Traditionally placed at the end of the CV, the short section on interests (or “Hobbies”) is often overlooked by candidates. However, it should be taken care of as much as the others because it is an excellent opportunity for recruiters to remember you.
It allows recruiters to know your personality, your tastes, and what makes you an interesting candidate. Sometimes even to discover an interest that could be useful for the targeted job...
So if you don't know how to do it, or if you're afraid of being boring, this article will teach you how to fully exploit the Interests section to stand out from the crowd!:
- 5 reasons to choose your hobbies and interests wisely
- Hobbies to put or not to put on your CV (examples)
- How to present your interests on your CV
- 10 CV examples that highlight your interests
5 reasons to choose your hobbies and interests on your CV
Recruiters usually receive a very large number of applications for the same job offer. Out of 100 applications, only a small number will be selected to be invited for a job interview.
Whether he likes it or not, more subjective criteria are imposed on the recruiter once the first scan of the candidates' profile has passed. So all means of standing out are welcome , especially if you have an atypical background ! Interests can contribute to this.
Here are the benefits of mentioning your hobbies on your CV:
- Valorization of key skills for the position (soft skills). Example: 10 years of piano at the conservatory = rigorous and disciplined candidate. Or team sports that value team spirit.
- Show direct interest in the position you are applying for (hard skills). Example: you are a fan of rock music and you are applying to manage this department at FNAC.
- A great way to remember the candidate in a mnemonic way. Example: during her studies, a candidate had organized a circus to liven up the open days! Elephant, trapeze artists, clown, etc.
- Creating a positive image of yourself or your personality. Example: “Cooking: I make really good soups!” Behind the tone of the sentence, we can already see a sparkling and original candidate.
- Leave a good memory at the end of the job interview. Indeed, it is often the last topic of conversation to be discussed. And who knows, you may have a common passion with the employer?
What to put as a focus on a resume? (examples)
How to find your interests?
Many candidates feel guilty about not having “intellectual” hobbies or interests like piano, literature, or theater. If this is you, rest assured because most candidates are just like you.
First of all, what is an interest? It’s actually quite broad. It’s all your hobbies, passions, interests, and activities, whether they’re daily or not.
To help you, think back over what you have done in recent days, weeks or months that you enjoyed. This could be a trip, a sporting activity, an outing...
It is important that an anecdote can be linked to it, because the recruiter may ask you the question.
List of Interests to Put on a Resume (50 Examples)
Some interests are more valued than others. For example, if you have a passion, mention it!
Here is our list of hobbies to enhance your profile with recruiters:
- Cultural hobbies : reading, traveling, painting, sculpture, writing (novels, short stories), museums, music (listening), films. Cultural hobbies have the advantage of highlighting your open-mindedness and curiosity.
- Artistic activities : scrapbooking, music (practical), dance, photography, cooking, painting, sculpture, pottery, writing, sewing, blogging… Beyond creativity and a sense of aesthetics, these activities highlight rigor and precision.
- Sports and well-being hobbies : player or captain in a team, referee, supporter, president or member of a sports association, meditation, yoga, runner (trail, 10km, half-marathon, marathon or ultra/tri-athlete). Sport highlights discipline, team spirit, tenacity and competitiveness. But also a good life balance.
- Tech/geek hobbies : video games, cosplay, coding, high-tech, website creation and other projects. Very interesting for the IT sector, it is about highlighting a passion rather than a hobby. Video games are rather poorly perceived unless it goes further than playing the console (testing, contribution, content creation, etc.).
- Interests related to volunteering : volunteering, sponsorship, humanitarian trips, community involvement, fundraising projects, outreach, etc. Being a volunteer in an organization or association will necessarily be well received by recruiters, especially if the values of generosity and mutual aid are at the heart of the company you are applying to.
💡 Good to know
Get inspired by our complete guide to learn how to make a good CV and highlight your interests, whatever your passions or projects. More than 300 professional CV templates of all types are available to give you ideas.
What hobbies should not be included on a CV? (list)
Not all interests are good to highlight, regardless of the context. For example, just because you're applying to be a bartender doesn't mean you should mention your passion for parties and alcoholic beverages.
To help you out, here are some examples of hobbies that are best left unmentioned :
- all activities related to politics,
- activities related to religion,
- hobbies that may scare the employer because they represent a danger or convey a bad image (gambling, extreme sports, video games, etc.),
- divisive hobbies like hunting, which can offend people who don't like them.
How to present your interests on your CV
Choose hobbies according to the position you are seeking
Generally speaking, the hobbies you mention should be relevant to the position you are applying for . In fact, saying that you love reading if you are applying for a position as a manager of a household appliance brand is not very interesting.
So here are some examples of jobs and hobbies that can be linked:
- Team captain for a manager position, to show your leadership qualities.
- Marathon runner for a sales position, to demonstrate your will and tenacity.
- Photography for an art director position where aesthetic sensitivity is important.
- Art (museum, exhibitions) for a Strategic Planner position (curiosity and open-mindedness).
- Writing for a journalism position, to highlight your writing skills.
How to describe your interests well?
The goal of the Interests section is to present yourself in life as you are: someone interesting, who is interested in many things, or who may be passionate about something in particular. There are a few rules to follow to avoid becoming boring quickly.
