Should I Include Hobbies in My CV?

Written by Calvin Bowers

It’s the age-old question when it comes to your CV… Do employers care about seeing your hobbies and interests? Take a look at our tips inside.

 

There are definitely times when hobbies and interests are relevant to a particular role and so should be included in your CV. However, over time you should replace these hobbies and interests on your cv with examples of work experience, qualifications or awards.

As detailed in our guide to writing a CV, you want to tailor each CV to the role you are applying for. By considering what skills, behaviours and experience the role requires you can determine what you need to include in your CV.

Are Employers Interested in Hobbies and Interests on a CV?

I would advise using hobbies and interests to demonstrate relevant skills, behaviours and experience when your current qualifications and work experience is insufficient. As such, if you are a young person with little to no work experience hobbies and interests are integral to getting your dream role.

If you have all the relevant qualifications and experience to cover the needs of the role, including hobbies and interests may still be significant in demonstrating you as a diverse and interesting candidate. At these times it could be preferable to include your hobbies and interests in a cover letter. For more information on writing a cover letter, read our dedicated guide.

How to Add Applicable Hobbies & Interests to Your CV

Your first thought should not be to include everything you have ever done, but everything the employer wants to see. Consider the role you are applying for and what a perfect candidate might need to have.

For example, if you were wanting to become a retail assistant, the employer would like to know that you are able to use a till, stay on your feet all day and have an interest in the product. The last two points could feasibly be covered by a number of examples from your hobbies and interests. If for example you don’t have experience using a till, writing these CVs identifies which skills and experience you need to acquire before being eligible for each role.

Examples of Adding Your Interests to a CV (Based on Sector)

We have recognised that adding it can be a good idea, but what are the best hobbies and interests to put on a CV? Take a look at what type of examples we recommend for a few different industries:

  • Engineering

    • Woodworking
    • Building model trains
    • Playing an instrument
    • Fermenting food or drinks
    • Building computers
  • Retail

    • Blogging
    • Making clothes or jewellery
    • Volunteering
    • Hiking
  • Digital & Tech

    • Building computers
    • Building a website
    • Competing in video game tournaments
    • Photography
Is it Okay to Never Mention Your Personal Interests on a CV?2022-03-11T16:36:17+00:00

Totally. Your CV should only have content that is relevant. If including all the important examples of skills, qualifications and experience takes up the page you should not try and squeeze in any personal interests or hobbies.

Adding unnecessary information is more likely to put off the employer. However, if you don’t have examples for all of the necessary skills, qualifications and experience, using your personal interests is a useful tool to remaining a good candidate.

How Long Should a CV Be, Including Personal Information?2022-03-11T16:24:28+00:00

Every role is different, and therefore every CV is different. However, we believe as a rule-of-thumb that one A4 page is the right amount of space to include all the relevant information.

This may change over time as a highly developed role may require detailed explanations of your skills and experience. Generally, however, an employer could have to sift through thousands of CVs a week and so anything that is too long may get automatically overlooked. Quality over quantity is a good motto for CV writing.

Share This Story!

Last Updated: Wednesday May 25 2022
Go to Top