what to put under interests on a resume

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List of 50 Hobbies & Interests for Your Resume in 2024

• Hobbies/Interests Examples
• Should Hobbies/Interests Be on a Resume?
• Interests/Hobbies to Avoid
• Adding Hobbies/Interests
• Hobbies/Interests Tips
• Hobbies/Interests FAQs

Imagine: You’re a hiring manager for an athletic clothing brand considering two candidates—both with great resumes . You’re having trouble deciding which of the two to move forward.

During your review, you notice one of the applicants is an avid runner. So, you decide to pick the one you think will be a slightly better cultural fit since the applicant likely aligns with the fitness-related clothing products your brand offers based on their running hobby.

But, why “running hobby” instead of “running interest?” Great question. There is a difference between hobbies and interests. Hobbies are things you actively participate in, whereas interests are your dreams or topics you’re fascinated by. That said, they can both be used effectively on a resume to make your already excellent skill set more personable and relevant.

We’ll dive into interests and hobbies to include on your resume and show you how to list them to gain a leg up in the application process.

Hobbies & Interests Examples for a Resume

Example Resume

Why these hobbies/interests work

• Always choose hobbies and interests for your resume that relate to your field. 
• Don’t be afraid to include something cool and credible, like being a Jeopardy contestant. 
• Thought-provoking activities like helping troubled youths can effectively display your compassion and adaptability in difficult situations.

Most Common Hobbies & Interests for Resumes in 2024

Knowing the value of hobbies/interests on a resume, you may wonder which ones are the most popular in the US. Here’s a quick overview.

• At the top of the list, 40% of US adults have cooking/baking as a hobby or interest. This is a great one to list on resumes for culinary positions or when working around food. It also shows you can follow instructions precisely.
• Want to show some expert research abilities? Reading is an excellent hobby for resumes when applying to jobs involving scientific research or business analysis, to name a couple.
• Everyone’s interested in their pets. Plus, positions like vet techs or even care-based nursing roles can see directly translatable abilities from individuals who love and cherish their animals.
• Applying to a tech-related role? Video games are a potential hobby/interest you could list. It can also show unique problem-solving abilities for analytical positions.
• Nearly half of all jobs require outdoor work. So whether you’re applying to construction, agriculture, or other similar roles, many outdoor activities will be applicable. For instance, a gardening hobby could be great for an aspiring landscaper.

List of Hobbies & Interests for Your Resume

Here’s an extensive list of hobbies and interests to potentially include on your resume.

Volunteering

What better way to demonstrate you’re a caring, civic-minded person than by including your volunteer efforts on your resume?

People want to work with kind people. Not to mention, many companies now give employees time off each year to volunteer for efforts they care about.

Volunteering ideas

• Fostering animals
• Serving within your religious organization
• Firefighter/ EMT
• Coaching youth sports teams
• Volunteering with organizations that help the homeless
• Assisting at local meetups or hackathons
• Volunteering at an animal shelter
• Working for local committees or organizations in your community (like the Board of Education, for example)

Mentioning how you exercise as one of your interests or hobbies can be a great way to build a quick bond with the person reviewing your resume.

However, saying something like “sports” in your interests section is not worth including. What sport do you play?

Exercise can be anything that gets the heart pumping. If you dance or do karate, those are unique hobbies that you should definitely mention on your resume.

Exercise ideas

• Running (if you run events like 5Ks, say so!)
• Weight lifting
• Dance (salsa? square dancing?)
• Basketball (do you play in a league?)
• Rock climbing
• Skiing/ snowboarding

Most companies would benefit by having a creative person join their company. If you’re looking for a career in marketing or design, that’s especially true.

Even if you’re looking for a job as a programmer or data scientist, creativity can still be an invaluable skill.

Listing “music” is not a particularly unique hobby. Saying you play guitar, however, may catch the employer’s eye.

If you have a portfolio of your work, you should link to it in your resume, too, if you’re really proud of it.

Creative ideas

• Photography
• Comic books
• Classic films
• Instruments (guitar, violin, piano, etc.)
• Interior decorating
• Writing (fiction? slam poetry?)
• Calligraphy
• Stand-up comedy

Puzzles/Games

Much like your artistic endeavors can showcase your creativity to a prospective employer, an interest in strategic games indicates that you can strategize and plan.

We likely sound like a broken record but remember to be specific. Saying “video games” is not going to add value to your resume, whereas “PC gaming” might (do your research on the company to make sure this would be appropriate).

Puzzle/games ideas

• Dungeons and dragons
• Jigsaw puzzles
• Crossword puzzles

Your hobbies or interests don’t have to be (and likely aren’t) confined by neat category distinctions. Just ask yourself whether your passion has the potential to showcase a valuable skill.

For example, in the list below, you’ll see brewing beer as a hobby. As long as the business you’re applying to is a more modern company, this could be appropriate to include. To be a successful brewer, you need to be precise and thorough—both great traits in a prospective employee.

Other ideas

• Learning languages (which/how many languages have you learned?)
• Foodie (talking about local restaurants can be a great way to break the ice in an interview)
• Brewing beer
• Cooking (which cuisine is your specialty?)
• Baking (who doesn’t love the person who bakes for office parties?)
• BBQing (this would grab our attention)
• Social media (if you run a successful social account for a local cause, that can be an invaluable skill)

We know! That’s a lot of examples to look through! You can always list a slew of things you enjoy on your  resume outline  and narrow it down when you create a resume . We’ve also got some simple resume templates from Google Docs  with a section just for hobbies and interests.

Remember, your hobbies are supposed to be for your enjoyment. If you don’t think you have any hobbies for your resume that will work, that’s okay, too!

Should Hobbies and Interests Be on a Resume?

Before we dive into the types of hobbies and interests you should add to your resume, we first need to answer the question of whether you should include them at all.

The primary factor in determining whether you should include a hobbies and interests section on your resume is the type of role and company you’re applying to .

While older, more established businesses are less likely to be intrigued by what you do outside of work, modern tech companies or startups will likely be interested in learning about your prospective cultural fit. One great way to demonstrate that on your resume is through your hobbies.

• Entry-level candidates can approach  resume writing  with a “small but mighty” mindset.
• For example, mentioning that you’re a World Sudoku Championship Competitor for not just one but  three  years in a row shows dedication and laser-like focus.
• If you’re applying for a web development job, try adding a related side project like apps; alternatively, If you’re playing up your artistic side, talk about your interest in web graphics!

How to know whether you should list hobbies/interests

• Read the  job description  of the role you’re applying to.
• If the answer is “yes,” that’s a good indication that you should list hobbies and interests.
• Visit the company’s website. Read their “about us” section as well as their employment pages.

When it comes to your resume,  not all hobbies and interests are created equal ! For example, some of us here at BeamJobs are expert television show binge-watchers. If there was a binge-watching championship, we think we could win gold. 

Still, this is a hobby we would leave off our resumes. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with this hobby; it’s just that it’s neither particularly unique nor noteworthy. Remember— the goal of your hobbies and interests are to help you stand out . If the hobby you include is something the hiring manager has seen hundreds of times, it won’t accomplish what you want it to on your resume.

This means you should be as specific as possible when describing your hobbies or interests. “Sports” is not the same as “captain of co-ed basketball team.”

Here are a few more examples of what we mean:

• Wrong: Cooking
• Right: Cooking Middle Eastern cuisine
• Wrong: Travel
• Right: Backpacking through Europe
• Wrong: Music
• Right: Electric guitar
• Wrong: Volunteering
• Right: Volunteering at local ASPCA
• Wrong: Puzzles
• Right: Expert at Sudoko

Interests and Hobbies to Avoid on a Resume

If you’re on the fence about whether you should include a particular interest or hobby on your resume,  err on the side of caution . The last thing you want to do is turn a “yes” into a “no” by including something taboo on your resume. This means you shouldn’t list anything about politics on your resume (unless, of course, you’re applying for a job in politics).

This is not to say you should avoid talking about your volunteer experience through your local church if that’s your hobby! Just imagine you’re meeting someone you’d like to make a good impression on. If it’s a topic you’d avoid in that conversation, leave it off if you’d like to present a  professional resume . With that said…

BeamJobs’ co-founder, Stephen, knows a thing or two about including a hobby that, under different circumstances, would have been better left off his resume

Before I started BeamJobs with my brother and dove head-first into the world of resumes, I was a data analyst at a company called Chegg.

At that time, one of my biggest hobbies was playing poker. Now, as a data nerd, I took a very data-driven approach to playing poker. I studied the game religiously to develop a deep understanding of winning strategies and probabilities.

Since I was applying for jobs as a data analyst, I thought that would be worth including as an interest on my resume.  I also understood poker would likely not be appropriate for all of my job applications .

When it came time to apply to Chegg, I learned that the role I was applying for would be as an early employee for their recently acquired company, Imagine Easy Solutions. I researched the founders and learned they had a history of entrepreneurship.

As such, I included poker as a hobby on my resume. That gamble (poker pun intended) paid off. I learned during my interview that one of my interviewers was a big poker player.  This gave me an opportunity to elaborate on my data-driven approach to the game and how I would take a similarly quantitative approach to my job .

We hope this illustrates the potential positive impact of including unique interests or hobbies in your job applications.  They help humanize you and give you a potential common interest with your interviewers .

Stephen’s anecdote also highlights two important points:

• Do your research on the company and role you’re applying for; make sure what you’re including as a hobby is relevant.
• Don’t lie. By his own admission, Stephen would have been quickly exposed by a much better poker player in his interview had he told a lie!

How to Add Hobbies and Interests on a Resume

Before we dive into the best way to include hobbies or interests on your resume, let’s start with an example.

• Have outdoor interests like kayaking? These kinds of hobbies can suggest experience in nailing the perfect photography shot and other design strengths.
• Hobbies like fly fishing and comic art can suggest sociability and interconnectedness with others—good  soft skills to list on your resume .
• You can use hobbies and interests to express that you’re well-rounded, but the way to really rock this section is by displaying those that directly or indirectly relate to the job you’re after. 

Guidelines for adding hobbies/interests to your resume

• Add a specific section to your resume called “Hobbies,” “Interests,” or “Hobbies & Interests.”
• Limit the number of hobbies you include to five at most.
• We have brand-new  Google resume templates  and  Word resume templates  that already have this section built in. 
• Be as specific as possible.
• Don’t let this section be the reason your resume extends to two pages.

All of these rules follow the principle that your interests/hobbies shouldn’t be the focus of your resume.  They’re on your resume to add color.  Sadly, some hiring managers won’t put much or any weight on this section of your resume. That’s the reason you shouldn’t make it so prominent.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to land a job as a surgeon with your hobbies alone—you still need to have the right qualifications for the role! With that said, the more specific you are with your hobbies and interests, the more likely what you list will resonate with the person checking out your AI cover letter and resume . 

You also want to be able to relate your hobbies or interests to what makes you a particularly good fit for the role you’re applying to. Let’s look at a few examples.

Job title: Marketer

Hobby: Painting

How it relates: This demonstrates an eye for creativity and design—both important characteristics for a marketer.

Job title: Manager

Hobby: Long-distance runner

How it relates: Committing to improving at long-distance running requires dedication without the ability to see immediate results, which can happen in management as well.

Job title: Software engineer

Hobby: Baking cakes

How it relates: To be an effective baker, you need to be exact with measurements, temperatures, and time but also need a high degree of creativity. To be a strong developer, you must be creative and rigorously logical.

Job title: HR manager

Hobby: Volunteering as an EMT

How it relates: Much like an EMT, to be a good HR manager, you must be caring and empathetic while staying calm in tense situations.

Hobbies and Interests Resume Tips

Most people don’t live to work; they work to live. Therefore, most of your time is likely going to be spent outside of your office.

Including your hobbies and interests on your resume is a great way to humanize yourself and become more than just a resume  to the hiring manager.

Tips for adding hobbies and interests to your resume

• Research the company and job description for the role you’re applying for to determine if you should include hobbies.
• Remember: Interests are related to topics you find interesting, while hobbies are activities you participate in and enjoy.
• Keep this section short (four to five interests at most ) and move it to the bottom of your resume.
• Your hobbies are for you—don’t take up a hobby just to please a potential employer.

A hobbies/interests section works great for entry-level candidates who want to include additional relevant abilities or when applying to companies that emphasize workplace culture in the job description. For example, many retail organizations emphasize their culture, so someone applying to be an entry-level retail clerk could benefit from a hobbies/interests section.

A hobby is something you actively do, whereas an interest is something you may be fascinated by or dream about. For example, someone who actively reads an hour per day could consider reading a hobby. On the other hand, someone fascinated by psychology could consider that an interest. You could even combine the two to say you enjoy reading about psychology, which could work great for an aspiring therapist.

Between one to three hobbies/interests works best for most resumes . It typically shouldn’t be the focus of your resume, but moreso act as a way to provide a bit more information or personability to your already excellent skill set.

Either the bottom or the left-hand side margin beneath your education and top skills is the best place for hobbies/interests. This placement leaves room for your work experience, education, and achievements to remain the primary focus of your resume.

Volunteer work is one of the best things to put in a hobbies/interests section when you don’t have work experience since it’s the most similar to a work-related environment. Otherwise, aim for things that are the most relevant to the position. For example, listing a favorite sport or fitness activity, such as rugby or HIIT training, could be great when applying for an entry-level job at a gym.

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40+ Hobbies & Interests to Put on a Resume [Updated for 2024]

“Hobbies and interests have no place on the resume.”

Done right, hobbies on a resume can help you stand out from other candidates, show a bit of your personality to the hiring manager, and potentially even get you the job!

That said, not every resume needs hobbies and interests, and at the same time, not every hobby belongs on a resume.

In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about hobbies on a resume, including when to list them, how to pick the right ones to mention, and more!

Here’s what we’re going to cover:

• Should You Mention Hobbies and Interests on Your Resume?
• 12 Best Hobbies and Interests to Put On Your Resume

How to List Hobbies and Interests on a Resume

4 tips to keep in mind when listing hobbies and interests, 40 best hobbies and interests to put on your resume [complete list].

Let’s dive in!

Should You Mention Hobbies & Interests on Your Resume?

There’s no straight-up answer to this question as it depends on several factors.

For example, if you’re a professional with many years of experience in your field, you could probably do without a hobbies and interests section on your resume. 

As a seasoned professional, you probably have tons of skills, work experience , and certifications to fill your resume with and set yourself apart from the competition. 

If adding a “hobbies and interests” section will make your resume spill over to page two , then you should definitely leave it out. 

On the other hand, if you’re a recent graduate with little work experience, adding your hobbies and interests to your resume can help you stand out as a candidate, as well as help fill up your resume to take up an entire page.

But enough with the hypotheticals! Let us tell you exactly when to mention hobbies and interests on your resume and how they can benefit your job application.

What’s the Difference Between Hobbies and Interests?

First things first - what are hobbies and interests? 

These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they’re not exactly the same thing:

• Interests are topics, ideas, or subjects that interest you, fascinate you, and you want to learn more about. Culinary art, history, and classical music are all examples of various interests.
• Hobbies are activities you actually engage in. Some examples of hobbies may include cooking, playing basketball, or visiting museums.

Hobbies show the hiring manager how you spend your free time and what kind of additional skills you may possess. For example, if you include “basketball” as your hobby, you’re also telling the hiring manager that you have great teamwork skills. 

Interests , on the other hand, indicate what topics and ideas you’re currently interested in or you’d like to explore in the future. If, for example, you’re applying for a job that requires relocation and you list traveling as your interest, you may seem like a more relevant candidate because you enjoy traveling to new places. 

So, as you can see, hobbies and interests can add value to your resume if they’re relevant to the job and if they point to soft skills the company may be looking for. 

Which leads us to the million-dollar question: when exactly should you include hobbies and interests on your resume? 

When to Include Hobbies and Interests on Your Resume

You should include hobbies and interests on your resume when:

• You still have space after including all the essential resume sections (contact information, work experience, education, and skills).
• You have limited work experience, education, and skills related to the position you are applying for.
• The company puts emphasis on its employees’ personalities and unique traits.
• The company specifically asks to list additional hobbies and interests.
• Your hobbies and interests show that you’re good at your job. E.g. if you’re applying for a writing role, having Dungeons & Dragons as an interest might help (as it shows that you’re creative).

New to resume-making? Give our resumes 101 video a watch before diving into the article!

12 Top Hobbies and Interests to Put On Your Resume

So here’s the takeaway: for hobbies and interests to add value to your resume, they should be somewhat relevant to the job you’re applying for. 

In most cases, though, candidates list pastime activities that say nothing to the hiring manager reading their resume, like watching movies or listening to music. 

To help you avoid such a mistake, we’ve listed some of the best hobbies and interests to put on your resume, based on companies’ most commonly required skills and abilities: 

#1. Community Involvement

Volunteering and community involvement is probably the best hobby/interest you could be adding to your resume, as it’s associated with 27% higher odds of employment . 

In a nutshell, volunteering shows initiative, empathy, and the ability to see beyond your personal interests. On top of this, volunteering teaches organizational skills, teamwork, and leadership. 

#2. Writing

Communication skills - both verbal and written - are some of the most sought-after soft skills by companies . 

As such, having writing as a hobby can effectively show potential employers that your communication skills extend beyond the workplace and are, as such, stronger than other candidates. 

#3. Blogging

Blogging is another hobby that proves you’ve got excellent communication skills, which is essential for most roles.

At the same time, blogging as a hobby also shows that you’re a self-starter that can work on independent projects, which is another very in-demand skill for most roles.

#4. Learning Languages

It’s no secret that speaking foreign languages can improve your chances of getting a job . 

For starters, employers are always on the lookout for candidates who can communicate with people from different nationalities and can be an asset when dealing with international markets.

On top of that, learning languages is associated with improving valuable skills like problem-solving and dealing with abstract concepts, both of which are desirable employee skills. 

Some of the jobs where listing learning languages as a hobby can come in handy include social workers, human resources managers, flight attendants, community health workers, hotel managers, customer service agents, etc. 

#5. Photography

Just like all the other hobbies on this list, photography can represent you in more ways than “this candidate likes to take pictures.”

After all, photography takes creativity, interpersonal skills, and even technical skills ! 

This means that, in addition to all the jobs that require photography skills, there are many other positions out there that could benefit from a candidate who’s into photography. 

Traveling may not seem like the best hobby to include on your resume at first sight. After all, it simply involves picking a destination and being a tourist, right? 

Well, not exactly. 

Someone who loves traveling is also likely to be: 

• Curious to learn new things, experience new cultures, and meet new people
• Well- organized and adaptable to new situations and people
• Not afraid to step out of their comfort zone

All of these personality traits make for an adaptable and flexible employee, something that employers appreciate!

Sports - and any kind of physical activity, really - are known to improve brain health and your ability to do everyday activities . 

Not only, but sports also help you develop self-discipline, teamwork, leadership, and interpersonal skills . 

All of these are essential skills that could help you “adapt” your resume to different kinds of jobs. 

#8. Reading

Reading is one of the best hobbies to put on your resume, regardless of what types of books you like to read.

Reading exercises the brain, improves the ability to focus, increases general knowledge, can sharpen your communication skills, and helps relieve stress . 

#9. Making Music

Making music not only takes creativity, but also a lot of determination, patience, and endurance. Not to mention, studies show that playing an instrument can also improve your memory and focus . 

Showing such qualities can instantly make you more attractive to hiring managers.

Yoga is known to create mental clarity , relieve chronic stress patterns, relax the mind, and sharpen concentration.