First, keep it short. No need to show off all your interests. We recommend that you only talk about the 4 most significant ones at most so as not to overload your CV.
The ones you choose to bring up must therefore be of particular interest to the position you are applying for. And it must also be a pleasure to discuss them during a possible job interview .
Next, specify your hobbies and forget the standard names like “Cinema”, “Music”, “Restaurants”, “Cooking”, “Reading”, “Arts”, “Sports”, etc.
- Restaurants : Bistronomy? Gastronomy? A recommendation?
- Cinema : French? Asian? Independent? Your favorite director?
- Music : French variety? Bossa Nova? What preference?
- Travel : Africa? Asia? Round the world? What is your favorite destination?
- Indian cuisine ? Vegetarian? Do you have a specialty?
- Reading : detective novel? Philosophy? Your favorite author?
- Contemporary art ? Modern? Which artist in particular?
- Sport : Muay Thai? Football? How long have you been practicing?
Even if this forces you to be too reductive in your hobbies (because you really like sports in general for example), don't worry. Being specific in the interests that you mention will add a real plus to your CV! And it will be a happy excuse to develop this subject during the job interview.
Don't try to impress at all costs
The employer may ask you questions about your hobbies during the interview and if you are unable to answer them or it seems that you have exaggerated the reality, it may be detrimental for the rest of the interview.
Be yourself. So only mention on your CV real passions and for which you have a real commitment.
The interests section should be as well-crafted as the rest of your resume. While it may be tempting to embellish or invent passions that fit with the position you're applying for, refrain from doing so!
And if you really can't think of any interests to mention, it's better to drop this section than to force yourself to find something to say.
Interests should be something that you will enjoy presenting to the recruiter. Like a good memory that you will leave them with before saying goodbye…
The differences if you apply in France or abroad
Interests and hobbies often appear on resumes. But like most personal information that we mention on our resume (date of birth, marital status, driver's license, etc.), our passions are not required to appear on the resume and it is up to each person to decide whether they want to do so or not.
In France, mentioning your interests on your CV is very common, even systematic. These allow you to add a personal touch to your CV and reveal a little more of your personality in order to stand out from other candidates.
Like any section of your CV, interests should be written carefully and you should think about how they are an asset for the position you are applying for. This way you will be prepared for possible questions in an interview!
If you are applying to a foreign company, however, the wording and objective of the “Hobbies” (or “Miscellaneous”) section is not at all the same. You will have to stay focused on promoting your professional profile.
🚀 To learn more, discover in this article how to write a perfect CV in English .
Examples of resumes that highlight interests
Do you have your list of interests ready? Now it's time to include them in your resume. To make sure you don't make a mistake, we offer you the 10 best resume templates that highlight your hobbies !
1. The convincing CV template
In this modern and professional CV template, interests are highlighted by rectangular and contrasting pictograms . No need for text, the relevance of the drawings is enough to arouse the recruiter's interest!
📥 Download our convincing CV template
2. The flowery CV model
In addition to a neat and original appearance, the flowery CV template highlights your hobbies differently thanks to progress bars . Indicated in the last section of the CV, on the left, your hobbies are ranked by importance thanks to the score you give them.
📥 Download our Flowery CV template
3. An attractive CV template
Clear and professional, the attractive CV template takes the codes of the curriculum vitae and brings them a breath of modernity . Thus, hobbies are indicated at the end of the document in a well-defined section. They are summarized this time in a sentence, introduced by quotation marks.
📥 Download our Attractive CV template
4. An Elegant Resume Template
As with the rest of the resume, the interests section is highlighted by a clear title and touches of color . In list form, your hobbies stand out thanks to level bars that indicate your preferences and activity level.
📥 Download our Elegant CV template
5. Our young CV model
The interests section of the Young CV template presents hobbies with bold titles , with the possibility of a very short description or the addition of a visual. In this example, we find a world map that catches the eye and highlights your passion for travel.
📥 Download the Young CV template
6. The graphic CV template
In order not to fall into an excess of originality, the graphic CV template offers a classic section for hobbies that compensates for its worked design. This section, clear and concise, allows you to integrate two passions and describe them.
📥 Download the Graphic Resume Template
7. An artistic CV template
The artistic CV template offers a more personal and creative view of interests . The “Hobbies” section is highlighted by a bold title and the addition of elegant pictograms. A short description allows you to detail your passions.
📥 Download the Artistic CV template
8. An atypical CV model
In the atypical CV template, a large place is given to your interests. The section allows you to integrate two hobbies, separated into two different boxes and highlighted by bold titles and black pictograms. A short description is possible.
📥 Download the Atypical CV template
9. A nice CV template
With this beautiful CV, your examples of interests are highlighted with elegance . Many hobbies can be added in the last section of the document and are illustrated with evocative pictograms.
📥 Download the Pretty CV template
10. The Work CV template
In this very professional template, offers a clear and airy section with several examples of hobbies for CV. At the bottom of the page, on the right, they are presented in the form of pictograms with a round frame. A title can be added for more details. For example, by specifying "world tour" under the travel tab.
📥 Download the CV template for work
