6. Hobbies and Interests
Include only if relevant.
Listing hobbies and interests on your resume can be a double-edged sword. While they can provide a glimpse into your personality, they should only be included if they are relevant to the job or demonstrate transferable skills. Otherwise, they can come off as filler content that detracts from your professional qualifications.
For instance, if you are applying for a position as a software developer and you have a hobby of coding open-source projects or participating in hackathons, that’s relevant and can showcase your passion and skills. However, hobbies like “reading” or “traveling” are too generic and do not add value to your application.
Focus on including hobbies and interests that highlight skills or experiences that are pertinent to the job you’re applying for.
Hobbies and interests should only be included if they add value to your resume and align with the job role. Here’s when it’s appropriate to mention them:
Relevant to the Job: If your hobbies or interests are directly related to the skills or industry of the job, they can demonstrate your passion and knowledge. For example, a hobby in coding for a software development job.