And - let’s be honest - who doesn’t want an employee who’s mentally clear, unstressed, and able to concentrate on their work? 

To do any kind of art, you need to be creative, which is among the most popular transferable skills companies are looking for in 2022. 

According to this Adobe study , creativity has gained the most value in driving salary increases in the past five years. That’s also because creativity is also linked to inventiveness, imagination, and problem-solving abilities. 

Dancing is more than just a fun pastime. It improves your cognitive abilities, and collaboration skills (especially if you’re dancing with a partner), and can help you unwind and keep your stress levels low. 

Top Soft and Hard Skills Related to Hobbies and Interests On a Resume

And here’s what the hiring manager is likely to read from including the hobbies and interests listed above to your resume in terms of soft and hard skills: 

Yep, you heard that right.

There IS a right and wrong way to list hobbies and interests on your resume.

In this section, we’ll teach you all you need to know to make your hobbies and interests section as effective as possible!  

#1. Decide whether you need them

The first thing you want to do is decide whether you’d benefit from adding hobbies and interests to your resume. As we already mentioned, hobbies and interests can be a breath of fresh air for your resume, but only in certain circumstances.  

If you’re a professional with many years of work experience under your sleeve, your resume can do without a hobbies and interests section.

You already have a lot of professional achievements , relevant skills, and qualifications to make your resume a full one-pager, while adding a hobbies section would mean removing some other critical section from your resume.

On the other hand , if you’re a student with almost no work experience or skills, or if you’re applying to a startup or to a company that puts more emphasis on company culture, then you could definitely benefit from listing your hobbies and interests. 

The optimal length for a resume is one page.

If including a hobbies and interests section spills your resume over to the second page, that means that you can probably just skip including the section in the first place.

#2. Research the Company

So, you’ve decided it’s a good idea to include your hobbies and interests on your resume. But, which ones do you actually include? 

To make the best possible choice, start by researching the company. See if they have any specific work culture, work retreats, and what qualities would complement your role.

Here’s exactly where you should look: 

• The job ad. Read the job ad and identify the type of skills that they’re looking for.
• The company website and any employee profiles you can find there.
• Their social media accounts . Specifically, their LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter. 

#3. Choose the Right Skills

Once you’ve done this, you should think about how specific skills or requirements may transfer to a hobby or interest and tailor yours to the job accordingly. 

You may have dozens of exciting hobbies and interests, but your resume isn’t the right place to list them all. Just to reiterate - you want your hobbies and interests to be as relevant as possible . 

So, for example, if the job ad mentions the company’s looking for someone who’s “outgoing” or a “great team player,” then any kind of sport is a good hobby to list on your resume. 

Meanwhile, anything that involves you sitting alone and being introverted (e.g. reading or knitting) is not very relevant. 

An alternative approach to choosing the right hobbies and interests is to use them to fill your skill gaps.

Let’s say that you’re an entry-level professional and you’re applying for your first job as an illustrator. Chances are, you lack some of the technical skills required for the job, simply due to your lack of professional experience. 

In such a case, choosing a hobby that proves you’ve got an eye for design and aesthetics can help your application. Anything art-related, including photography, painting, drawing, etc., will show the hiring manager that you’re passionate about this line of work. 

#4. Create a Separate Section (and Push It Down) 

By now you should have a clear idea of what hobbies and interests to add to your resume. 

The rest is fairly easy. 

Simply create a separate section titled “Hobbies and Interests,” and place it at the end of your resume . It’s crucial that this section doesn’t overshadow the more important parts of your resume, like your contact information, work experience, education , or even any volunteer work or internships you’ve completed. 

Ultimately, adding a “Hobbies and Interests” section at the end of your resume is a great way to wrap up your resume. 

It can help you make an impression that extends beyond the professional aspect and give the recruiter a little extra something to remember you by. 

Want to start your resume in a way that will grab the hiring manager’s attention? Learn how to write a resume summary with our guide! 

#5. List Up to Four Interests or Hobbies

Last but not least, it’s important to list the right amount of hobbies and interests on your resume. 

We recommend listing 4-6 total, at most. Anything less, and your hobbies section will look too empty. Anything more, and it’ll look like you’re just trying to fill in space.

Here are some additional tips you should always remember when you’re creating the “Hobbies and Interests” section of your resume: 

#1. Find out what you specifically enjoy about your hobbies 

People enjoy hobbies for different reasons. 

For example, someone might enjoy photography because they love being outdoors and capturing beautiful landscapes, while someone else might enjoy it because it gives them an opportunity to remember every place they visit or every person they meet. 

By identifying exactly what it is that you enjoy about your hobbies, it can be easier to describe them on your resume and talk about them genuinely in case the hiring manager asks about them during the job interview . 

#2. Be honest

Just like with everything else on your resume, you should be honest about the hobbies you list. 

Meaning, don’t lie about hobbies just because you think they sound cool, and don’t over-exaggerate something that can come back and bite you later on during the interview.

Just because you like to go on walks sometimes, doesn’t mean you’re “passionate about hiking” . Imagine the hiring manager’s also a hiking enthusiast and they ask you about the latest trail you hiked, but the only thing you can mention is how you enjoy taking a one-hour walk around your neighborhood daily to clear your mind. 

In such cases, it’s better to be honest and write this: 

• Physical exercise: exercising daily for 45 minutes by taking a walk in nature.

Instead of this: 

#3. Be specific 

The more specific you can be about your hobbies and interests, the higher the chances to stand out from other applicants and make an impression on the hiring manager. 

Here’s what we mean by that: 

• Learning languages: studying and practicing some of the most-spoken languages in the world, such as Mandarin and French. 

#4. Keep these hobbies OUT of your resume

A very thin line separates unique from weird, and you want to make sure not to cross it. 

To be on the safe side, avoid listing hobbies and interests that might be considered weird or controversial, such as any of the following:

• Hobbies that signal antisocial behavior or activities.
• Hobbies and interests that could be misinterpreted, even if you meant them as a joke (e.g. partying like there’s no tomorrow). 
• Hobbies and interests that reveal personal information such as your political or religious views. 
• Hobbies that could be considered violent or dangerous (e.g. lighting things on fire). 
• Hobbies and interests with little or no interactivity. 

Looking for inspiration?

Here are several hobbies you can include, by category, based on your personality type.

Sports Interest and Hobby Examples

Generally speaking, there are two types of sports you can include on your resume - individual and team-oriented .

Depending on the sport, they either show you work well with others, or that you have the self-discipline and perseverance to work alone (or both!) 

Endurance sports (like jogging) show your drive and discipline.

Team sports (like football, basketball, etc.) show that you’re comfortable working with others.

Which one you might want to include depends on you and the job. Here are some sports hobbies you could list that will paint you in a positive light:

• Marathon running
• Mountain climbing

Most of these sports are outside and physical activities. They show that you’re comfortable with working with other people and that you have discipline. Therefore, they’re relevant for most job roles that require you to be communicative and self-driven.

Analytical Thinking Interest and Hobby Examples

What’s a thought hobby?

Anything that points to your creative skills and imagination. 

If you’re applying for a job that requires a lot of out-of-the-box thinking, you can list the following hobbies:

• Playing a musical instrument
• Photography
• Blog writing

These all point to your analytical thinking and that you’re a creative person.

Possibly more calm and self-composed, and also that you think before you speak.

These qualities can be relevant depending on the job.

Though, your interest section doesn’t necessarily have to consist only of sports. 

Social Interest and Hobby Examples

Social hobbies are a great way to show you directly work well with others. Nowadays, most jobs require you to be in contact with other people, in one way or another

To show you work well with others and you’re adept at communicating, you can include:

• Creating and organizing a book club
• Networking events
• Local meetups
• Volunteering at a charity center
• Public speaking
• Exploring other cultures
• Language classes

Social hobbies are great because you’re going to be interacting with other people in most jobs - so one way or another, they’re going to help. Even more so if the job is in a leadership position.

Unique Interest and Hobby Examples

Do you have a particularly unique hobby that not a lot of people are into?

This can work in your favor and help you stand out, as long as it’s still in the unique area and not in the weird one.

The HR manager shuffling through a stack of resumes can remember your unique hobby and come back to your resume later. Or they could even ask about you during the interview, so be prepared to talk about it.

Some unique hobbies that can speak about your character may include:

• Stand-up comedy
• Calligraphy

How do these hobbies help?

Archery implies you might be a precise and focused person. And yoga shows that you can be calm and don’t lose your cool in stressful situations.

Though, just how effective those hobbies will be in your resume may depend on the job.

But as long as it’s not too weird, a unique hobby can help you get your foot in the door and show that you’re not afraid of being different.

Looking for tips on writing a CV instead of a resume? We've got you covered! Head over to our in-depth guide explaining how to write a CV !

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have some questions about hobbies and interests on a resume? Check out the answers below:

1. Should hobbies and interests be on a resume?

If you have the extra space to list them, then yes, you should include hobbies and interests on your resume.

Hobbies and interests can help you stand out from other candidates by shining more light into your personality and can also highlight skills you may have that employers seek, such as creativity, organization, problem-solving, etc.

2. What are some good hobbies and interests to put on my resume?

Some of the best hobbies or interests you can put on your resume are community involvement, writing, blogging, learning languages, photography, traveling, doing sports, reading, and art.

3. What are some hobbies and interests for a student resume?

Some hobbies and interests you can put on your resume as a student include creative writing, blogging, volunteering, learning a new language, and singing and/or playing an instrument.

Key Takeaways

And that’s a wrap on everything you need to know about hobbies and interests on a resume!

Before you go and start applying what you learned to your own resume, let’s go over the main points we covered in this article: 

• Hobbies and interests can help shine a light on a candidate’s personality and get them to stand out from other applicants with similar work experience and skills. 
• Include hobbies and interests on your resume if you still have space after listing all the essential sections, if you have limited work experience and relevant skills, if the company specifically requires it, or if the company puts emphasis on its employees’ character traits. 
• Some of the best hobbies to add to your resume include community service, writing/blogging, learning languages, traveling, doing sports, and reading. 
• Before creating a separate section for your hobbies and interests, first make sure that your resume would benefit from them, then research the company, and choose the right skills that could complement your skills and qualifications. 
• Four things to remember when you’re compiling your hobbies and interests are, to be honest, be specific, and keep hobbies that may be considered weird or antisocial out of your resume. 

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• Resume and Cover Letter
• How to List Hobbies and...

How to List Hobbies and Interests on a Resume (With Examples)

18 min read · Updated on March 27, 2024

Should you add personal interests to your resume?

A resume is a summary of your career that informs a future employer of your professional suitability. Personal interests and hobbies on a resume fall outside that traditional definition, but as employers become more interested in cultural fit, showcasing your personality in a job search is increasingly important.

However, how to include hobbies and interests on a resume is not straightforward. In this post, we consider:

How hobbies and interests are different

The benefits of including hobbies and interests on a resume

When you should include interests on a resume

When you should not include interests on a resume

How to include interests on a resume

Where to include hobbies and interests on a resume

The most common hobbies and interests to put on a resume and why they're relevant

Interests you should avoid including on a resume

What's the difference between hobbies and interests?

Though many use the terms “hobbies” and “interests” interchangeably, there are some subtle differences between the two.

Hobbies . Hobbies are activities you engage in regularly. They tend to be more hands-on activities that people participate in for enjoyment and relaxation. Hobbies require acquiring new skills and tend to need engagement and a time commitment. Examples of hobbies include engaging in a specific sport, writing, and cooking.

Interests . Interests are things - ideas, topics, activities - you're interested in learning more about or engaging in more often. Interests often have a broader focus than hobbies, tend to be more intellectually driven vs. hands-on, and expand your understanding. They also tend to require less of a time commitment, since they can be explored through things like reading or asking questions.  Examples of interests include airplanes, filmmaking, and photography. 

For some, interests eventually become hobbies. You might also note that a hobby for one person might be an interest for another, and vice versa. 

So, on your resume, should you call them hobbies or interests? It depends. If you only have relevant interests, you can call the section “Interests.” The same goes if you only have relevant hobbies - call the section “Hobbies.” However, if you're including both interests and hobbies, refer to the section as “Hobbies and Interests.” 

What are the benefits of adding hobbies and interests on a resume?

There are a handful of benefits to adding hobbies and interests on your resume, with several outlined below. 

Offers a chance to build rapport. Interests and hobbies on a resume offer the chance to build a rapport with an interviewer during an interview . They may even feel comfortable about revealing some insights into their personal life. This is the ideal scenario – you want to work out what makes them tick, too.

Brings depth to your application. Including your interests and hobbies on a resume brings depth to your application, but only if they're relevant to the role. The best candidates get creative about how they position their hobbies and interests to enhance their career story.

Shows you're more than just your work persona. Including a couple of brief one-liners about your hobbies and interests shows that there's more to you than your work persona. As work-life boundaries blur, people want to collaborate with interesting colleagues. 

Highlights hard and soft skills. Hobbies and interests require and enhance soft and hard skills that can be highly relevant to open positions.  

Fills gaps. Hobbies and interests on a resume can help to fill in work experience and skills gaps you might have for the job you're seeking. 

When should you include hobbies and interests on your resume?

Here are examples of when it might be appropriate to include personal interests on your resume:

Entry-level professional. If you're an early-career professional with minimal work experience, including interests is a great way of outlining your motivations and giving the hiring manager a better idea of who they are employing. Two or three lines of personal interests are expected and will add to the application, but you still need to hint at why they are relevant for the role.

Experienced professional. The decision to include interests is less clean-cut for a more senior applicant. In most cases, you'll likely have plenty of relevant work experience to include on your resume. Still, most careers contain skills that can be developed outside of the workplace. If you genuinely have a hobby or interest that contributes to your effectiveness at work, there is no rule that says you shouldn't include it.

Career changer. If you're changing careers and have limited practical work experience, skills, or education related to the position for which you're applying, adding interests and hobbies could help fill in these gaps. 

Interests and hobbies emphasize your abilities. If you happen to have an interest or hobby that indicates you're good at the type of job you're applying for, include them. For example, suppose you're applying for a position that requires a lot of public speaking. In that case, you might include your interest in acting, as it highlights your ability to perform in front of audiences. 

It's requested in the job description. As is the case for any request listed in the job posting, if the employer requests for you to include your hobbies and interests, be sure you do!

The organization puts a lot of focus on employee qualities and traits. If you notice on a company's website that they tend to highlight their employees' extracurricular activities and personalities frequently, then adding hobbies or interests on a resume could help you to stand out. 

When should you not include interests or hobbies on a resume?

And now, here are the reasons you should not include hobbies and personal interests on a resume:

Lack of space. If you're finding that space is tight on your resume, the Hobbies and Interests section is the first that should be cut. Even the section header can take up valuable space. You should always prioritize your work experience if you have more to say. Remember that you may get a chance to mention your interests during an interview.

Lack of relevance. To reiterate, only include hobbies or interests that are relevant to the job. As much as you might like someone to know you can walk a tightrope like a champ, unless it adds value and is applicable, don't include it. 

How to include hobbies and interests on your resume

There are several ground rules in terms of adding interests on a resume. Let's discuss the main ones.

Research the requirements of the role

Before you work out whether you're including relevant interests, make sure that you understand the specifics of the role. Making a link with an interest and an obscure requirement of the job is a great way of showing that you know what you're getting yourself into.

Choose interests that match your workplace skills

Once you have a list of skills that your employer desires, be creative in how you match your hobbies with the role. The hiring manager will be reading a lot of resumes, so don't assume that they will automatically make the connection. Be clear about exactly why you're including your interest.

You never know when you might run into an interviewer who knows more about your hobby than you do. Resist the temptation to exaggerate the level of your participation, or it might become an embarrassing situation that will torpedo your chances of getting the job. Honesty is the best policy in a job search.

You can include hobbies and interests on a resume in one of three places:

In a separate “Hobbies and Interests” section

In your Work Experience section

In your Skills or Competencies section

Hobbies and Interests section

If you choose to include hobbies and interests on your resume, the most obvious place to include them is in a stand-alone “Hobbies and Interests” section. In most instances, this should be the very last section you include on your resume. 

Work Experience section

While you might have space for a separate Interests and Hobbies section on a two-page resume, there's also the option of slipping an interest or hobby into bullet points or paragraphs around your work experience. If it fits with the point that you are making, it won't seem out of place.

Include bullets with an intriguing description. Just listing “swimming” or “horticulture” as a personal interest will be ignored. If your interest is relevant to the role, include a brief description that offers more detail to fire the hiring manager's imagination. You don't need to write this in full sentences. Include context and quantify with detail if possible. For example, if you're applying for a team lead or training position, you might include the following:

• Swimming. Won the state U23 200m backstroke title. Trained 100+ juniors at the local club.

Skills or Competencies section

If you have one or two hobbies or interests that relate to a specific skill required for the job or would add value to the role, you could choose to include it in your Skills or Competencies section. For example, if graphic design is a hobby of yours and you're applying for a marketing or communications role, adding graphic design as a competency or skill could prove valuable in such a role. 

Hobbies and interests to put on a resume - examples

Now, let's get into the details of the interests to put on a resume that may be worth including and why. In this section, we highlight:

Different categories of hobbies or interests

A brief description of why each category can be relevant

The hard and soft skills related to the category that could add value

Specific hobbies and interests examples that you might include on your resume

In the competitive world of work, countless lessons can be transferred from sporting activities. Whether you are playing in a team or dedicated to individual glory, the drive to win and the experience of losing are two sides of the same coin. 

In general, including sports on a resume can speak to the following soft skills:

Self-discipline

Communication

Interpersonal abilities

Collaboration

Determination

Ability to handle stress

Examples of sports hobbies and interests to put on a resume are:

Baseball. Everyone has different roles on any sports team. If one person is not doing their job, then the team is weaker. This is collective responsibility at its most basic.

Swimming. Swimming requires hours of dedication and preparation. Any endurance sport offers ample time to think about other aspects of your life.

Skydiving. Extreme sports indicate a risk-taker who is not afraid to push their limits. Perfect when you're figuring it out as you go along in an innovative industry sector.

Yoga. Any interest that involves looking within and clearing your mind of unwanted distractions should be beneficial. Yoga practitioners are often clear-headed decision-makers.

Fitness. The ability to maintain a regular fitness regime should never be underestimated. There are times when you won't want to hit the gym but you overcome your lethargy, which is also a valuable approach to work. 

Outdoor pursuits

Venturing outdoors into an uncertain world means that you often need to react to whatever nature throws your way. There's a reason why company away days are often held in outdoor activity centers. Outdoor adventures can teach us a multitude of lessons.

Some soft skills that those who face the great outdoors might have are:

Problem solving

Critical thinking

Working well under stress

Adventurous

Attention to detail

Safety-conscious

Risk-conscious 

Examples of outdoor interests to put on a resume include:

Fishing. Patience is a key requirement for many roles. When the long-anticipated opportunity arrives, you need to reel it in confidently and with skill. The chance may not come again.

Orienteering. Working out and agreeing on a path forward is a common sticking point in many corporate settings. Orienteering teaches communication skills and teamwork.

Horticulture. Spending countless weeks preparing the ground for a flower that may only bloom for a short time requires attention to detail and visionary planning.

Camping. The ability to put the hustle and bustle of everyday life to one side and lose yourself in the great outdoors is incredibly good for your mental health. It also shows you have the ability to take time away to balance your work and personal life. 

