your ability to juggle different aspects in life, and also shows that you value resting periods to keep you competitive and productive at work. Your resume should be tailor-made to fit every job you are applying for. Instead of copying previous resumes, consider the job qualification expected, and include hobbies that display skills and personalities the employers may be looking for. For example, Google is known to hire open and playful employees because, besides their educational qualifications, they would like to hire people that integrate into their culture.
This means that your hobbies and interests should reflect the skills employers are looking for, without seeming obvious and boring.
According to the Business Insider , the following are hobbies and interests worth considering each of them is suitable for different job postings. Practicing yoga demonstrates an ability to remain calm and maintain control in all situations. Jobs such as PR Public Relations Management and advertising require control of emotions due to many inter-human interactions. Work that also involves service delivery in hotels requires a mastery of emotions to avoid frustrating clients.
For example, a manager in a restaurant has to remain calm when addressing rude customers. If your job involves high human interactions, yoga is an excellent addition to your list.
This type of strength is desirable for positions where policy development and strategy formulation are key. Adding skills such as video production demonstrates your abilities and familiarity with equipment used during video production, journalism, and broadcasting.
Video production may also come in handy when applying for job opportunities in newspaper and magazine production companies since you show a broader understanding of activities within the journalism industry.
Participating in extreme sports such as skydiving, or racing mountain bikes shows that you have an adventurous spirit, and also dare to take on the unknown.
These traits are essential for employees hoping to take up leadership positions because they are willing to go beyond expectations and face their challenges head-on. Bloggers are free thinkers, expressive, and good communicators. An excellent blog is a great addition to your list of hobbies and interest when applying for marketing, and writing opportunities. However, blogging also goes beyond necessary writing skills.
The ability to share positive thoughts through well-structured language, and stand up to ridicule is also a leadership quality. If your blog contributes to providing information into the industry in which the job lies, include it in your list for the employers to see your understanding of the job required.
However, blogging also goes beyond necessary writing and photo-editing skills. Playing musical instruments, and performing as a singer requires attention to tones, and patience when learning. Good music requires discipline and dedication, and if you are qualified to list musical skills in your resume, they may draw the attention of potential employers.
Musical talents go beyond the performance industry. For example, performing before a crowd without stuttering or choking shows confidence. If you enjoy volunteering towards charitable work and helping out others, include it in your resume. Volunteering to help others exhibits self-drive, and also shows the compassionate side of you.
It also demonstrates an ability to initiate action without supervision and not expecting special rewards in the end. Some voluntary activities also offer opportunities to learn essential business skills and technical skills that may give you an advantage over other applicants. Excellent photographers have an eye for details, excellent photo opportunities and also pay attention to details. The art of holding the camera, allowing enough exposure and producing breathtaking images is a skill learned over time.
Including photography in your list of hobbies and interests shows that you are keen, observant and also patient. Apart from being a useful addition when applying for a job in journalism and video production, photography is helpful in any other fields that require a keen and sharp eye. Practicing gardening shows that you are conversant with plants, and nature, and are willing to participate in events geared towards environmental conservation and sustainability.
If you are applying for jobs that call for environmental preservation, gardening is an excellent addition.
Leadership goes beyond offices and is also demonstrated in the field during sports. Being a team captain in high-adrenaline environments shows that you are calm, decisive, intuitive, and even understanding. When applying for leadership roles, including other leadership positions you hold in sports may go a long way in improving your chances of landing an interview. Captains are not only leaders, but they are also team players and are also capable of coming up with effective and efficient solutions in case of an emergency.
According to an article by the Oxford Royale Academy , hobbies such as programming and coding, or practicing digital marketing through Google Analytics data, are a great addition to jobs that require technical expertise. On the other hand, tech hobbies are introverted and are therefore an advantage in jobs that require introverts. Games such as chess improve intelligent strategizing and are therefore useful for jobs that require such skills.
The games are also introverted and are great for employers looking to employee critical thinkers who appreciate their space. Drawing and painting are excellent additions when applying for jobs that require artistic creativity.
For example, if you are a graphic designer, apart from mastering graphic design programs, you need a natural artistic skill to generate ideas for clients, and organize images to create impressive layouts.
Exploring different places, and having an ability to appreciate different cultures is easily demonstrated through traveling. Travelling also gives you exposure and tips for surviving and enjoying different states across the globe. If you are applying for a travel agent job, you have a higher chance of being employed if you are conversant with traveling regulations, and have tips that you can offer to clients.
A survey conducted by Cint on the distribution of Hobbies and Interests among people in France in showed that 9. For example, chefs, and cook-TV show hosts should enjoy being around the kitchen and trying new recipes. In that case, you might want to think about how your hobby is perceived and what kind of association the HR manager might get from it. The HR manager has discarded all but 2 resumes. Now, when the hiring manager is faced with selecting from 2 equally qualified candidates, the deciding factor tends to come down to them being a right fit culture-wise.
If one of them volunteers at the local soup kitchen, while the other resume appears to be devoid of personality, the one with the list of hobbies and interests is most likely always going to come out on top. If done right, your hobbies could be the icing on the cake for the rest of your resume.
If done right, your interest section could improve your job attractiveness as a potential candidate to the HR manager. They might remember the person who does archery in their free time, compared to the other lifeless resumes, and even bring it up during the interview.
But how exactly do you list them? And more importantly, how do you know which interests are relevant to that one specific company? To figure that out, start by researching the company. See if they have any specific work culture, work retreats, and what qualities would complement your job role. Start with the job ad. You can, in one sentence, explain why that hobby is relevant, or what it involved.
Employers are typically looking for healthy, well-rounded individuals that offer diversity and well , being a unique member of the team. You need to recognize the power hobbies can have on your personal development, as well as on your career. Taking time away from work to focus on your personal interests can lead to personal growth. Take the time to find what you actually enjoy and can talk about during the interview, if needed.
Adding your hobbies and interests at the end is a great way to end up your resume on a high note and help form a lasting impression. Anything that has to do with politics, or your love of collecting old baseball cards might help you stand out - but not in the good way.
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