The dedication and creativity that come with learning a musical instrument or training a singing voice can be put to good use in any workplace. The journey is similar when it comes to mastering a new skill at work. Practice makes perfect.

Soft skills relevant to many positions that are often highlighted by musical ability include:

Of course, the technical skills of playing an instrument or being able to sing would be highly relevant in sectors like theater and filmmaking, as well. 

Some music-focused hobbies or interests to put on a resume include:

Songwriting. Even writing an email requires filling a blank space with something meaningful. Songwriters understand how to make other people feel a certain way.

Singing or gigging. Standing in front of a crowd and performing are skills that will be useful at work. You will communicate confidently in any meeting or presentation.

Playing an instrument. The process of mastering an instrument never ends. Perfection has no limits. There's always a more difficult piece to play that you can't quite nail.

Volunteering

Every hiring manager wants to hire a selfless employee who will share duties and help others, even when it isn't specified in their job description. Someone with an interest in volunteering will be naturally inclined to make a difference to those around them.

When you showcase volunteer work on your resume, you're often emphasizing the following soft skills, as well:

Charitability

Originality

Abstract thinking

Community-focus

Examples of volunteer work that candidates might choose to include are:

Charity work. The charity that you choose to support will offer an insight into your character. It may also provide a chance to bond with a hiring manager. 

Environmental activism. This is bordering on a controversial topic for some people, so include details about your environmental activities with care. If the company you're applying to is environmentally or green-focused, then you'll likely be safe to include it. 

Being a mentor. Mentoring outside the workplace is a fantastic source of positive energy. It will teach a multitude of influencing and people management skills.

Community work. Selflessly helping others is a trait of a valuable team player – so long as you know your limits. Sometimes, you need to be selfish and focus on your tasks.

Many creative dilemmas are solved outside of the workplace environment. Do you have the ability to think through a problem laterally when you're taking a shower or during your commute? Creative interests help the right side of your brain to see things differently.

Those with a hobby or interest that requires creativity often possess the following soft skills in addition to creativity:

Detail-orientation

Some creative interests to put on a resume include:

Painting or drawing. While painting is a leisurely pursuit that has little to do with many careers, are we discounting the observational skills of the perceptive artist?

Photography. An appreciation for how visuals can convey a message to make the required impact is central to marketing and sales-related roles. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Graphic design. As business moves increasingly online (and eventually into the Metaverse), graphic design skills come in handy in many careers. 

Blogging. Sharing your thoughts in a blog not only benefits your writing skills. As companies increasingly rely on employee advocacy, you can become a champion for their cause. Written communication skills are also a highly-sought after commodity. 

Poetry. Brevity lies at the heart of every successful team. Say what you want to say. Make sure that everyone gets it. Move on. Most workplaces could do with more succinct poets.

No one wants to hire a technophobe who is constantly asking colleagues for advice about how to use the basic functions of Excel. Sharing an interest in technology means that you may be the go-to person to ask when such questions crop up.

When including technology-focused interests, you're not only highlighting hard skills that employers eagerly seek, but soft skills, as well, like:

Openness to change

These are just a few of the technology-focused hobbies you might include on your resume:

Programming. An appreciation of coding and programming languages will soon be required in many non-technical industries. The future is digital. Are you ready?

Trading. Dabbling in stocks or crypto requires a level of risk tolerance that is rarely tested in a career. When you're investing your own money, you'll develop critical thinking skills.

Artificial intelligence. If you are this interested in the future of work, it's likely that you will have countless other fresh perspectives to bring to the workplace.

Online activity

While not every industry is dependent on an online presence, there are many functions where online activity is central to success. Sales, marketing, PR, human resources, and recruiting require employees with solid social media credentials and hard skills. 

In addition to the technical skills required for online activities, some of the soft skills include:

Creativity 

Communication 

Decisiveness

Examples of online activity hobbies include:

Social media. As social media evolves into a second life for so many of us, people who have developed an online audience can bring countless transferable skills to an employer.

E-sports. Split-second decisions in a virtual environment (alongside a team) mirror many jobs. Your job might not be a game, but your brain won't know any different.

Vlogging. Building an audience on YouTube or another similar platform requires creativity to work out what to say and the courage to put it out into the world.

Entertainment

Captivating a crowd has been a prized skill for millennia, and it's highly valued in the modern workplace. The ability to keep a screen of Zoom listeners engaged on an hourly basis is a skill that shouldn't be underestimated. Entertaining a crowd is a superpower. 

A few soft skills required for entertainment-related hobbies include:

Confidence 

Ability to improvise

Below are a few entertainment-related hobbies and interests to put on a resume:

Acting. While we might try to be true to our authentic selves at work, there are occasions where acting skills are required. The ability to play a part is important to maintain unity.

Comedy. If you have the God-given talent to make someone laugh, making friends and influencing others will come that little bit easier. 

Dance. Concentration and physical preparation are required to master a dance routine. Sometimes, you only get one chance to make an impression. Dancers can also perform under pressure.

Miscellaneous hobbies

Some hobbies might not fall neatly into a category, though they still offer fascinating insights into your personality and are worth mentioning.

Language learning. Choosing to learn a foreign language as a hobby is no small undertaking. You need a stellar memory and an organized mind to piece together the puzzle of language. Plus, many employers value bilingual candidates. 

Home improvement. Project management is ubiquitous in the workplace. Ensuring that a home improvement project runs smoothly demands many of the same project management skills.

Mindfulness. Slowing down and immersing yourself in mindfulness allows the tumult of worldly thoughts to fall into place. Prepare for success from a mindset of calm emptiness and focus. 

Which interests should you avoid adding?

When considering interests to put on a resume, avoid these types:

Illegal ones. Okay, you can laugh, but it's still worth mentioning. An employer might question your judgment if you tell them about your late-night parkour running across the city – avoid anything even remotely illegal. 

Religion or politics. As mentioned earlier, even environmental activities can be polarizing. Avoid anything with the potential to cause an argument. 

Ones requiring complex explanations. Omit any obscure activities that require a detailed explanation. Keep it simple and make sure that the employer will understand the workplace impact of the hobby.

Including hobbies and interests can add value

Now you know when it's okay to put hobbies and interests on a resume and when it's not. You also have plenty of examples of the types of interests to put on a resume that could help you to stand out and highlight vital soft and hard skills. Given that you likely have many relevant interests to put on your resume that might be worth mentioning, be selective in your choices and creative in how you present them using the guidelines above!

Still wondering if you should include hobbies or interests on your resume? And if you are, are you doing it appropriately? Why not upload your resume for a free review from our resume experts and find out?

This article was originally written by Paul Drury and has been updated by Ronda Suder.

Recommended reading:

What is a Resume? It's Much More Than You Think

How to Decide If You Should Turn Your Hobby into Your Life's Work

How to Check if My Resume is ATS-friendly for Free

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• Career Blog

60 Hobbies and Interests for Resume [2024 Guide]

When it comes to crafting the perfect resume, listing out hobbies and interests may not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, including this section can actually help set you apart from the competition and land your dream job.

Importance of including hobbies and interests in a resume

Listing hobbies and interests on your resume can give employers a better understanding of who you are as a person, not just as a candidate. It can also show that you are well-rounded and have a life outside of work, which can make you a more appealing candidate. Additionally, hobbies and interests can showcase skills and traits that are transferable to the workplace, such as leadership or creativity.

While including hobbies and interests can be beneficial, it’s important to choose ones that are relevant to the job you are applying for. Think about the skills and traits that are required for the position, and try to choose hobbies and interests that showcase those qualities. Additionally, try to choose hobbies and interests that are unique and that can help you stand out.

The Benefits of Including Hobbies and Interests on Your Resume

As job seekers continue to compete for the same positions, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to stand out from the crowd. One way to differentiate yourself is by including hobbies and interests on your resume. Here are some benefits of doing so:

A. Showcases Your Personality Traits

Hobbies and interests are a great way to convey your personality traits to potential employers. For example, if you list hiking as a hobby, it shows that you are adventurous and willing to take on challenges. Similarly, if you list playing in a local basketball league, it showcases that you are a team player and comfortable working with others. Including hobbies and interests on your resume can help you connect on a personal level with prospective employers.

B. Demonstrates Your Skills and Expertise

Your hobbies and interests can also demonstrate your skills and expertise outside of your professional experience. For instance, if you have a passion for photography or graphic design, it can show that you have an eye for detail, are creative and can work with technology or software. Showing expertise or skills outside of your professional experience is a great way to set yourself apart from other candidates and make a lasting impression.

C. Highlights Your Passion and Enthusiasm

Including hobbies and interests on your resume can also be an opportunity to highlight your passion and enthusiasm. If you have a passion for dogs and volunteer at a local animal shelter, it shows that you are committed to a cause that matters to you. Similarly, if you are an avid reader and attend book clubs or literary events regularly, it shows that you have a genuine interest in learning and are committed to self-improvement. Employers want to work with people who are passionate about what they do and who have a genuine interest in the world around them.

D. Helps You Stand Out from Other Candidates

Finally, including hobbies and interests on your resume is a great way to stand out from other candidates who may have similar professional qualifications or experience. It shows that you are a well-rounded person who has interests and passions outside of work. Employers are increasingly looking for candidates who are not only skilled in their respective fields but also have a well-rounded lifestyle.

There are several benefits to including hobbies and interests on your resume. They showcase your personality, demonstrate your skills and expertise, highlight your passion and enthusiasm and help you stand out from other candidates. So, don’t be afraid to show a little bit of your personal side – it might just be the thing that sets you apart from the competition. If you’re looking to update your resume or add additional content to make it stand out, consider adding your hobbies and interests. Many employers view these activities as a way to showcase your personality, skills, and experiences outside of the workplace. In this section, we will explore the top 60 hobbies and interests that can add value to your resume, broken down by category.

A. Sports and Fitness Activities

Participating in sports or fitness activities shows that you are both physically and mentally disciplined. It also demonstrates your ability to work in a team and handle challenges. Some examples of sports and fitness activities you could include are: yoga, running, weightlifting, basketball, swimming, and cycling.

B. Creative Hobbies and Interests

Having a creative hobby or interest can showcase your imagination, problem-solving skills, and ability to think outside the box. Some examples of creative hobbies and interests you could include are: painting, photography, writing, dancing, acting, and singing.

C. Volunteer and Community Service Activities

Volunteering and participating in community service activities shows that you are committed to making a positive impact in your community. It also demonstrates your ability to work well with others and your compassion for others. Some examples of volunteer and community service activities you could include are: working with children, participating in a charity walk or run, volunteering for a food bank, and serving as a mentor.

D. Professional Association Memberships

Being a member of a professional association shows that you are dedicated to your career and staying up-to-date on the latest industry trends and best practices. Some examples of professional associations you could join or include on your resume are: the American Marketing Association, the Society for Human Resource Management, and the National Association of Accountants.

E. Language Learning and travel

Learning a new language and traveling to different countries can showcase your adaptability, cultural awareness, and communication skills. Some examples of language learning and travel experiences you could include on your resume are: studying abroad, volunteering in a foreign country, and attending language classes.

F. Technology Hobbies and Interests

Having a technology hobby or interest can showcase your problem-solving skills, innovation, and adaptability. Some examples of technology hobbies and interests you could include on your resume are: coding, website design, digital photography, video editing, and blogging.

G. Music, Arts, and Culture Hobbies and Interests

Having a hobby or interest in music, arts, and culture shows that you are open-minded and creative. It also demonstrates your ability to appreciate and understand different perspectives. Some examples of music, arts, and culture hobbies and interests you could include on your resume are: attending concerts or art exhibits, playing an instrument, and collecting vinyl records.

H. Personal Development Hobbies and Interests

Engaging in personal development hobbies and interests shows that you are committed to growing and improving yourself. It also demonstrates your ability to take initiative and seek out new opportunities.

How to Incorporate Your Hobbies and Interests into Your Resume

If you’re wondering how to make your resume stand out from the rest, consider incorporating your hobbies and interests into it. Doing so can make you a more interesting candidate and show potential employers more about who you are as a person. Here are four ways to include your hobbies and interests in your resume:

A. Positioning them in the Resume

One way to showcase your hobbies on your resume is by positioning them in a specific section. This can be a great way to draw attention to them while also keeping your resume organized. Consider adding a “Hobbies” section near the end of your resume, after your work experience and education.

B. Writing an impressive Objective Statement

Another way to highlight your interests is by incorporating them into your objective statement. This statement is the first thing employers will see when they look at your resume, so it’s a great opportunity to make an impression. If your hobbies relate to the industry you’re applying for, be sure to mention them in your objective statement.

C. Including them in the “Skills” Section

The “Skills” section of your resume is a great place to showcase your hobbies and interests. For example, if you play a musical instrument, you might list “Music Performance” as a skill. Or if you love writing, you could list “Creative Writing” as a skill. Doing so can showcase your diverse range of talents and make you stand out from other candidates.

D. Adding them to your Cover Letter

Finally, consider including your hobbies and interests in your cover letter. Doing so can make you more relatable to potential employers and show them more about who you are as a person. However, be sure to only include hobbies and interests that relate to the role you’re applying for, and keep it brief – your cover letter shouldn’t be more than one page.

By following these tips, you’ll be able to incorporate your hobbies and interests into your resume and make a lasting impression on potential employers.

Examples Of Using Hobbies and Interests in Resumes

In this section, we will explore how to effectively showcase your hobbies and interests on your resume. Including these personal details can help you stand out to hiring managers and highlight your unique strengths and qualities.

A. Examples of adding hobbies and Interests to a Resume

To give you an idea of how you can incorporate your hobbies and interests into your resume, here are some examples:

Creative hobbies:  If you have creative hobbies such as painting, photography or writing, you can consider adding them under a “Creative Skills” or “Interests” section on your resume. This will showcase your ability to think outside the box and bring something special to the table.

Active hobbies:  If you enjoy playing sports or going on hikes, you can highlight these activities to show that you are physically fit and have a competitive drive to achieve goals. You can add these under a “Fitness” or “Sports” section on your resume.

Volunteer work:  If you have volunteered for non-profit organizations or done charity work, this can showcase your passion for helping others and your commitment to social causes. You can add this under a “Volunteer Experience” section on your resume.

B. Sample Resumes with hobbies and Interests highlighted

To help inspire you to showcase your hobbies and interests on your resume, here are some sample resumes with hobbies and interests highlighted:

Digital marketing specialist resume:  Includes photography and writing hobbies under the “Interests” section, showcasing the candidate’s creativity and communication skills.

Software developer resume:  Includes participation in hackathons and coding competitions under the “Achievements” section, showcasing the candidate’s passion for technology and innovation.

Sales representative resume:  Includes tennis and hiking under the “Interests” section, showcasing the candidate’s physical fitness and competitive drive.

C. How to explain hobbies and interests in an interview

While including hobbies and interests on your resume can help you stand out, it is equally important to be able to explain them in an interview. Here are some tips on how to effectively explain your hobbies and interests:

Connect them to the job:  Show how your hobbies and interests have prepared you for the job you are applying for. For example, if you love playing basketball and you are applying for a sales role, you can talk about how this has developed your communication and teamwork skills.

Explain the benefits:  Talk about how your hobbies and interests have helped you grow as a person and develop transferable skills. For example, if you volunteer at a charity organization, you can talk about how this has developed your leadership and problem-solving skills.

Avoid controversial topics:  Be mindful of controversial topics and avoid discussing anything that could be considered offensive or unprofessional. Stick to positive hobbies and interests that can showcase your strengths and qualities.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Including Hobbies and Interests on a Resume

As valuable as showcasing your hobbies and interests on your resume can be, it’s also important that they’re presented in a way that’s relevant to the job at hand. Failure to do so can be detrimental to your chances of landing the job, no matter how skilled or experienced you may be.

Here are the common mistakes to avoid when including hobbies and interests on your resume:

A. Listing Irrelevant Hobbies and Interests

While it may be tempting to boast about every hobby and interest you have, not all of them are relevant to the job you’re applying for. In fact, some hobbies could even be considered a red flag to employers, such as binge drinking, illegal activities, or anything that could be perceived as inappropriate.

Unless your hobby or interest can showcase relevant skills, knowledge or attributes that are useful for the job, it’s best to leave it out of your resume altogether. Keep in mind that employers are looking for qualities that set you apart from other candidates, so it’s important to showcase only the ones that matter in relation to the job.

B. Misrepresenting Hobbies and Interests

Another mistake to avoid is misrepresenting your hobbies and interests. While it’s important to stand out among other candidates, it’s equally important to be truthful about what you enjoy doing outside of work.

It may be tempting to exaggerate or even outright lie about what you do in your free time, but doing so can have serious consequences. Not only could it jeopardize your chances of landing the job if you’re caught, but it can also damage your reputation and credibility in the long run.

C. Using Unprofessional Hobbies and Interests

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is using unprofessional hobbies and interests. While certain hobbies may be enjoyable and fitting for your personality, they may not reflect the kind of image or culture the company wants to project.

For instance, listing “watching TV all day” or “playing video games until midnight” could be perceived as lazy or lacking social skills. Similarly, hobbies that are potentially divisive or controversial, such as politics or religion, are best left out of your resume entirely.

D. Failing to Link Hobbies and Interests to the Job Position

Lastly, failing to link your hobbies and interests to the job position can be a missed opportunity to showcase relevant skills and qualities. Ideally, your hobbies and interests should complement or reinforce your professional skills and experience, making you a more capable and well-rounded candidate for the job.

For instance, if you’re applying for a job in marketing or advertising, listing photography, graphic design, or social media management as hobbies and interests could help demonstrate relevant skills and experience. On the other hand, listing unrelated or generic hobbies and interests, such as reading or traveling, may not add any value to your application.

Tips for Optimizing Your Resume with Hobbies and Interests

Your resume’s hobbies and interests section can be a great way to showcase your personality, passions, and skills. However, it’s critical to optimize this section to enhance your chances of landing that dream job. Here are some tips to help you do just that.

A. Be Specific with Your Hobbies and Interests

It’s important to be specific with your hobbies and interests instead of using vague terms. For example, instead of simply saying “reading” or “traveling,” elaborate on the genres or countries you enjoy exploring. This way, potential employers can better understand your personality and get a sense of your interests and how they might align with the job you’re applying for.

B. Keep It Short and Sweet

While your hobbies and interests are essential, it’s vital to keep this section concise. You want to give the hiring manager a sense of who you are without overwhelming them with information. Stick to the most important and relevant hobbies and interests, and try to keep this section to a maximum of two to three bullet points.

C. Use Industry-Specific Terminology

If possible, try to use industry-specific terminology in this section. This can demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in the relevant field, making you more appealing to potential employers. Research industry-specific jargon and then incorporate it into your hobbies and interests section if it makes sense to do so.

D. Use Keywords and Phrases

Finally, use keywords and phrases that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. This can help your resume get past automated applicant tracking systems (ATS) and increase your chances of ultimately landing an interview. Look back at the job posting or company’s website for clues on what keywords or phrases to include.

By following these tips, you can make the most of your hobbies and interests section and improve your overall job candidacy.

How Employers View Hobbies and Interests on Resumes

Including hobbies and interests in a resume has become a common practice among job seekers. While some employers believe that including these details can help them get a sense of the candidate’s personality and character, others view them as irrelevant or distracting.

In the past, candidates have been advised to carefully consider which hobbies and interests to include in their resumes, as some may be perceived negatively or could potentially harm their chances of getting hired. For instance, including hobbies like watching TV or playing video games might make some employers question the applicant’s work ethic and productivity.

On the other hand, including hobbies that showcase skills related to the job they are applying for, such as volunteering or participating in sports teams, can help strengthen their candidacy. Employers may see these activities as a sign of the candidate’s dedication and ability to work well in a team setting.

It’s important for job seekers to keep in mind that hiring managers have different perspectives and preferences when it comes to evaluating resumes. Some may pay more attention to the applicant’s work experience and qualifications, while others may view hobbies and interests as a way to better understand what motivates a candidate and how they might fit into the company culture.

Ultimately, it’s up to the individual candidate to decide whether including hobbies and interests is appropriate for their specific situation. If they feel that it could help them stand out from other applicants, then they should do so in a way that reflects positively on their character and supports their job application.

In general, candidates should prioritize relevant job skills and experience over hobbies and interests when drafting their resumes. However, for those with limited work experience or those transitioning to a new field, highlighting hobbies and interests that demonstrate transferable skills or a willingness to learn can be a valuable addition to their resume.

It’s also worth noting that hobbies and interests can be useful conversation starters during interviews, so candidates should be prepared to expand on why they enjoy these activities and how they relate to their career goals.

Including hobbies and interests in a resume can have both positive and negative impacts on a candidate’s job search. It’s important to carefully consider how these details are presented and whether they support or detract from the overall message of the application. By highlighting relevant skills and experience, while still providing insight into their personal interests and values, job seekers can increase their chances of success in the competitive job market.

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How To List Hobbies And Interests On A Resume (With Examples)

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Adding your hobbies and interests to your resume shows hiring managers who you are, what you’re interested in, and what you’re passionate about. It can even give them clues about your work ethic and personality. This is especially valuable if you don’t have a lot of work experience or are changing career paths .

It can be tricky to know which hobbies and interests to include on a resume and where to put them, so we’re going to show you how to do that. You’ll also see examples of hobbies and interests on a resume. Key Takeaways

Share hobbies and interests that emphasize your soft and hard skills.

Tailor the hobbies and interests you share on your resume to the culture of the company you’re applying to.

Avoid including hobbies and interests that are controversial, illegal, or dangerous.

How to list interests and hobbies on your resume

When to include a list of interests and hobbies on your resume, examples of interests and hobbies to list on a resume, how to decide whether to include a hobby or interest on your resume, tips for including hobbies and interests on your resume, hobbies vs. interests, resume hobbies and interests faq, final thoughts.

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To list your interests and hobbies on your resume, start by making sure you understand the company and role you’re applying for, then choose hobbies that relate to those and emphasize your skills. Put the hobbies you choose in a bulleted list at the end of your resume.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to including interests and hobbies on your resume:

Research the company . Before you can know what hobbies will be valuable to the hiring manager or recruiter , you have to know what the organization values. Check out the company’s “About Us” page , its LinkedIn profile, and any other public communications the company puts out.

Understand the role. Next, turn to the job description . Pay special attention to the soft skills and personality traits that are listed as essential or preferred within the job requirements section. Then, think of how your hobbies relate to those desired qualities.

Choose hobbies that emphasize your skill set. The hiring manager has already perused your resume’s skills section — now it’s time to further highlight your proficiency with outside-of-work activities that also leverage your skill set. Use your research from the above two steps to inform which skills are most valuable to focus on.

Title a separate section, at the end of your resume. Call this section “Hobbies and Interests” and place it as the last section of your resume. Typically this will come after either your education or skills section.

Make a bulleted list of 2-5 hobbies. Each hobby should be one bullet point and ideally a single line long, so as not to take up too much space. You should list at least two but no more than five hobbies.

Here’s an example of what this looks like:

Hobbies and interests Hiking – Started weekly hiking group to improve fitness. Bass guitar – Play with band at local gigs once a month. Cooking – Cooked through The Joy of Cooking in one year with roommate.

Include a list of interests and hobbies on your resume when you don’t have much experience, when it’s required, or when your hobbies and interests align closely with the job description.

Since no two job openings are the same, it won’t always be necessary (or useful) to include this information on your resume. Here are some examples of instances when you should consider adding interests and hobbies to your resume:

When you have little background experience in the industry, department, or role that you’re applying to.

When you’re just getting started in the job market and you therefore have little to no professional experience at all.

When the job description explicitly requests that job applicants include a list of their interests or hobbies in their job applications.

When the requirements and responsibilities of a given job description align well with your interests and hobbies.

When an employer mentions in a job posting that they’re interested in learning about applicants’ personalities (in addition to their work experience and background).

Okay – now that we have an idea of how (and when) to list your interests and hobbies, let’s now turn our attention to some examples of how they might look on a finished resume.

Here are some examples that you can use as a guide when listing your personal interests and hobbies on your next job application:

10+ years of experience playing violin, with an additional three years of experience playing with a small band of local musicians.

Regularly compete in chess competitions at the local and state levels as a means of sharpening my skills as a strategist and problem-solver.

Passionate hiker and mountaineering guide who has led individuals and groups of all ages to the summits of more than two dozen 14,000-plus-foot peaks.

International travel

Annually plan and organize overseas trips to expand my language skills and my cultural worldview.

Dedicated yoga practitioner with more than five years of experience studying Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga in a group setting.

Founder and sole contributor of the “Denver Food Hub” blog, which focuses on the city’s up-and-coming culinary culture and has attracted more than 25,000 subscribers since its initial launch in 2015.

Volunteering

Regular volunteer at local soup kitchens, food banks, and community shelters, with experience coordinating groups of local volunteers for the annual Thanksgiving 5k outdoor sporting event.

Stage theater

Actor with 4 years of experience producing and performing in stage productions at the local Albrington Theatre.

Long-time hockey player (left winger) with a passion for the sport, and three years of experience as a volunteer coach with the local youth girls’ hockey league (ages 6 to 12).

Photography

Photographer with eight years of experience taking family, graduation, and other portrait photos for clients. Have also had several nature photographs published in local tourism publications.

Foreign language

Studying and practicing Spanish by taking college classes, practicing during my travels to Spanish-speaking countries, and volunteering as an assistant translator at a local hospital.

Create clay vases and bowls and take classes to strengthen my creativity and problem-solving skills.

Compete in biannual team robotics competitions across the country.

Consistently bike 14+ miles three times a week with my local mountain and road biking club.

To decide whether to include a hobby or interest on your resume, you should make sure it is relevant to the job you’re applying for. Before you mention an interest or a hobby on your resume, be sure to ask yourself the following questions:

Is this interest or hobby (or the skills I learn from it) valued within this employer’s workplace culture?

Does this interest or hobby match well with the particular job requirements of the position that I’m applying to?

Will the hiring manager (i.e., the person who will be reading the resume) be familiar with what I’m talking about?

If the answer to each of those questions is “yes,” then go ahead and add that interest or hobby to your list. If the answer to one or more of them is “no,” then you should consider choosing a different hobby or interest that will be more relevant to the purposes of your job application.

Good types of interests and hobbies to put on your resume

Here are a few examples of interests and hobbies that will be useful to list on almost any job application:

Travel. Travel experience conveys a sense of adventure and an eagerness to explore new places, cultures, and ideas. Plus, the ability to adapt and fit into a new environment proves that you have the power to adjust to your new role as well.

Exercise. A job candidate who’s committed to taking care of their physical health through regular exercise can also be depended upon to take care of their professional responsibilities.

Writing for a public audience. A love of writing, particularly when it’s shared with others (as in a blog, for example), demonstrates curiosity, a passion for learning new things, and a willingness to step outside of one’s comfort zone.

Yoga. This practice is gaining huge popularity as a means of maintaining a calm, cool, and collected state of mind within a group setting.

Art (painting, music, drawing, sculpture, dance, etc.). A passion for artistic pursuits conveys creativity and independence, as well as a willingness to be outgoing and to try new things.

Volunteer work . A job applicant who routinely volunteers within their local community can be relied upon to be a strong team player and a compassionate member of the workplace.

Outdoor activities. A job candidate who spends a significant amount of time outdoors usually has strong problem-solving skills and is adventurous and curious, all of which employers value in employees.

Bad interests and hobbies for a resume

In contrast, here are some examples of interests and hobbies that should never be mentioned on a professional resume:

Coin collecting

Watching cartoons

Eating ice cream

Scrolling through Instagram

While these activities aren’t necessarily bad, they don’t convey anything about who you are and what you bring to the table as a professional. Space on your resume should be reserved for information that builds on why you’re the best candidate for the job, and these hobbies don’t do that.

In addition, to avoid giving hiring managers a negative impression of you, you should avoid mentioning any interests or hobbies that:

Involve no interaction or cooperation with other people

Are controversial or polarizing

Could be interpreted as unnecessarily dangerous

Are in any way illegal

Communicate sensitive personal information, such as your political affiliations, religious beliefs, or medical history

When including hobbies and interests on your resume, make sure you’re truthful, avoid controversy, and are specific about the extent of your hobby.

Don’t lie. You shouldn’t lie on any part of your application, but choosing to lie about your hobbies is especially silly. One of the big points of including a section on your hobbies and interests is to establish a connection with the hiring manager. If you’re caught red-handed as a total novice , it could very well sink your chances of landing the job.

Avoid controversial topics. There’s no reason to include hyper-partisan topics in your resume (unless you happen to be applying to a hyper-partisan organization).

Be specific. If you really want to give the hiring manager a glimpse at your life outside of work, it pays to be a bit more specific than simply writing “cooking” as a hobby. Instead, say “Amateur chef working on learning and improving recipes inspired by Southeast Asian cuisine.”

Don’t force it. If you can’t think of appropriate hobbies and interests to put on your resume or simply don’t have room for them, leave them off. Unless you’re specifically asked about them in your application or interview, they’re not a must-have for your resume or cover letter .

Tailor them to the interviewer. We already mentioned the importance of matching the hobbies and interests you choose to share with the company and position, but you can also take this one step further and tailor them to individual people as well.

Keep things concise. The hiring manager reviewing your resume does not need a comprehensive explanation of how you originally took up a hobby or how your skills have progressed over time.

While hobbies and interests are closely intertwined, they’re not exactly the same thing.

Interests are passive and don’t automatically entail participation. For example, you could be very interested in Spaghetti Westerns, but you’ve never engaged in an activity related to filmmaking or critical film theory.

Hobbies require active participation on your part. It’s something that you do for free, during your free time, to have fun. To use the same example, if you actively write screenplays for your own version of Spaghetti Westerns or produce animated shorts that unpack old movies, you’re engaged in a hobby.

Generally speaking, every hobby is related to a more general interest, while not all interests have associated hobbies.

When you include hobbies and interests in your resume, focus on your interests that have hobbies to go along with them. This shows hiring managers that you’re actively growing and learning, not just thinking about it.

Is it professional to put hobbies on a resume?

Yes, it is professional to put hobbies on a resume. This is especially true if you don’t have much relevant work experience.

Just make sure that the hobbies you include relate in some way to the job you’re applying for. This could be a technical skill like photography, or it could be a soft skill like the teamwork or tenacity that you learn in a sport.

How do you write your hobbies and interests on a resume?

Write your hobbies and interests on a resume by creating a section at the end titled “Hobbies and Interests.” In this section, make a bulleted list of two to five hobbies, each with a line describing them and the skills you’ve obtained from them.

Adding a short list of interests and hobbies to the end of your resume is a simple and effective way to stand out from the competition.

When you’re composing your list, remember to limit each bullet point’s explanation to a single sentence, and be sure to only emphasize those details that will be directly relevant to the role, department, and company that you’re applying to.

No matter what industry or field you’re trying to excel in, listing your interests and hobbies in a resume can increase your chances of being invited to a job interview and advancing to the final stages of the hiring process!

University of the Cumberlands – 11 Hobbies That Will Look Good to Future Employers

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Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

Don Pippin is an executive and HR leader for Fortune 50 and 500 companies and startups. In 2008, Don launched area|Talent with a focus on helping clients identify their brand. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Digital Career Strategist, and Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Don guides clients through career transitions.

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40 Interests That Deserve a Place on Your Resume

Updated: January 17, 2024

Published: December 12, 2023

Early in my career, my boyfriend (now fiancé) was helping me write my resume . I asked to see his and noticed he included personal interests. He’s an engineer, so seeing hobbies like basketball and video games stood out to me.

I asked him why he chose to include these, and he said, “I wanted a little more personalization to my resume and want [recruiters] to know me as a person beyond a piece of paper.”

And apparently, he’s not alone. According to a study by Standout CV, one in four people include hobbies and interests on their resumes.

Suppose you’re curious about what interests to put on your resume — and why — this is the article for you. We'll also review the different interests and hobbies that will help you stand out in the job market.

Why You Should Include Interests on Your Resume

40 interests for your resume.

While not always applicable, there are a few scenarios when mentioning your interests and hobbies on your resume makes sense.

Sarah Johnston, founder and CEO of executive resume writing firm Briefcase Coach , says if you choose to include interests on your resume, focus on customization. “We always consider the audience and the relevancy of the additional fun fact to the audience,” she suggests.

Here are a few reasons why you should add your interests to your resume.

1. You can showcase your personality.

The most compelling reason to include interests on your resume is to showcase your personality. Recruiters and hiring managers review countless resumes for every job role. They’re likely reading the same skills and similar experiences over and over. What better way to stand out than to give them a sense of your personality right off the bat?

In my experience, having interests on my resume has led to fun conversations with recruiters and hiring managers. Talking about hobbies was a great way to break the ice (and calm my nerves) before diving into the interview questions.

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2. Interests help with culture fit.

If the company you’re applying to values uniqueness or specific personality traits, interests could help communicate how you’d be a good culture fit.

For example, here’s a job opening for a Senior Merchandising Manager at Tecovas , a direct-to-consumer western brand based in Austin. As a Western brand selling boots and apparel, Tecovas emphasizes its mission of “welcoming first-time boot buyers and Western enthusiasts alike.”

21. Teaching

If you teach classes related to your job role, it could be a good idea to list that on your resume.

For instance, do you teach coding classes during evenings and weekends? This can demonstrate your deep understanding of the role and dedication to furthering the industry.

What we like: An interest in teaching can set you up for a training or teaching role within your company. If you’re interested in pursuing this in the future, don’t hesitate to include your teaching experience on your resume.

An interest in travel can be especially relevant if you work at a distributed company that values journey and encourages its employees to see the world.

Marketing consultant Anna Crowe created an “About Me” section on her digital resume to mention her interest in traveling to national parks.

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Resumes are a place to showcase your professional skills and achievements to the recruiters.

Most resumes consist of your professional experience, and educational background, as this information is crucial for recruiters to select you.

However, the real question is, should you include hobbies in your resume?

If you apply for a software developer job, the recruiter may not care about your "Gardening" hobby.

The idea is to add hobbies and interests relevant to the job. Something that demonstrates your core qualities to the recruiter.

For example, if you've led a team in your college sports, add it to your resume to showcase your leadership skills.

Of course, it's an oversimplified example.

But most companies nowadays want to know your personal hobbies and interests to give you the right work-life balance.

And they get it from your "Hobbies and Interests" section on your resume.

This blog will tell you everything you need to know about hobbies and interests on your resume.

Table of Content:

• What are interests?
• What are hobbies?
• What is the difference between hobbies and interests?
• Why do you want to add hobbies and interests to your resume?

How to List Hobbies & Interests on Your Resume?

• Top 40 best hobbies and interests on a resume?

What Are Interests?

Interests are the topics that fascinate you and help you want to learn more about them. Interests can be broad or narrow, but they're always things that are important to us as individuals.

For example, you might be interested in cars or animals—or maybe you're really into music, archaeology, or modern art. These are all interests! They could also be specific topics within a larger field of study—for instance, if you were interested in classical music but didn't know much about it, learning about classical music would become an interest for you!

What are Hobbies?

Hobbies are fun and relaxing activities you do in your free time. They can be anything you like, from collecting stamps to playing video games.

What are the Differences between hobbies and Interests?

Hobbies are different from interests because they don't require any special training or knowledge to do them. You don't have to have any special skills or be good at something in order to have a hobby.

Interests are more specific than hobbies, usually taking up more time and effort than your average hobby does. Interest could be learning how to play the guitar, reading about science fiction, or even learning how to speak another language.

Why do You Want to Include Hobbies and Interests in Your Resume?

While there are no hard and fast rules, many employers prefer to see hobbies and interests on a resume or CV. A section for hobbies and interests on your resume or CV is often included to show that your interests extend beyond your work and help the hiring manager, interviewer, or employer connect with you personally and professionally.

When done strategically, hobbies and interests on your resume help in showcasing your strengths and soft skills to the recruiters.

You can also consider adding a hobbies or interests section, if:

• If you have limited or no work experience
• If your job responsibilities align with your hobbies and interests
• If you are interested in a new industry

Also Raed: How to write a resume in 2023?

Ideally, the hobbies and interests in the resume should go at the bottom of the resume, only if there's space left there.

If there is no space, you can choose not to add hobbies and interests to your resume after adding all the important sections.

However, if you mention your hobbies and interests on your resume, you need to explain them to help the recruiters understand your points.

For example, it's not enough to add Basketball in your Hobbies section, and you need to demonstrate it by saying something like: "Played in a local Basketball team for a recreation sports league."

Also Raed: How to list key skills in a resume in 2023?

List of 40+ Best Hobbies and Interests on Resume?

Here are an extenisive list of common hobbies and interests on resume:

Indoor Hobbies and Personal Interests on Resume

Only indoor hobbies and indoor personal interests on your resume might represent you as an introvert. This could deem you fit for profiles that do not necessarily require social interaction - coding, writing, etc.

However, some indoor hobbies and personal interests on the resume demonstrate good reasoning and great patience. Achievements in chess and scrabble might reflect highly on the candidate's intelligence.

They are best suited in the fields that involve calculative risk-taking, strategic planning, and analysis.

Quick tip : The unique resume hobby section lists all unique hobbies like coffee brewing, flower arranging, haiku, etc., which can be a double-edged sword. It is best to avoid them on your resume if you're applying for a managerial role that requires business-friendly skills.

However, these skills are suitable for exceptional circumstances wherein you must apply specifically in these areas.

List of indoor resume hobby or common indoor personal interests on a resume:

Also Read: How to add interpersonal skills on resume in 2023?

Outdoor Hobbies and Personal Interests on Resume

Outdoor hobbies and personal interests on a resume exhibit a person's adventurous and risk-taking abilities .

They showcase a person's nature of coming out of their comfort zone and working proficiently under pressure which is essential for administration and leadership positions.

Quick tip : This resume hobbies list might be a huge turn-off for a serious recruiter and work committed in fields like medicine. However, it makes you a good strategist adept at planning and getting the job done.

List of hobbies on a resume or common personal interests on a resume that is conducted outdoors:

Collection Hobbies and Personal Interests on Resume

A collection of hobbies and personal interests on a resume are an excellent way to show that someone has a nature for perseverance and usually indicates an exquisite approach to situations.

These unique hobbies and personal interests on the resume must be listed when the creative aspect of a person is to be highlighted.

You may list these resume hobbies and interests related to the fields like designing, crafting, and specific job profiles related to Human and Public resources.

Quick tip : It may not work well in an independent workspace where a free flow of ideas and thoughts is required. It may be too conservative.

List of collective hobbies for resume and common collective personal interests on a resume:

Indoor Collection Hobbies in a resume:

• Book Collection
• Stamp & Postcard Collection
• Card & Coin Collection
• Video Game Collection
• Movie Collection
• Vintage Collection

Outdoor Collection Hobbies in a resume:

• Antiquities
• Insect Collection
• Flower Collecting
• Seashell collecting
• Fossil Hunting
• Flower Pressing

Competitive Hobbies & Interests

Competitive hobbies and personal interests on a resume display a fierce ability to achieve a goal in a person once it is set.

Indoor competitive resume hobbies list exhibits that the person is very stern and resilient. He is prone to believing in himself more than others.

This is an up point for leading roles as he must believe and be true to himself even when others are not.

Outdoor competitive resume hobbies list subjects a person's taste for teamwork , loyalty , and commitment to your team in times of pressure and adversity. They develop strength and agility in a person.

This is very helpful in areas that pertain to long working hours outdoors. Example : field surveys, site visits, sports trainer, yoga, pilates, dancing, etc.

Quick tip: When combined with people and language skills, it can be great for jobs like sales, where you require interaction with people. Classification of competitive hobbies on resume and common personal interests on resume based on where they are undertaken:

Indoor Competitive Hobbies in a resume:

• Martial Arts
• Weightlifting

Outdoor Competitive Hobbies in a resume:

• Horseback Riding

Observational Hobbies in Resume

Indoor observational hobbies and indoor observational personal interests on resume demonstrate the person's ability to sit and examine.

They can analyze small changes in a secluded environment, away from all the distractions. But they may not be suited for loud work environments.

Jobs that require precision and seclusion like design, coding, planning , etc., are likely to be appropriate for these people.

Outdoor observational resume hobbies list portrays a person's ability to sense the smallest changes in chaotic places.

Outdoor observational hobbies and personal interests on a resume are appropriate for figuring out flaws in the other person's strategy or body language. These people can even favor the outcome according to their whim.

Quick tip: This is an excellent opportunity for a** business analyst, interviewer** and certain finance/marketing job profiles.

List of hobbies for resume or common personal interests on a resume that is known as observational hobbies:

Indoor Observational Hobbies in a resume:

• Fishkeeping

Outdoors Observational Hobbies in a resume:

• Aircraft Spotting
• Birdwatching
• Photography
• Meteorology

Also Raed: How to write different sections in a resume in 2023?

Frequently Asked Questions

1. how many resume interests can you list.

After extensive resume writing research by our professionals, we suggest at most five hobbies on resume be listed authentically.

Mentioning an extensive list of hobbies and personal interests on resume might be an issue as the person may come out to be highly distributive. Having so many hobbies on resume might not resonate well with the recruiter.

It makes you appear erratic, and the recruiter might perceive you as a frequent job switcher. The recruiter might think that you will not be able to deliver your work well. So why risk your application!

However, if you really want to elaborate on your resume hobbies , you might do that in the cover letter. A cover letter provides space and is longer than a 2-page personal resume. It also has room for explaining.

2. What to Do if You Don’t Have Any Hobbies and Interests on Resume?

If you have no hobbies or interests, we have got some solutions to fill out your list of resume interests!

Volunteer Work: You can start with some volunteer work. It is an excellent way to enhance your resume. It is easy to discover and helps in your participation with the community.

You can mention your volunteer work if your resume deals in subjects like medicine, philosophy, psychiatry, etc.

Various volunteer works may include working at an animal shelter home, helping at a vet, a nursing home, an orphanage, a plant drive, a blood donation bank, a blind school, or simply allowing the students in your community with their studies.

3. Can I list False Hobbies and Personal Interests on my Resume?

Including a list of hobbies and resume that are false is a big no-no!

You should not use false hobbies on your resume as bait to fit the recruiter's criteria.

It may come off as a casual attitude and might backfire if they find out later.

Hobbies Section Resume

It can be difficult to describe abstract interests and hobbies in an impactful way. Here's a complete personal interests resume sample containing a separate section for hobbies and interests that might give you an idea:

• Ranked 9th in the Call of Duty World League (CWL) - Black Ops 4 | 2018
• Member, I nternational Game Developers Association (IGDA)
• Member, American Gaming Association (AGA)
• Assisting in redesigning the curriculum for McMillan's Shelter Home for Boys by gamifying difficult concepts as a volunteer teacher at the Make A Difference nonprofit
• Appointed as the Contributing Writer at the Gaming Weekly magazine
• Travelled to 15+ countries in the last 18 months
• Software: Phaser.JS
• Programming Language: HTML5, JavaScript
• Certification in Game Development with Phaser.JS | Codecademy | Jan '19 - Jan '19
• Learn Phaser: Basics | Learn Phaser Physics | Learn Phaser Animations | Learn Phaser: Visual Effects
• Created an action-adventure style fantasy story in Phaser by deploying Click
• Recreated arcade classic: Space Invaders, in the form of Bug Invaders
• Developed a game with scene transitions , animations, and tweens
• Spearheaded a team of 4 to execute social media listening projects including campaign & conference monitoring
• Oversaw finalization of keywords , data extraction & deck preparation by deploying multiple software and tools
• Supervised preparation of final presentations via graphs & pivots to generate quantitative & qualitative insights
• Deployed analytical tools like Radian 6 for gathering data from social media platforms to curate & present insights
• Collated & evaluated data available from online sources like news organizations & multiple social media platforms
• Analyzed the data collated for rendering assistance to clients in designing campaigns for research & marketing
• Formulated 25+ reports for effectively serving ~15 clients to render insights about the product’s market presence
• Conducted research for US-based pharma companies in markets like US, UK , Japan & Europe
• Deployed primary research methodologies by collating data of pharma companies based in the US to perform analysis
• Languages : English and Chinese

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• 1-click design change
• Unlimited PDF downloads
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Key Takeaways

In the end, we believe that you need to ask yourself one question. Is your list of hobbies and interests going to help support the positive qualities I mentioned above?

If not, don’t include them on your resume. It will only take up space, and likely won’t make much of a difference in the eyes of your interviewer.

Here’s how to decide that:

• Look at the job description and see how your hobbies and interests can reflect the required skills
• Don;t just namedrop the hobbies or interests. Flesh out it a bit in single-line bullet format. It will help the recruiter get to know you better.

If you want to add hobbies and interests in your resume, Go to Hiration Resume Builder which has 24/7 chat support and get professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries. You can also write to us at [email protected] and we will make sure to reach out to you as soon as possible.

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Hobbies and interests on resume. List of 40+ good examples.

When it comes to adding hobbies and interests to your resume, there are two distinct schools of thought. Some people are firmly against mixing business with pleasure and believe that your resume should only include professional information. Others think that there are instances when adding hobbies and interests on a resume can actually strengthen your application.

The reasoning behind adding hobbies and interests on a resume is simple. Resumes tend to be very “dry” and adding a bit of personal information can help you show your “human” side and reveal more of who you are.

Today, we are going with the second school of thought. And if you decide to add the hobbies and interests section to your resume, here’s what you should take into account.

Table of Contents

How to choose what hobbies and interests to include in a resume?

So, how do you choose the hobbies and interests that should make it on your resume?

To give the right answer to this question, we first need to establish that the hobbies and interests section on a resume is not just a space filler — it serves a purpose. Your hobbies and interests can reveal a lot about you as a job candidate. This is why it’s essential to put in some thought into what you choose to include on your resume.

What you may want to include as hobbies and interests on a resume directly depends on what type of job you are applying for and what specific qualities you want to highlight. However, if you are looking for some general examples of hobbies and interests that you can add to a resume, here they are.

Here are some good interests to put on a resume:

• Sports (jogging, team sports, yoga, etc.). Including sports as an interest on your resume can show that you are disciplined, goal driven and lead a healthy lifestyle.
• Traveling. This can show your potential employer that you are worldly, adventurous and open-minded.
• Learning foreign languages. This probably needs little explanation, but speaking a foreign language is always a plus when looking for a job.
• Public speaking. This will show the hiring manager that you are a potentially good communicator and have confidence in social situations.
• Blogging. This is another useful hobby to include on your resume as it speaks to your written communication skills . And most employers value writing proficiency. According to LiveAbout.com, there are actually several ways in which blogging can benefit your career.
• Volunteering. If you have volunteering experience, it can often count as work experience. This means you know how to work in a team, achieve common goals, organize the working process — and that you are a proactive member of society. In fact, according to Monster.com , collaboration is one of the top skills valued by hiring managers.
• Club membership. Just like volunteering, being a member of a club is a favorable thing to include on a resume. It shows that you have interests outside of work and are a team player.

List of good hobbies and interests

Here are more examples of interests and hobbies that you can include on your resume:

Team sports (show that you are a good team player and comfortable working with others):

Individual sports (show that you are disciplined, independent and committed):

• Marathon running/jogging
• Martial arts
• Snowboarding,

Creative hobbies (emphasize creativity, mindfulness and imagination):

• Photography
• Meditation,

Social hobbies (showcase your communication and collaboration skills ):

• Board games
• Public speaking
• Language classes
• Club membership
• Volunteering
• Learning about other cultures,

Related: How To Use Your People Person Skills to Land a Dream Job

Job specific hobbies and interests (these could be particularly helpful when applying for a specific position)

• Learning foreign languages
• Video editing
• Programming
• On-going education,

Now that we’ve covered what type of interests are good to include on a resume, let’s take a look at what you shouldn’t add to your resume hobbies section.

Here are some things you shouldn’t include in your resume:

• Controversial interests. Just like you should avoid certain topics at a dinner party, it’s best not to mention certain interests on a resume. The biggest topics to avoid would be politics and religion.
• Hobbies that are irrelevant to the job you are applying for. Once again, make sure that every interest you add to your resume “adds value” and makes you a stronger candidate in the eyes of your employer.
• Interests that may interfere with your work . If you have hobbies that may be considered too risky or time-consuming, it may be best to leave them off your resume. For instance, if you are into extreme sports, your employer may think that this would cause a lot of work absences or make you less reliable.
• Lies. It’s not a good idea to invent hobbies and interests that might make you a more interesting candidate but are simply untrue. These things generally tend to come out — and you may end up feeling nervous and unfocused as you try to keep up the lie.

Where do I put hobbies and interests on my resume?

Hobbies and interests are an optional section on your resume. This means that you can decide whether you want to add this particular section or not. What’s more, you can also edit this section of your resume depending on the job you are applying for.

Generally, the hobbies and interests section should come at the end of your resume, after the Education section. You can also put your hobbies and interests under Additional Information at the end of your resume.

Why are hobbies and interests important on a resume?

There are a number of reasons why you may want to include hobbies and interests on your resume. Your hobbies and interests section can set you apart from the competition and also let some of your personality shine through the otherwise dry and fact-based resume page. The key here would be to include personal interests that showcase your best qualities or make you a more desirable candidate for this particular job.

For instance, saying that you like to watch Netflix shows will probably provide very little additional information about you to your employer — especially if you are applying for a position of a sales manager. On the other hand, mentioning that you are into team sports can hint at your leadership and team playing abilities.

Let’s see when it is generally a good idea to add hobbies and interests on a resume.

• Limited work experience. If you are applying for your first job, you can use the hobbies and interests section to fill in the gaps in your resume. You can use this section to show your potential employer that you are active, curious, easy-going, resourceful and more.
• Your hobbies are relevant to the role. If you have hobbies that are relevant to the position you are applying for, it’s a good idea to include them on your resume. For instance, if you like to work on developing video games in your free time, this would definitely be a welcome skill in a lot of technical positions. Or, if you are a part of a public speaking club, this may look good on a teacher’s resume.
• You are using the functional resume format. There are three main resume formats: the reverse-chronological format, the functional format and the combination format. Learn more about each resume format here . If you go with the functional resume format, you will be focusing on the skills relevant to the position you are applying for. In this case, hobbies and interests may fit very well with your resume as they can complement your skills and abilities relevant to the job you want to get. You can also use this section to emphasize your expertise and passion for the job.
• There is extra room on your resume. A resume should be between one and two pages, depending on how much experience you have. If you feel like there is a lot of empty space left in your resume, you may want to add the hobbies and interests section to have it look more complete.

Related: Detail-Oriented: What It Means and Why It Matters

Hobbies and interests on resume: key takeaways

When properly planned and well written, the hobbies and interest section on your resume can be a powerful tool. It can help you stand out as a candidate and help highlight valuable skills and experience.

The key thing to keep in mind is that each hobby and interest you include should add value to your application and highlight a useful quality that you possess.

As we’ve mentioned above, the best categories of hobbies to add to your resume include the following:

• Team sports
• Creative hobbies (writing, design, etc.)
• Volunteering, mentoring, coaching
• Programming/coding
• Meditation and mindfulness

Make sure to go over the hobbies you’ve included in your resume and ask yourself whether each item you’ve added makes you a better job candidate. If it doesn’t, consider removing it from your application.

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Incorporating Hobbies and Interests in Your Resume

Applying for a new job? You will want to do all that you can to stand out from the crowd. One way to give yourself a competitive edge is to put hobbies and interests on your resume. But how can you get it right, and which interests should you be including?

If you’re not sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. In the following guide, we will be taking a look at the best hobbies and interests to put on a resume. We’ve also got a whole bunch of tips to help you along the way and an example of how to write the section.

Hobbies vs. interests 

Before we delve into the tricky subject of whether to include hobbies and interests in your resume, let’s look at the facts. First up, you need to define each of these things. Luckily, we have you covered. Here’s a quick explanation of both hobbies and interests. 

What are hobbies?

Hobbies – or pastimes – are the activities that you engage in for fun. When the working day is over, how do you relax and get some much-needed “you time?” These may include creative pursuits, group activities, sports, or something niche, such as collecting things. 

What are interests?

Interests, on the other hand, describe things that you find fascinating or enjoyable. Having an interest in a certain subject can be massively helpful in the workplace, especially if you’ve taken the time to research it in-depth over the years. Ahead of including an interest on your resume, you need to consider whether it aligns well with the job at hand. 

Should you include hobbies and interests on a resume? 

You’re thinking of including hobbies and interests in your resume. But is it the right thing to do? Before you get started, ask yourself these three questions:

Would someone checking out your resume be impressed by what your hobbies or personal interests are?

Are they relevant in any way to the job posting you’re applying for?

Are the hobbies or interests on your resume going to help you succeed if you land this position?

If the answer is no to any of the above, you are better off leaving this section out entirely. Sorry to break it to you, but no recruiter is going to hire you over someone else because you like travel or fishing. This isn’t a Facebook profile (or even Tinder!). 

Your resume is a document specifically designed to tell employers and hiring managers why you’re a perfect match for the job. Later on in this article, we’ll show you when it’s a good idea to list activities, hobbies, and interests on your resume.

Choosing the right hobbies and interests to put on a resume

Figuring out which interests to put on a resume can be tough. You may be tempted to whack anything and everything onto your application. However, that is a mistake. 

Instead, you should only include hobbies or interests that have some level of professional relevance and also help show the employer why you’re a good fit for the job.  

To help you along the way, we will share a quick example. Think of things from the employer’s perspective for a minute here. 

Let’s say you’re a hiring manager looking to hire a Web Developer. You are faced with the two candidate profiles we outline below. Which of the two is a better fit for the position?

Candidate A: Hobbies & Interests – Fishing, Playing Guitar, and Travel

Candidate B: Activities & Interests – Blogging on web development, solving complex coding issues, and carrying out volunteer work by helping to develop and maintain a website for a non-profit group.

It’s clear to see that candidate B has the more relevant and effective hobbies and interests. When choosing which interests to put on a resume, they have chosen the ones that best suit the role for which they are applying. This is a good rule of thumb that you can use. 

When you are deciding which to include, think about how they align with the vacancy. By seeing things from the employer’s perspective, you have the best chance of success. 

Examples of hobbies and interests to put on a resume

Are you still scratching your head? You don’t need to be. The hobbies and interests you include on your resume will depend on the role for which you are applying. However, if you’re looking for some inspiration, we’ve got you covered. 

Let’s take a look at some of the best hobbies and interests to put on a resume – and why you should bother. 

Blogging or writing articles on a relevant subject or published writings that are relevant to your industry. If you include this hobby on your resume, always include a link to the publications. That way, the hiring manager can check them out. 

If you’re part of an industry-relevant group or association , e.g., a Member of the New York Web Development Conference, include it here. The fact that you are a member of a group shows that you are dedicated to your career path. Of course, you should ensure that the association is relevant to your field of work. 

Do you take part in any activities that show leadership ? For example, you may have organized and led a non-profit event aimed at feeding the hungry. Whatever the case, now is the time to include this feat on your resume. The hiring manager will be impressed that you are able to show initiative and support groups of people.

Social , charitable , or community involvement will all impress the hiring manager. Showing that you give back to the wider community speaks volumes about your character and your priorities. For example, you may be involved in mentoring for a Big Brother program or volunteering at the local soup kitchen.

Do you speak any other languages ? If so, adding this to your resume may set you apart from the competition. Learning another tongue takes time and dedication – it’s far from easy. The fact that you have gone through that process shows that you are willing to work hard. The language may also come in handy within your position. 

Podcasting is becoming increasingly popular. If you have your own podcast, you need to shout about it, especially if it relates to your industry. You can position yourself as an expert in your field by hosting your own podcast. Needless to say, it takes real time and dedication to record, edit, and publish podcast episodes. 

Presenting skills will always be in high demand. If your hobby or interest sees you standing up in front of a crowd, you should include it on your resume. For example, you might be a singer in a band, host a comedy night, or even deliver talks. This hobby shows the hiring manager that you are not afraid to grab the spotlight. 

Anything else that could be of relevance to the job in question. You can use both hard and soft skills to show an employer you’re the right fit. Consider how your hobbies and interests align with what the hiring manager requires for this role. 

What not to include on your resume

We’ve covered some of the main hobbies and interests to put on a resume here. However, there are some items that you want to avoid including in your applications. 

As we have already covered, this is not a social media profile – it’s a formal application. With that in mind, here are the things that don’t have a place on your resume. 

Irrelevant hobbies . These could include nuggets such as fishing, traveling, or even playing the piano. Unless the hobby relates to the job for which you are applying, you don’t need to include it. Resume real estate is valuable – don’t waste that space.

Political associations. Don’t make the mistake of presuming that the hiring manager will align with you politically. That may not always be the case. Sharing this interest on your resume can backfire faster than you might imagine. 

Controversial issues. In the same vein, you should avoid including anything that is controversial. For instance, if you are a member of a pro-abortion group or a gun rights advocate, these topics can be inflammatory. 

Dangerous/unusual hobbies. Examples might include base jumping, UFC, or sword-swallowing here. While you may be a daredevil in your spare time, you shouldn’t assume that this will wow the hiring manager. The employer is likely looking for a reliable worker, not someone who will injure themselves at the weekend.

Everyday activities. Before you select something for your resume, consider whether it is actually a hobby. Normal things like socializing with friends, listening to music, watching movies, and cooking are not necessarily hobbies. Spoiler: most everybody out there does these same things, and they are unlikely to impress a hiring manager.

Joke hobbies. So, you think you’re a prankster. Your resume is not the time nor the place to show off your special brand of humor. Including made-up, jokey hobbies is never a good idea. Chances are, the hiring manager won’t get the punchline here.

When to include less relevant hobbies and interests

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule when it comes to writing your resume . In this case, there are actually three. Here are the times when you may want to include less relevant hobbies and interests, such as drama or art, on your resume. 

1. The hobby showcases a unique skill

Let’s say that your hobby – while not relevant to the role – sees you flex a certain skill. For example, acting doesn’t align with a PR role. However, it does show that you are comfortable in front of an audience. That could come in handy when you are pitching to clients or presenting. If there is an overlap of this nature, you may include the hobby. 

2. The interest aligns with the company or industry

If the company is affiliated with anything religious or political, showing your similar affiliations might be a good idea. Tread with caution, though, and make sure you definitely know this is the case before adding it in. It pays to do as much research as possible before you do this.

3. Your hobbies prove your work culture fit

Some companies value cultural fit very highly. If you find out that the company you’re applying to has an Ultimate Frisbee team and you’re the captain of your hometown’s recreational team, certainly go ahead and list it. Once again, research is the key to your success here. You will need to become a detective and look into the business first. 

How to include hobbies and interests on your resume

Ready to put pen to paper? If so, you need to make sure that your hobbies and interests section hits the mark. Follow our advice on how to get it right from the offset: 

1. Get the header right first 

First up, you need to make sure that it’s obvious what this section is. Don’t leave anything to chance. You can label this section of your resume:

“Hobbies & interests”

“Activities & Interests”

“Areas of Interest”

“Further Information”

2. Bullet-point your list 

The hiring manager does not want to read a short history of all the hobbies you’ve ever had. Using a bullet-pointed format helps ensure that this section is skimmable for the reader.

3. Add some minor details

Once you have your list complete, the next step is to add a little color. Include information that brings your hobby to life and shows why it is relevant to the role. Here’s an example: 

“Volunteering: 12 years working with Help the Children nonprofit.” 

“Acting: member of drama club, performing in bi-annual productions.” 

Bonus: top 5 expert-backed writing tips

Now that you’re well-versed on what hobbies and interests to put on a resume, it’s time to wrap things up. Before we do that, we wanted to leave you with five takeaway tips: 

1. Ensure your hobbies and interests are relevant

Try to ensure that all or most of your interests and activities are relevant to the job you are applying for. Simply chucking random interests onto your resume won’t do you any good.

2. Keep things short and sweet

The hiring manager doesn’t want to read a whole block of text. Tailor your resume to their needs. Don't go overboard with listing your interests, and aim to keep it to two lines or fewer. 

3. Put them at the end of your resume

Don’t include the section high up on the page. Put your hobbies and interests at the end of your resume, as this is most likely to be the most irrelevant section of your resume

4. Label the section clearly

Make sure you label this section so it is clear for the reader. We have given you a few examples of possible alternative titles to “Hobbies & Interests.” You can also check out this post regarding resume sections and headers , which covers your entire resume.

5. Keep it 100% professional

Don’t mention any sensitive subjects such as politics or gun rights. Of course, you should also leave out any dangerous activities like bungee jumping or sword swallowing.

The takeaway 

To wrap up, the hobbies and interests section on your resume could boost its effectiveness. Keep it relevant and avoid any “fluff.” If you have trouble coming up with supporting interests or activities, follow the advice above, and you should be able to come up with a few.

If you’re still unable to find anything that’s relevant, that’s not a problem. There is no obligation to include hobbies and interests on your resume. Instead, be sure to focus on making the other sections of your resume effective and relevant.

Ready to take your resume to the next level? Check out ZipJob’s free resume review , where you will receive top-notch advice on how to improve your resume for career-nailing success!

Recommended reading: 

7 Resume Headers and Sections You Need (+ Examples)

Resume Format Types: Examples & Which Option Is Best?

How to Write a Good Resume Summary (+Examples)

Elizabeth Openshaw, Editor & Content Writer, Elizabeth Openshaw, Editor & Content Writer

Elizabeth Openshaw is an Elite CV Consultant with over 12 years of experience based in Brighton, UK, with an English degree and an addiction to Wordle! She is a former Journalist of 17 years with the claim to fame that she interviewed three times Grand Slam winner and former World No.1 tennis player, Andy Murray, when he was just 14 years old. You can connect with her at Elizabeth Openshaw | LinkedIn .

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Resume Examples & Samples

How and why put hobbies on a resume [20+ real examples].

Dayana Aleksandrova

Create a Resume in Minutes & Get More Job Interviews

Table of Contents

Why is it important to talk about hobbies and interests, how to tailor interests and hobbies to a job.

• The 4 Main Sets of Hobbies and Interests

Creative Hobbies and Interests

Athletic hobbies and interests, people-oriented hobbies and interests, analytical hobbies and interests, how to connect with a recruiter.

Hobbies and interests are a vital, yet overlooked part of a resume.

When applying for a job, it’s not enough to just flash a perfect resume with tons of experience and brand names. Employers care about you as a whole. What this means is that you have to show them who you are outside of the office through your hobbies and interests.

This is why it is extremely important to paint a clear picture of yourself, demonstrating your passions and values. All successful resume templates include this section.

That being said, not all hobbies and interests are created equal. There are ways to leverage the things that excite you and tailor them according to the company you are applying to.

in this guide, we will teach you:

• Why it is important to talk about hobbies and interests on your resume
• How to leverage your interests and tailor them to the specific company
• The four main sets of hobbies to mention
• What your interests say about your personality
• How to connect with recruiters based on interests

Let’s dive into it. Remember, regardless of which hobbies and interests you decide to put on your resume, you have to be genuine. Don’t pretend to have interests you don’t, because that will make you look like a fraud.

Don't have a resume yet? Head over to our resume builder and create one.

#why-is-it-important-to-talk-about-hobbies-and-interests

Have you noticed how companies often talk company culture during the recruiting process?

Recruiters need to make sure that each employee will fit in with the company culture. This is important, as every successful business needs people that communicate and work well together. People are inherently different and having common hobbies tends to break the ice quicker and over time bring people together.

#how-to-tailor-interests-and-hobbies-to-a-job

It all comes down to research .

The company website gives you everything you need to get the job. You just have to dig and find the key pieces of information that talk about interests and hobbies.

For example, if a boutique hotel lists on their website that they value:

• Honest people with a high level of integrity
• Social butterflies who enjoy travel
• People who will take care of guests like their family
• Those who go the extra mile to make every experience memorable

You can choose to list your interests and hobbies that reflect these values. It would look like this:

Passionate Monopoly player who always wins fair and square.

What does this say? If you like to play Monopoly, you are clearly a social butterfly because the game usually includes a group of at least four people and is very emotionally expressive.

Saying that you won fair and square demonstrates your honesty and integrity without you having to say “I’m honest.”

When listing your hobbies and interests on a resume, you really let them show who you. It’s a subtle and elegant way of painting yourself in a good light.

for example:

Organize meet-ups for travelers in the city, aimed at building new friendships and showing them around town from a local perspective.

This shows that:

• You care to help strangers feel accepted and make friends; this is a great social skill to bring to a job that requires customer interaction for example
• You go the extra mile to find locals from your city and convince them to show travelers around, so that they could have a memorable experience

Given the fact that you are applying for a hotel, mentioning the word travelers is very important. You have to know the audience the company is going for and show your engagement with it.

Step up your game. Have a look at How and Why To Tailor Your Resume to the Job (10+ Examples) .

THE 4 MAIN SETS OF HOBBIES AND INTERESTS

#the-4-main-sets-of-hobbies-and-interests.

While your hobbies and interests may be extremely diverse, there are 4 main categories in which they typically fall. These are:

• People-oriented

We will look at each group individually to see what examples best reflect these hobbies and interests and what skills they convey.

#creative-hobbies-and-interests

What comes to mind when you think “creative” hobbies? Those could be:

• Painting/ sculpture
• Design (websites, clothes, bags)
• Photography
• Videography

Now, what skills do you think someone with creative hobbies would have?

Creative people usually:

• Think outside the box
• Are able to see a challenge from a different angle
• Can make links between two projects that seem totally opposing
• Are good with big workloads, as they get bored easily

If you are applying for a position where problem-solving is one of the main tasks, listing these six hobbies and interests on your resume will be helpful. Same goes for jobs that require someone with a visual understanding of things.

If you're looking for some extra inspiration, have a look at these resume templates .

#athletic-hobbies-and-interests

Athletic hobbies and interests are very important. Why? Because they demonstrate a few key characteristics of job applicants:

• Competitive spirit
• Perseverance
• Desire to win (sometimes at all cost)

What are some athletic hobbies and interests to put on your resume? Take a look at some of the best options:

• Club sports (baseball, basketball, football, swimming)
• Running marathons
• Dancing (competitive; couples)
• Coaching a team
• Hiking, camping
• Doing races - Spartan Race, Mud Run, obstacles

What skills does someone with athletic interests bring to the table?

Sports are no easy task, so someone who lists these interests and hobbies tells the recruiter that they are:

• Can work in a team
• Like to win
• Strong (both physically and mentally)

For example, if you have the motivation to play basketball three times a week at your local court with friends, that shows commitment which tells the recruiter that you are reliable.

If you take time off your day to coach your kids’ middle school football team, it shows leadership and that you are generous with your free time.

If you go on races with obstacles and various physical challenges, that exhibits strength and perseverance. A 10K race through the Irish mud trails is not for weak people, so if you do this for fun, it increases the chances that the company would want you on their team.

If you are a fan of hiking and camping, this shows that you aren’t afraid of the possibility to get stranded in the mountains and that you come prepared ahead of time. Planning ahead is always a useful trait, especially when it comes to company projects.

If you dance, that shows a few things - you have a great coordination and attention to detail; you can follow instructions; you get along with others enough to dance in a couple.

If you do sports, it's always a great idea to have at least one athletic hobby on your resume, so take your pick.

#people-oriented-hobbies-and-interests

Chances are that wherever you apply to work, the recruiter would want to see that you work well in a team and get along with others well.

These are the top hobbies and interests to put on your resume in order to demonstrate your social skills:

• Organize events/ meet-ups/ parties
• Help out at a local homeless shelter
• Teach others (languages, drawing)
• Host dinner parties
• Volunteer to chaperon your kids’ school events
• Like to volunteer as a tour guide in your city

All of these hobbies are very social. For example, if you are someone who likes to organize events, you must do well with groups of people. Events and meet-ups require a ton of coordination, figuring out logistics and doing a fair amount of marketing and promotion.

Having these skills is very valuable for many job functions and industries such as Business, Sales, Hospitality, Education, Travel.

If you like to teach others, this exhibits a high level of patience, dedication, and care. It’s challenging to teach others new skills. For example, very high levels of frustration could build up when you’re trying to teach someone a new language, even if it’s your family.

Showing that you handle yourself well in these situations is key. Volunteer projects always look great on a resume, because you do something and expect no reward in return. This shows character.

If you volunteer at a local homeless shelter, it suggests a role of a community leader and is very likely that you are someone well-respected and selfless. This is the type of person companies want.

#analytical-hobbies-and-interests

While people and leadership skills are very valuable, we must not forget analytical qualities. These are the hobbies and interests that best illustrate your analytical side:

• Master sudoku/ cards/ board games player
• Book club member
• Read philosophy
• Play real-time strategy computer games
• Tutor others in science/ math/ literature

There are many ways to show that you are an analytical mind. For example, if you’re a member of a book club, this shows that you can think about different plots and context and draw conclusions.

The fact that you do so in a group of people shows your social side as well. This is sometimes a factor which analytical people have to pay attention to. Of course, companies would want a smart, detail-oriented employee, but you would not be any good if you don’t communicate.

Reading philosophy is another great hobby. Though a bit less social than book club, it shows that you are open-minded.

If you tutor others in math, science or literature courses, this shows that you like to help others solve problems. This type of character is always a great addition to a team.

#how-to-connect-with-a-recruiter

Connecting with a recruiter is always imperative, but it's not an easy task. The worst thing you can do during an interview (well, besides having a meltdown under pressure), is bore the recruiter to death.

While it’s their job to talk about your professional portfolio and the tasks that the job requires, recruiters are people too - they get tired of formalities. This is why it’s a great idea to do research on the person interviewing you and prepare your most suitable interests and hobbies for your conversation.

LinkedIn is an invaluable resource when it comes to finding out information about someone’s professional history and personal interests. There is even a special section dedicated to it, so do your homework.

If you see that the recruiter shares updates on fishing or hiking, that means that they are an outdoors person. If you can identify with these hobbies, the recruiter will realize you share something in common. AT that moment, you'll stop being a piece of paper, and start being human.

You can casually slip in your love for the mountains when asked how your weekend was. Simply reply that it was great and that you went hiking.

Recruiters like to talk about interests outside of the work place because otherwise, their days can get very boring.

If you see that the recruiter shared a book review on LinkedIn, it may be worth it to read a quick synopsis of the book and mention it. Sometimes, recruiters would ask what book you are currently reading.

This is meant to be something of a “smart” test. Successful people typically read a lot and can always recall what’s on their radar at any given moment. If you admit that you haven’t read books since college, your honesty is more likely to hurt you than not.

Check out what the recruiter likes to read and learn a few things. If they follow magazines and news sites like The Economist, Bloomberg or Entrepreneur, give them a follow and see what updates come up. Chances are that you will find a topic to bond over.

Taking it a step further than LinkedIn, Twitter is the key to your recruiter’s hobbies and interests. This platform is easy to use and lets you send out frequent updates on your activities, as well as share things from the web that are interesting to you.

If the recruiter is interested in travel and constantly shares beautiful photos from England or the Bahamas, talk about your last trip and mention your passion for globetrotting.

Chances are that if you are seriously considered for the job, recruiters will also check out your social media.

Interviews and resumes don’t have to be all work and no play. Don't be shy and talk about your hobbies and interests on your resume. You still should, however, do so strategically.

Begin by finding out the values and mission of your desired company. Then tailor your own interests to theirs.

A key factor here is to keep it genuine . If you say that you love to read but can’t recall the name of the last book you've picked up, this will look bad. If on the other hand, you say that you enjoy travel and you’ve got a great story to pull out of your sleeve, this can bring you major points.

Remember that the hobbies and interests on your resume communicate a message about your character.

If you say that you volunteer to coach your children’s baseball team, this shows leadership and patience. It is much more valuable than you saying “I’m a patient leader.”

Connect with recruiters based on your common interests. Remember that recruiters are people like you and anyone else. They get bored talking about job duties and personality tests all day. Bond with them over your shared love for media, sports or art.

Make sure that your social media reflects your personality by mentioning your interests in hobbies . The best way to see if someone is really into running is to go on their Twitter and see whether they post any 5K race updates or have a bunch of Usain Bolt motivational quotes reposted.

Remember that companies want well-rounded individuals, so take your resume to the next level by adding your hobbies and interests.

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Dive Into Expert Guides to Enhance your Resume

Hobbies and Personal Interests on Your Resume

Should you include them or not?

Whether or not to  write a hobbies section on your resume is an ongoing debate  for many career advisors. Here you’ll find the pros and cons of a resume personal interest section.

When we first learn  how to write a resume , we’re often taught to include some of our hobbies or personal interests but later in life, we find that it seems less professional and are convinced to avoid them at all costs.

So, which is it?

Do we include hobbies on the resume or not?

And if so,  which are the best personal interests to put on a resume?

Read on for a guide with expert  advice on how to write a personal interests section for your resume  and what not to include as well as ideal  hobby examples for all types of jobseekers  to use to make an effective resume which will stand out from other candidates.

DOs and DON’Ts for resume interests

It is vital to keep in mind that a hiring manager will be reviewing dozens if not hundreds of resumes for possibly just one vacancy and can easily get bored of seeing the same  skills and qualifications  over and over which is why adding some interests can be of great benefit, as long as you follow the right guidelines.

DO – The first thing that all candidates must do when  adding a hobbies section to a resume  is to consider at all times that there resume must  represent them as a qualified, suitable applicant to the position and company  in question. That means it is essential to maintain an idea of the company, sector and role you are applying to.

DON’T – The  most important element to avoid throughout a resume  including in the personal interest section is  lying ! In some cases jobseekers may be tempted to fabricate a little white lie thinking it won’t be found out and can only help the application along.

Our resume experts cannot stress enough the  importance of not lying on a resume . It is not worth the risk, even in a less significant area of a resume.

DO – A  must-do to ensure your resume gets noticed  is to show your ‘you-ness,’  think of something unique  that will be memorable but intriguing to the employer, to make him or her want to contact you and have you as part of their team.

DON’T – Another aspect that you  must not include on a resume in a hobbies section  is anything related to  religion, politics or your intimate personal interests . This is a  basic rule of thumb for resumes  and any professional profiles on social networks or job applications.

DO – The aim of  listing hobbies on a resume  is to offer a part of your personality that may not shine through in your academic and professional experience but that can allow the prospective employer an  insight into who you are as a person , what drives you and in turn let them gauge whether you will fit well in their business or not.

Should you include your hobbies on a resume?

So you know what you should and shouldn’t put in a personal interest section but is it really a good idea to include hobbies on a resume?

Lots of human resource and resume experts may maintain that including a  section on your resume detailing your hobbies is perhaps unprofessional  or they see personal interests as irrelevant for a job application, however with the world’s business culture evolving so rapidly, it could end up being the  positive edge you need to convince a hiring manager  to contact you.

Your  resume is your first chance at showing a potential employer what you can offer  their company and that doesn’t just involve your  professional experience  and skills but also your expertise on a range of subjects, your passions and  what makes you a good candidate for the role  they advertise.

If you know you have what it takes to get the job but your  experience is limited , you can  use your personal hobbies in a way that demonstrate your abilities  that make you the appropriate candidate.

The main purpose of  including your personal interests in your resume  is to  stand out from other candidates  in the application process, make yourself memorable to the hiring manager and show them a part of your personality that speaks to them as a human being.

This helps the company or  hiring manager get to know you better as a person  and not just another resume with the skills and qualifications the position requires.

Of course, if you are applying for an  executive-level position in a corporate environment  it may be  more appropriate not to include hobbies in your resume . With each application, the candidate will have to use their own discretion after researching the business culture.

It does  depend majorly on the type of job or company  that you are applying to and all jobseekers should consider their individual profile before adding personal interests to a resume.

Further along the application process, such as  in a job interview or even a cover letter ,  mentioning hobbies could also be beneficial to your candidacy  as discussing personal interests often helps the body to relax and can build confidence to take the tension out of a stressful situation, thus you are able to show a more natural side when answering questions in a job interview.

If you’re still wondering whether or not to  include your hobbies on your resume , why not try out an  online resume builder  to get a clear digital vision of how your resume looks with all the information you need to include and then decide if you want to  show a little of your personal side to the prospective employer  as an extra – you never know who might share your interests!

How to write a personal interest section on a resume

Having decided to include a section for hobbies on your resume, now you need to know  how to write a personal interest section  that will land you the interview.

The  structure of a hobbies section for a resume  is simple as it is not one of the principle areas like the education or work experience sections. It should be a  short list  or simply a few lines indicating the hobby and a  brief descriptive  sentence to explain some aspect of the hobby and it’s relevance alluring to the skills you’ve gained or the knowledge it has given you.

The  hobbies section should be clearly titled  to ensure it is not encompassed with  volunteer work , honors and awards or another of the optional resume sections. It could be simply named ‘ Personal Interests ’ or could include other important facts or certificates that you are relevant to your job application under the heading  ‘Extracurricular.’

This part of a professional, student or  entry-level resume  should be the last thing for a hiring manager to see therefore the  hobbies section should always be put at the end .

It is essential to remember to  list the hobbies that illustrate how your character will harmonize with the company  and their work ethic.

After writing this section, review the  hobbies you choose to include in your resume  to ensure that any meaning construed from them is positive and  speaks of you as a strong candidate for the specific role  and company you are applying to.

How to find good hobbies to add to a resume

Some personal interests are not appropriate for a professional profile and should not be included in your resume. Follow these steps to find  the best hobbies for your resume .

Before getting into  how to write a hobbies section on your resume , you must prepare the  types of personal interests  or pastime activities you will list. The best method for  finding good hobbies to add to a resume  is by researching the sector, company and role you are applying for.

The following steps will show you  how to make a list of the most suitable interests to have on your unique resume :

• Firstly start with the information you have to hand: the vacancy ad and the job description. Find the characteristics that are required or desired for the person specification.  Think of your hobbies in terms of the abilities you have learnt and match them with these personality traits.
• Next you should start your standard research of the company in question by  taking a look at their website , paying special attention to an ‘about us’ or  employee profiles pages . You may find you even share hobbies or passions with one or more of the current staff members.
• Thirdly, check any other  webs or social media sites that the company manages  to find out how they interact with partners, clients and customers. Take note of their  company culture  through their online activities and what they choose to share to be inspired to find similar interests.
• Finally, look up the company on third-party websites, news sites, forums, review sites etc. for extra information which could bring something to your application or even for the interview.

Some of the  best hobbies to include on a resume  are those that help you to develop  transferable skills  which could be beneficial to your sector or position for example blogging for a marketing firm giving you existing knowledge of social media and internet publicizing or team sports for sales positions proving leadership skills or outgoing characteristics.

Tips for adding your hobbies

For a  winning resume with a personal interest section  that attracts attention for all the right reasons, take a look at these  tips for adding hobbies to a resume .

The following expert  advice for including extracurricular interests on your resume  will help you make the most out of a hobby section to  optimize your resume for the industry  and role you are seeking.

• Be honest about your hobbies within reason, do not overshare and do not lie but you can  relate your interests to the company  or position offered.
• Remember to consider the various skills you will have gained through your freetime activities and include these to show your suitability to the role.
• Choose a few, select hobbies that  match the company culture  or work ethic.
• Do not be too specific or peculiar as you want to be able to relate to a variety of people.
• Use your hobbies to demonstrate skills  that you have mentioned in your resume objective or  qualifications summary .

Examples of hobbies and interests to put on a resume

Still struggling to find  good hobbies to put in your personal interest section ? Check out these expertly chosen examples .

As mentioned, it is  ideal to include a variety of hobbies or interests in your resume  if you decide that it is appropriate. The following  examples of hobbies  are optimized to  show certain skills or abilities that will be advantageous to different profiles .

• Individual Sports  such as running marathons, swimming, skiing, tennis, training for triathlons etc. are great hobbies to showcase to demonstrate a person and who likes to challenge themselves and has a strong will power.
• Team Sports  such as football, basketball, baseball, soccer, hockey, water polo etc. are also good examples of someone who already knows how to work well and communicate in a team, persevere for common goals and possibly possesses effective leadership skills in appropriate cases.

Also, sports are a good addition as they are a clear example of being physically fit which is beneficial if it is necessary for the position or if the company is dedicated to the health or exercise industry.

• Technological hobbies  such as video editing, blogging or computing show a clear passion for the IT sector and extracurricular expertise.
• Puzzles or certain game-playing  such as crosswords or chess demonstrate an analytical profile with problem solving or strategic planning skills.
• Social hobbies  such as mentoring, volunteering or being part of a club establish the candidate as a person with interpersonal or communication skills.
• Interests that involve  collecting objects  exhibit passion for a product and an acute attention to detail.

Whether you enjoy translating poetry, designing your own clothes or practising an extreme sport, it might be worth  including your interests as an extra section on your resume  because you never know where it might lead.

This is a  great way to end a winning resume  but if you’re struggling to get started, you could try using a  resume template  to get the basic structure and launch yourself from there. Or take a look at some of  ResumeCoach ’s  guides to writing an effective resume  section by section.

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10 Skills to Put on a Resume That Will Help You Stand Out

Here's how to show you're the best candidate for the job.

When you're looking for a job , submitting your resume is the first opportunity you'll have to make a good impression. What's more, this is the stage at which most employers weed out the vast majority of applicants. Showing that you're competitive is all about clear communication, hiring experts say. Yes, you need to have the skills that employers find desirable—but knowing the skills to put on your resume is just as important in forming your personal brand.

Caitlin Wehniainen, director of business development for the premier staffing agency On Cue Hire , says there are a handful of skills that are considered universally desirable across fields.

"By emphasizing these skills, candidates can not only distinguish themselves from others but also convey their readiness to contribute meaningfully to their prospective employers," she tells Best Life. "At On Cue Hire, we continually observe that these competencies are among the most sought-after by hiring managers across the various industries we serve as a staffing firm."

Ready to transform your resume and finally get noticed? These are the top 10 best skills to include on your resume to ensure your first impression is a lasting one.

RELATED: How to Build a Strong LinkedIn Profile and Dazzle Future Employers .

1 Analytical thinking

In today's corporate landscape, decisions are largely driven by data. This means that analytical thinking—the ability to interpret that data and put it to good use—is indispensable.

"This skill enables you to interpret complex information, identify trends, and solve problems efficiently," says Wehniainen. "Employers value candidates who can bring clarity to data-driven projects and provide actionable insights that drive business success."

2 Writing and communication skills

Wehniainen says that effective communication is the key to any successful team: "Being able to convey ideas clearly and persuasively, both in writing or verbally, ensures that you can collaborate seamlessly with colleagues and customers."

However, there's another facet of communication that you should plan on highlighting on your resume: Your willingness to do it often. "It's even more important in our world of remote and hybrid work," Wehniainen says. "Staying on your email, chat, answering your phone when someone on your team needs something—this is all so important to staying clued into your work environment."

RELATED:  11 Jobs That Don't Require a Degree .

3 Adaptability

Today's work environment is defined by fast-paced change, says David Blake , founder and CEO of Degreed . In 1975, the half-life of a skill was around 17 years. Now, it's closer to two-and-a-half years, he tells Best Life.

Blake explains that historically, "you could expect to learn a skill or trade, go to university, and enter a career that would not look that different at retirement or death, as the world was pretty stable. When you exist in a world where that's no longer the case, it's accelerating the usefulness of our knowledge and skills in many ways, and the half-life of those skills has come down, which means the rate at which we have to learn has gone up," he explains.

Wehniainen agrees that the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and embrace new challenges is crucial in today's rapid-fire work environment.

"Everything in our digital world is evolving at a rapid pace. Being able to learn new skills, adjust, and adapt well is key," she says. "Employers seek individuals who can pivot and remain effective even when faced with unexpected obstacles. Showcasing adaptability on your resume signals to employers that you can thrive in dynamic settings."

4 Foreign language fluency

Knowing a foreign language will also help you stand apart from the crowd—and it may help you get hired even if you won't need that language in the workplace. As a practical skill that could open up opportunities for the company, knowing a second language can also demonstrate a dynamic capacity for learning, cross-cultural interests, and the ability to commit to long-term development.

RELATED:  10 Most In-Demand Jobs in 2024 .

5 Problem solving skills

Lauren Winans , chief executive officer and principal HR consultant at  Next Level Benefits , notes that problem-solving, or "identifying issues and creating solutions," is another essential skill that employers are looking for. One way to feature this on your resume is to highlight specific problems you have solved in past work settings—and to quantify those successes where possible.

"Problem-solving skills are essential for overcoming challenges and achieving objectives," agrees Wehniainen. "Employers look for candidates who can identify issues, brainstorm solutions, and implement effective strategies. Showcasing this skill on your resume demonstrates your proactive approach and resilience in the face of challenges."

6 Specific tech skills

Having hard technical skills like data science, machine learning, cloud computing, photo or video editing, and more could also help you stand out from the crowd of job applicants. Blake says that if you possess these skills, you should always be sure to highlight them prominently on your resume.

Having knowledge of specific programs or platforms is also invaluable to many employers. Be sure to list specifics—for instance, by sharing that you are well-versed in Python, C++, AI programs, or any other relevant tech.

RELATED:  How to Ace Every Common Job Interview Question .

7 Time management

Having time management skills means you'll be a more self-directed employee—and independence is considered highly valuable in the workplace, Wehniainen says.

"The ability to manage time effectively is vital for meeting deadlines and maintaining productivity. Employers appreciate candidates who can prioritize tasks, manage workloads, and deliver high-quality results within set timeframes," she explains. "Highlighting time management skills shows that you can handle responsibilities efficiently and maintain a balance."

8 Emotional intelligence

"Emotional intelligence (EQ) involves understanding and managing your own emotions, as well as empathizing with others," she explains. "This skill is increasingly valued as it contributes to better teamwork, leadership, and conflict resolution. Demonstrating high EQ on your resume indicates that you can navigate interpersonal dynamics with ease and professionalism! People with strong EQ rise the ranks quickly, and employers value this as a soft skill today."

RELATED:  10 Resume Tips to Help Your CV Stand Out, Experts Say .

9 Public speaking

Highlighting your enthusiasm for public speaking will also help set you apart from the crowd. That's because "proficiency in presenting information clearly and confidently" is hard to come by, Winans says.

You can list this on your resume by highlighting past achievements in public speaking. Whether you led your office through professional development or spoke at an international conference, let your potential employer know that you can represent and lead within the organization with confidence and clarity of voice.

10 Anything specific to the position

The hiring experts agree that the most important skills you can include are those that are most pertinent to the job at hand. Take a close look at the listed job description and consider how many of the skills or qualities you possess. Then, tailor your resume to demonstrate that you're the best fit.

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Election latest: Elton John backs Labour and Starmer in general election; Farage told to 'get a grip' on party

Sir Elton John endorsed the Labour Party and Sir Keir Starmer in a video message at a major Labour campaign rally in London. Meanwhile, Nigel Farage has been told to "get a grip" on his party amid a vast racism row.

Saturday 29 June 2024 21:15, UK

• General Election 2024

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• Sir Elton John endorses the Labour Party
• Farage urged to 'get a grip' of Reform UK
• Reform canvasser in PM racism row says he was 'a total fool'
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Even by Reform's standards, the frequency and ferocity of attacks flying out from the party has stepped up today.

We've had complaints going into Ofcom, the Electoral Commission and Essex Police.

The BBC boycotted, Channel 4 reported, and a former campaigner cut adrift.

This tells you more about Nigel Farage's mindset than his decision to suspend three candidates over online posts.

So, five days from the election, will these seemingly rolling controversies shift many votes?

Much like the row over the Reform leader's comments on Russia and Putin, that probably depends on how fully signed up you are to the party’s agenda.

For the diehards, talk of an establishment stitch-up will find sympathetic and supportive ears.

But wavering Tories dabbling with Reform may be queasier about all this talk of racism and a big media conspiracy.

One final point.

A fortnight ago, Nigel Farage demanded to be treated as one of the big players in this election, citing a poll putting him ahead of the Tories.

But with more coverage comes more scrutiny.

You can construct a fair argument that that's exactly what Reform has been exposed to in the last week.

We've also had the results in from a poll carried out by Opinium for The Observer. 

Similarly to the Savanta poll we mentioned in our previous post, it found Labour was still in the lead and Conservatives position remains unchanged. 

However, it found support for Labour hadn't dipped and was still the same at 40%. 

Reform UK were up one point to 17%, the Greens fell three points to 6%and the Lib Dems and SNP remained unchanged. 

 Labour has fallen four points to 38% - the party's lowest share since Rishi Sunak became prime minister - in a Savanta poll for the Sunday Telegraph. 

But, it still holds a 17 point lead over the Conservatives, who were unchanged on 21%, indicating a landslide majority for Sir Keir Starmer. 

"This is our lowest Labour vote share since Rishi Sunak became prime minister, and the Conservatives for their part do appear to have slowed or stopped their downward spiral," said Savanta's political research director Chris Hopkins. 

"However, that's where the good news ends for the prime minister, as if this vote share was replicated on polling day, Labour would still likely have a majority of over 200." 

Here's how some of the other parties did in the poll: 

• Reform UK unchanged on 14%
• Liberal Democrats up one point on 11%
• Green Party up one point on 6% 
• SNP down one point on 2%
• Others up one on 7%

Mr Hopkins said the increase in vote share for the Greens and independent candidates is "notable".

"Not because it will have an impact on this election in any significant way, but could point towards trouble for the Labour Party in government and over the coming years," he added. 

Some 2,092 UK adults were polled from 26-28 June. The comparison is with an earlier poll conducted from 21-24 June. 

Thank you for watching tonight's edition of Politics Hub With Ali Fortescue .

We heard from:

• Mark Spencer , Conservative candidate and farming minister;
• Sir Anthony Seldon , educator and contemporary historian.

And on the panel were:

• Max Wilson , former Labour political adviser;
• Claire Pearsall , former Tory adviser.

Scroll down for all the key moments and highlights - and stick with us here in the digital Politics Hub for the latest political news throughout the evening.

Sir Anthony Seldon is our next guest on Politics Hub With Ali Fortescue .

He has penned a new book entitled '2010-2024: 14 wasted years?', and we ask for his reflections on the Tory years in power.

He says there were some good things, such as in education where standards rose, "aspects of pensions, aspects of science, aspects of the arts, Universal Credit".

But he goes on: "Overall, growth and productivity has been stagnant since the global financial crisis of 2007-8, and if we look at health, if we look at transport, if we look at housing, if we look at the state of defence, if we look at Britain's position in the world - we don't see the different historians and academics who wrote the book... there isn't the kind of significant change in the standard of all those various areas and other that we have tended to see in long periods of Tory government in the past."

He says there have been "some progressive, important, and incremental changes, but overall a disappointing performance, frankly".

"It's hard to think of any period of single-party domination by the Conservative Party that has achieved less than the party's achieved since 2010."

Infighting has been partly to blame, and it is also a party that is "unsure what it believes in" and is "confused", Sir Anthony says.

He also says "the flip flop" of policies and ideological direction has been a problem.

"There were so many opportunities that the Conservative government could have had for consistent and thoughtful policymaking, and it simply hasn't happened."

Despite the "stability" brought by Rishi Sunak and Lord Cameron, Labour is on track for "a very significant victory" on Thursday.

He notes that no party since 1832 have ever won five general elections in a row, and adds: "It is going to be a colossal Labour victory, akin to 1945."

Celebrities endorsing political parties is not a new phenomenon, but Sir Elton John publicly backing Labour today has got people thinking - do they actually help things shift? 

Max Wilson, former Labour political adviser, tells the Politics Hub With Ali Fortescue that endorsements from the famous are a "good thing".

But, he says that they are unlikely to "shift the dial" or increase the number of votes. 

"It is a nice thing to have, but I don't think it is a prerequisite to winning," he adds. 

Former Tory adviser Claire Pearsall feels the idea has "really gone out of fashion". 

"It has sort of slid away over the years... I would be more impressed if it was sort of Margaret from Burnley telling us exactly why she's voting for whichever party," she adds. 

"We're now in the realms of understanding that real people want to see people like them." 

It is the final weekend before the election, and parties have been making the most of it with leaders out campaigning.

Here's where they've been focusing their efforts today: 

Rishi Sunak has been marking Armed Forces Day by meeting veterans at an event near Catterick in North Yorkshire. 

He hailed the "duty, dedication and selfless personal sacrifice" of servicemen and women, before embarking on a community visit in Neasden in northwest London.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey promised to reverse cuts to numbers in the armed forces as he set off on a 1,300-mile battle bus tour from John O'Groats in Scotland to Land's End in England.

The SNP's leader John Swinney has been campaigning in a couple of areas in Scotland, including Glasgow, where he told voters a Labour government is a foregone conclusion.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has been at a veterans' coffee morning in Hampshire, where he has pledged to "lead a government of service" if elected. 

This evening, he has held a rally in Central London - where there was an endorsement from Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish -and a warning that the Tories could still win the election. 

We are now hearing from our panel about the racism row engulfing Reform UK - and the intensification of the Tories' attack.

Asked if the party should have been more on the attack from the start, Claire Pearsall , former Tory adviser, replies: "Yes."

She says it is "unsurprising" that Nigel Farage leading a party on an anti-immigration platform would be "loud, and brash, and against the Conservative Party".

"Why anybody would tip toe round saying 'we need to be nice to him' is absolutely beyond me."

She also notes that this is an election, so "surely you need to go out there and tell everybody why you're the best".

Considering doing a deal with Reform at the start of the campaign was "the wrong approach".

Max Wilson , former Labour political adviser, says the Tories got too close to Reform, with some candidates suggesting at the start of the campaign that Mr Farage could join the party after the election.

"It seems a bit mad to me that in a short campaign, you're actually entertaining the idea that your rival might actually join the party," he says.

He goes on to say that the Tories needed to hold back on Reform because of the party's supporters have, in their view, "strayed from the true faith" - but the comments that have come out over the last few days mean that the Tories can go on the attack.

Ms Pearsall  adds that Mr Farage "whether you love him or loathe him has bought in a sort of dynamism to what was a pretty dull campaign".

She says there needs to be more scrutiny on his policies as well if he wants to be the new opposition and a major political player.

As a former supporter of Boris Johnson, Mark Spencer has been asked if he thinks the former prime minister would be doing a better job than Rishi Sunak in the Conservative's election campaign. 

"I think that's unfair actually," he says, saying that voters understand the "big issues" and the "big challenges". 

He goes on to say that the nation has been "unlucky" with global events, and Rishi Sunak has started to get that disruption "under control". 

Mr Spencer has previously found himself facing criticism for saying people do not care about lockdown parties, which took place during the COVID pandemic. 

Ali asks him how he feels about the comments now. 

He says there were "huge challenges" facing the government at the time, and he's "sure mistakes were made along the way".

The first guest on tonight's edition of Politics Hub With Ali Fortescue  is Mark Spencer, the farming minister.

We start by putting to him that the Tory party seems to be intensifying its attacks on Reform UK and Nigel Farage, and put to him the question that many of his colleagues are asking privately, which is why it didn't happen sooner.

He replies: "I think the mask has slipped a bit, hasn't it, really. And we sort of see what some of these Reform candidates are like, and it must be pretty scary, actually, for people who have heard those comments, who are affected by them - they are pretty abhorrent."

He goes on to say that Rishi Sunak's response was "very powerful", talking about the impact on his daughters of them hearing him being call racist terms.

The minister dodges the question of whether racism in Reform came as a surprise to him, speaking about "how shocking it is that someone in this country judges other people by the colour of their skin".

"In this age, the fact that we're having this conversation is pretty sad," he says.

Ali puts to the minister that some in the party have said they would welcome Mr Farage in the party, and today the party is on the attack.

But he replies that many supporters of Reform "do actually share the Conservative Party's concerns about the Labour Party", adding that "the sad thing is" that voting for Reform would see Labour in power.

His message to voters is that if they want tax cuts, for example, they should vote Conservative.

Warning again that voting for Mr Farage's party would let Labour into power, he says: "I think those who are minded to vote for Reform should stop and think about that, stop and think about what they will deliver and for how long."

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Ind vs Eng Highlights, T20 World Cup 2024 Semi-Final: India End 10-Year Wait, Rout England To March Into Final

India vs england highlights, t20 world cup 2024 semi-finals: the rohit sharma-led side registered a commanding 68-run win over england in the second semi-final..

India vs England Highlights, T20 World Cup 2024 Semi-Finals: Team India advanced to the final of the T20 World Cup after 10 years. The Rohit Sharma-led side registered a commanding 68-run win over England in the second semi-final match at Providence Stadium, Guyana on Thursday. The 2007 champions thus set up a summit clash with South Africa, who outplayed Afghanistan by 9 wickets in the first semi-final. In Guyana, Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav played crucial knocks as India posted a total of 171 for 7 in 20 overs after being invited to bat. India were 40 for 2 in 5.2 overs before Rohit and Suryakumar stitched a solid 73-run stand to bail the side out of trouble. Rohit fell for 57 off 39 while Suryakumar hit 47 off 36. In the second innings, Axar Patel then dented England's chase with figures of 3 for 23 while Kuldeep Yadav also picked 3 for 19. ( Scorecard )

Here are the Highlights of India vs England T20 World Cup semi-final match -

• June 28 2024 01:36 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: India win by 68 runs! Jasprit Bumrah gets the wicket of Jofra Archer. A yorker hits Archer's back foot and umpire has raised his finger. Even a review could not save Archer as the ball has been found to be clipping the leg stump. India have defeated England by 68 runs and march into the final of T20 World Cup after 10 years. facebook twitter Share Link
• June 28 2024 01:26 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: England nine down A good run out from Suryakumar Yadav to get the wicket of Adil Rashid and England are nine down. India are only wicket away from entering the final of the tournament after a 10-year long wait. ENG 88/9 (15.2) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 28 2024 01:22 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: OUT! A miscommunication in running and India are almost through to the final. Jofra Archer got an inside edge on the Axar Patel delivery and the ball ran down to Kuldeep Yadav at short fine leg. Liam Livingstone wanted to take a quick single and Archer also responded to it before selling the former down the river by denying him the rotation of strike. Kuldeep threw the ball to Axar at non-striker's end and Livingstone was caught well short of his crease. ENG 86/8 (14.5) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 28 2024 01:19 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: Asking rate close to 16 Kuldeep Yadav finished his spell with figures of 3 for 19 in his four overs. Ravindra Jadeja then bowled the 14th over of the innings and conceded only 4 runs in it. England need 95 runs in 36 balls. ENG 77/7 (14) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 28 2024 01:14 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: WICKET! Kuldeep Yadav has dismissed Chris Jordan and England are seven down now. India are only three wickets away from entering the final of T20 World Cup 2024. Jordan missed the ball from Kuldeep and that hit his back pad. Umpire raised his finger and even a review failed to save Jordan as the ball was found to be clipping the leg stump. ENG 72/7 (12.2) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 28 2024 01:06 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: OUT! Kuldeep Yadav has cleaned up Harry Brook. Do England now stare at defeat? It might be too early to say this, but the Three Lions are surely in all sorts of trouble for sure. Brook had hit a four through reverse sweep on the previous ball and he attempted another one, but this time Kuldeep dragged his length back and also kept the line of the ball on the leg stump. England need 104 runs in 56 balls. ENG 68/6 (10.4) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 28 2024 01:03 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: India in driving seat India are dominating this game by a big margin at this moment. England's scoring rate is 6.2 runs per over and they need 11 runs per over from this point. The Three Lions need 110 runs in 60 balls. They need a good partnership to make a comeback in this chase. ENG 62/5 (10) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 28 2024 00:54 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: OUT! Sam Curran is out! What a ball from Kuldeep Yadav! Curran completely failed to read it and was caught plumb in front of the stumps. Umpire raised his finger over the LBW appeal but Curran took it upstairs to lose one review for England alongside his wicket.  ENG 49/5 (8.1) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 28 2024 00:51 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: WICKET! Axar Patel has got his third wicket. He is weaving his magic at the Providence Stadium in Guyana. Moeen Ali is his latest victim and the credit of that wicket also goes to Rishabh Pant. Moeen got out of his crease while failing to play the Axar delivery properly. The ball brushed his pad and reached Pant and the wicketkeeper showed good instinct to stump the batter in time. ENG 46/3 (7) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 28 2024 00:41 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: OUT! Another England batter bites the dust and the Three Lions are in all sorts of trouble. Jonny Bairstow missed his drive and Axar's delivery hit his off stump. England are three down inside the first powerplay. They need 137 runs in 89 balls. ENG 35/3 (5.1) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 28 2024 00:37 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: OUT! Phil Salt has been cleaned up by Jasprit Bumrah and India are now bossing this game. It was an off cutter from Bumrah and Salt missed it completely while trying to go for a big shot. England need 138 runs in 92 balls. ENG 34/2 (4.4) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 28 2024 00:32 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: OUT! Big wicket for India and Axar Patel. The spinners has struck on the first ball of his spell. Buttler went for a reverse sweep and the got caught behind. The ball hit his hand before lobbing in front of Rishabh Pant behind the stumps. Buttler departed for 23 off 15 balls.  ENG 26/1 (3.1) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 28 2024 00:29 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: Expensive over! Arshdeep Singh leaked runs as 13 came off his second over. Jos Buttler smashed him for three fours in the over. ENG 26/0 (3) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 28 2024 00:25 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: 8-run over It was turning out to be a good over from Jasprit Bumrah but Jos Buttler showed his class to score a four on the fifth ball of the over. It was a back of length ball from Bumrah and Buttler gave a deft touch to it to pierce the gap between wicketkeeper and short third man.  ENG 13/0 (2) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 28 2024 00:20 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: The chase begins... England have started the chase of 172 runs. Arshdeep Singh conceded only five runs in the first over. He kept both Phil Salt and Jos Buttler in check by bowling some really tight lines. ENG 5/0 (1) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 28 2024 00:05 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: India post 171 for 7! India have got a pretty good total on the board. This track is not that easy to bat on and England need to do really well if they wish to chase this down. IND 171/7 (20) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 28 2024 00:03 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: SIX and OUT! Axar Patel slammed Chris Jordan for a six over the long-on before losing his wicket on the very next ball. India are 170 for 7 after 19.5 overs. facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 23:59 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: 12-run over Ravindra Jadeja smashed two fours in the final over of Jofra Archer. A total of 12 runs came off it. Archer, meanwhile, finished his quota of four overs with figures of 1 for 33. Chris Jordan set to bowl the final over. Here we go... IND 159/6 (19) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 23:55 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: Jordan misses hat-trick Chris Jordan missed in what could have been a second hat-trick of the ongoing World Cup for him. It was a length ball and Axar Patel played it for a single. A total of 15 runs came off the over and two wickets. IND 147/6 (18) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 23:52 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: OUT! Jordan on hat-trick Chris Jordan has got the wicket of Shivam Dube as well and the Englishman is on a hat-trick now. facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 23:51 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: SIX! SIX! OUT! Hardik Pandya smashed Chris Jordan for two consecutive sixes before losing his wicket. IND 146/5 (17.4) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 23:46 (IST) India vs England Live: England keep India in check Only six runs came off Liam Livingstone's final over. He finishes his quota of four overs with figures of 0 for 24. Though he could not take wickets, he managed to keep the Indian batters in check. That sees India's scoring rate staying less than 8 despite the side losing only four wickeys so far.  IND 132/4 (17) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 23:39 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: OUT! Suryakumar Yadav is gone for his individual score of 47 off 36. It was a back of hand slower ball from Jofra Archer and SKY failed to hit it well. He skied the ball before the long-on settled under it to take a good catch. IND 124/4 (15.4) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 23:37 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: Good bowling Liam Livingstone has bowled another good over for England. He conceded only five runs in it. The onus is on Suryakumar Yadav, who is close to his half-century, to keep India going as Hardik Pandya is new to the crease.  IND 118/3 (15) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 23:30 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: OUT! Big wicket for Adil Rashid and England. He has cleaned up Rohit Sharma with a googly. The Indian captain wanted to go for a big one and missed it completely. The ball hit on his stumps. Rohit departed after scoring 57 runs off 39 balls. IND 113/3 (13.4) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 23:27 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: Fifty for Rohit Sharma! Rohit Sharma sweeped Sam Curran's third delivery of the over for a six and raced to his half-century in 36 balls. He then gave the strike to Suryakumar Yadav, who slammed a four through the square leg and then took a single to retain strike. A total of 19 runs came off the over. IND 110/2 (13) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 23:25 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: SIX! That is a beautiful shot from Suryakumar Yadav for a six. Sam Curran bowled it fuller with pace and SKY opened the face of his bat to slice it over the deep backward point. IND 97/2 (12.1) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 23:24 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: Good bowling Only five runs came off Adil Rashid's third over. He bowled with good improvement. Both Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav failed to time the ball properly while trying to go for big shots in the over. IND 91/2 (12) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 23:20 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: SIX! A much-needed six for India! Liam Livingstone tossed it up and Rohit Sharma slammed it down the ground for a big six. Nine runs came off the over. IND 86/2 (11) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 23:17 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: FOUR! A full toss from Adil Rashid and Suryakumar Yadav sweeps it away for a four through the fine leg region. The next ball is also a short one but Rashid smartly kept the line of the ball well outside off stump. Eight runs came off the over. IND 77/2 (10) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 23:13 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: Good over this is! England get an advantage of this start stop. Both Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav were careful in the over and Liam Livingstone smartly bowled a four-run over. India's scoring rate is 7.67 at the moment.  IND 69/2 (9) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 23:10 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: Players walk on the ground The England players have already walked into the ground. Rohit Sharma is also going inside, Suryakumar Yadav is already waiting for the captain there. Liam Livingstone is ready with the ball in hand. Here we go... facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 23:03 (IST) India vs England Live: Match to restart at 11:10 PM IST The umpires were done with inspection and they decided that the match should be restarted at 11:10 PM IST. Suryakumar Yadav is walking down the stairs with his batting helmet in hand. facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 22:48 (IST) India vs England Live: Inspection underway Umpires are inspecting the ground. The sun is out but some areas of ground are still wet. A lot of sand is being used to make things better. Umpires are having a thorough inspection and India head coach Rahul Dravid is also out there, closely observing the different areas of the ground. facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 22:33 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: We have new inspection time The umpires are still there on the ground, inspecting the conditions. But another inspection is set to take place at 10:45 PM IST. Meanwhile, the sun is out and shining over the Providence Stadium in Guyana. facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 22:14 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: Rain stops It has stopped raining at the moment and the umpires are out there for an inspection. The square is still under cover. The umpires are out there with umbrellas in hand, but folded. The sun is out and the super sopper is in action. facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 21:58 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: Important imformation The match will lose overs from 12:50 AM IST (June 28). We have enough time, but the rain has also intensified at Providence Stadium, Guyana. facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 21:54 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: Rain stops play The rain has returned and it is heavy this time. The players are forced to go back to their respective dugouts and covers are being placed. England would not be unhappy with this as the duo of Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav were going really well. IND 65/2 (8) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 21:51 (IST) IND vs ENG Live: SIX! A fuller ball from Chris Jordan and Suryakumar Yadav goes across the stumps and plays his famous 'Supla' shot for a six over the fine leg fence. SKY then takes a single before Rohit Sharma misses the ball outside off stump. 10 came off the Jordan over. IND 65/2 (8) facebook twitter Share Link
• June 27 2024 21:48 (IST) India vs England Live: 9-run over Adil Rashid started with a nine-run over as Rohit Sharma smashed two fours in it. While the first one came through a reverse sweep, the second one came via an excellent sweep shot through the deep backward square leg region. IND 55/2 (7)  facebook twitter Share Link

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Two wars and nervous allies: Biden and Trump may spar over foreign policy in the first debate

WASHINGTON — Foreign policy is supposed to be a specialty of President Joe Biden, but in the debate Thursday with Donald Trump, he could easily find himself thrown on the defensive.

Two wars began on Biden’s watch, an opening for Trump to argue that despite Biden’s ample experience and global contacts as a former senator and vice president, the world seems a more dangerous place now than when Trump left office, some foreign policy experts argue.

It’s a simple argument that obscures many of the complicating realities of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s war with Hamas. Biden assembled an international coalition that kept Russia from marching straight into Kyiv, and he supplied needed weapons to Israel after Hamas’ surprise attack on Oct. 7.

Twice he put himself in jeopardy by traveling to war zones in Kyiv and Tel Aviv.

Yet in a 90-minute debate defined by rapid-fire questions and snappy retorts, Biden may find it difficult to muster a persuasive response in real time.

Follow live updates on the Trump-Biden presidential debate

Anticipating what Trump might say, Richard Goldberg, who was a national security official in his administration, said: “‘The world is on fire today. It wasn’t on fire when I was president. My policy was peace through strength.’”

One way Biden might try to parry arguments along those lines would be to pivot to a time in Trump’s term when his own aides feared he would pull out of the NATO alliance and weaken European governments in the face of Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s expansionist intentions, some experts said.

“It’s a tricky debate for Biden on foreign policy,” said Lewis Lukens, who was a U.S. diplomat for 30 years and is now a senior partner with Signum Global Advisers.

If he were advising Biden, Lukens said, “I would stress that Trump’s approach to the world makes the world less stable and not more stable. The challenge for Biden is that the two wars that are now going on weren’t going on when Trump was president. Trump will just say, ‘Look at the evidence; you’re wrong.’”

Foreign policy is seldom front and center in presidential races. In this case, though, Trump’s possible return to power could realign the post-World War II order.

He has made plain his personal regard for some of the world’s autocrats, including Putin, Xi Jinping of China and Kim Jong Un of North Korea.

At the same time, Trump has disparaged leaders of democratically run countries in Europe. Since he left the White House, he has gone so far as to threaten not to come to their defense unless they meet their financial obligations to NATO.

“To say that Europe is distressed about the possibility of a Trump victory would be massively understating the case,” said Leslie Vinjamuri, director of the U.S. and Americas program at Chatham House, an international affairs think tank in London. “They’re terrified here.”

Appearing before the United Nations in 2018, Trump boasted of his administration’s accomplishments, eliciting laughter from some in the audience.

All of that arms Biden with a trove of material that Trump may have his own troubles deflecting.

“Trump would destroy the trans-Atlantic alliance that has protected the peace for 80 years,” said Jeremy Bash, who was chief of staff at both the CIA and the Defense Department during Barack Obama’s administration. “He would capitulate to Putin. He has explicitly said that he would end the war [in Ukraine] in 24 hours , and the only way you can do that is to yank the rug out from NATO and withdraw American support from Ukraine.”

One issue likely to come up at the debate is the war in Afghanistan. It cuts both ways for Biden. He pulled U.S. forces out in 2021 and ended a 20-year-old conflict that had grown unpopular at home. But the withdrawal led to a tragedy at the Kabul airport: A terrorist attack killed 13 U.S. service members helping with the evacuation.

Biden can argue that he was simply abiding by a peace agreement that Trump had forged in 2020. That argument may fall flat, though, given the chaotic scenes at the airport as his administration executed a withdrawal.

"Trump's answer on almost any foreign policy question with respect to something bad that's happened is that it wouldn't have happened if he were president," said John Bolton, a national security adviser in the Trump White House who later had a falling out with Trump. "That, of course, is an unprovable point one way or another."

As for Afghanistan, Bolton continued: “What Trump will focus on is the debacle at the Kabul airport. He would say, ‘I could have done better.’ It’s another of those unprovable claims. But he’s just going to assert it.”

The debate will test both men’s capacity to deliver their lines in succinct, memorable fashion. Neither speaks with particular fluidity when they are not reading from a script. Given pervasive concerns about Biden’s age, he may be under more pressure than Trump to deliver a commanding performance.

“The Democrats need to be able to count on President Biden to be able to pull this off,” Vinjamuri said. “And if the debate doesn’t go well, people are very concerned that it’s getting to the point where it’s too late for the Democrats.”

Peter Nicholas is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.

The Supreme Court strikes down Biden's student-loan forgiveness plan, blocking debt relief for millions of borrowers

• The Supreme Court struck down Biden's student-loan forgiveness plan.
• It ruled that the relief under Biden's current plan is illegal and cannot move forward.
• Student-loan payments are scheduled to resume in October.

The Supreme Court has officially ruled that President Joe Biden's student-loan forgiveness plan is illegal and cannot move forward.

On Friday, the nation's highest court dealt a devastating blow to Biden's plan , announced at the end of August, to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for federal borrowers who are Pell Grant recipients making under $125,000 a year, and up to $10,000 in student debt for other federal borrowers under the same income cap.

It ruled that the HEROES Act of 2003 , which gives the Education Secretary the ability to waive or modify student-loan balances in connection with a national emergency, was not the appropriate law to carry out this relief and therefore cannot be implemented. It did not, however, strike down student-debt relief entirely, meaning there's still room for the president to pursue an alternate route under a different law.

These rulings were long-awaited. In November, two conservative-backed lawsuits succeeded in pausing the implementation of Biden's debt relief plan , just one month after applications for the loan forgiveness opened up. One of the lawsuits, Biden v. Nebraska, was filed by six Republican-led states who argued the debt relief would hurt their states' tax revenues, along with the revenue of student-loan company MOHELA . And the other lawsuit, US Department of Education v. Brown, was filed by two student-loan borrowers who sued because they did not qualify for the full $20,000 amount of relief. 

This decision came in two separate rulings. The high court ruled that the plaintiffs in one case US Department of Education v. Brown, did not have standing — but the second case, Biden v. Nebraska, prevailed and had standing to sue on behalf of student-loan company, MOHELA.

Many Democratic lawmakers — and the Biden administration — have long maintained confidence in the legality of broad student-loan forgiveness. After the relief was paused, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona extended the student-loan payment pause through 60 days after June 30, or 60 days after the Supreme Court issued its final decision on the legality of the relief, whichever happens first. He said in a statement at the time that "callous efforts to block student debt relief in the courts have caused tremendous financial uncertainty for millions of borrowers who cannot set their family budgets or even plan for the holidays without a clear picture of their student debt obligations, and it's just plain wrong."

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"We're extending the payment pause because it would be deeply unfair to ask borrowers to pay a debt that they wouldn't have to pay, were it not for the baseless lawsuits brought by Republican officials and special interests," he said.

The Education Department confirmed interest on student loans will resume on September 1, with first payments for borrowers due in October. However, the debt ceiling bill Biden recently signed into law included a provision suggested by Republican lawmakers to codify the end of the student-loan payment pause , meaning that Biden cannot further extend the relief in connection with COVID-19. While the law allows the president to implement another extension should a future emergency warrant it, it ensures student-loan payments will resume this year no matter what.

"In spite of our opponents' best efforts to sabotage our work to support student borrowers , we are fully committed to helping borrowers successfully navigate the return to repayment with the pandemic now behind us," an Education Department spokesperson told Politico.

But some Democratic lawmakers and advocates aren't so sure. Reps. Ro Khanna and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have been among the Democrats who have publicly pushed Biden to extend the pause should the Supreme Court strike down the broad debt cancellation.

"Resuming student debt payments in the middle of an affordability crisis is unconscionable. President Biden needs to deliver on his promise to cancel student debt," Khanna wrote on Twitter.

Ocasio-Cortez previously said in an interview with Politico that it's "very important the administration has a plan that is an actual response in the event of" the Supreme Court overturning student-debt relief. 

"Is the president prepared to re-administer the loan forgiveness program? And I think this is the most crucial question," she said. "Or do they just take whatever it is laying down and say, well, it's canceled. We're not going to do anything else... That, to me, is going to be a major, major, tipping point."

It's unclear at this point what will happen next for borrowers. Democrats will likely push the president to pursue in alternate route for debt relief — some have floated using a different authority under the Higher Education Act — but it looks like borrowers will soon resume payments without the reduction to their balances they were hoping for.

Watch: Supreme Court strikes down Biden's student-debt relief plan

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