Hobbies that look good on a CV

[LavaAttack]

If you were looking to employ someone, what sort of hobbies or extra curricular activities would impress you the most?
Would any put you off the applicant?

I'd probably avoid swinging...although might put it down meaning trapeze skills but see if they bring it up 🤣

Honestly, I don't really care what people do outside work. What I am interested in is whether they can do the job.

Putting hobbies on a CV would put me off.

The only ones that are really worth putting on IMO are those where you have some formal responsibilities eg coach, trustee, committee member. Possibly team sports if the job requires teamwork.

None unless it’s an entry level job for school levers and they have been a junior coach etc.

Potentially something like chair, book keeper might interest me if those skills are needed for the role but again would need to be fairly junior.

I'd include application forms and interview answers to the list.

Don't know what you mean @Titasaducksarse

Is this as an adult or a school leaver with little/no work experience?

Hobbies don't go on CVs anymore. You may want to look at modern formats of CVs for starters.

An adult, school leaver, university graduate - anyone really @Acc0untant, it's hypothetical.

Do you have an example? @ivegotthekeyivegotthesecret

I agree with others, once past first / graduate jobs I wouldn’t include hobbies on a CV as it feels like filler. Unless perhaps it was very relevant e.g. an outdoors brand and you have conquered lots of mountains / a scuba brand and you have your diving cert etc, to show genuine affinity with the brand’s values. Otherwise, I think it’s quite old fashioned to include hobbies.

Well then hypothetically speaking unless I was a 15/16 year old school leaver I wouldn't put hobbies on there at all.

They're completely irrelevant for hiring managers when it comes to adults. University graduates should have something better than a hobby to put on their CV. School leavers/teens are the only ones who can get away with it in my opinion, other than that it looks juvenile.

Whatever you do, avoid writing "I enjoy watching films and socialising with friends and family". That's like admitting you just veg out when not at work. I don't really care, but why advertise it? 🤣

@Acc0untant There's usually a space for it on application forms, or used to be at least (I'm old!).
If the question, what do you like to do for fun outside work? was asked, some replies would be better than others!

I’ve personally never put hobbies on a CV. It’s the sort of thing I’d only really expect of like someone under 20 with no real work experience.

In that case, I’d want to see hobbies related to the job. If it’s for a lifeguard and you’ve swam the English Channel. Or if it’s for a retail job in a yarn shop, it would be great to see you love crochet, I guess.

In my experience doing recruitment, we aren’t allowed to make decisions based on anything other that qualifications for the role, so probably these things would be removed before we even saw the CV. We would never ask anyone about what they did outside of work.

I never give them a second glance tbh

Agree with all those who say it’s not relevant and no one really cares about it on a cv. But if pushed for something, I’d say to include something that is ideally relevant to the role (eg mountaineering if applying for role of outdoor gear shop manager). Or, something that shows long term dedication (eg sport, playing in orchestra/band), something that shows a lot of community spirit (scout / guides leader, running community group). Or, something unusual and memorable but not laughable (unusual instrument or sport, but not eg tiddlywinks).

How about something involving firearms? Bad or good?

I've never seen it on an application form, certainly not in the last 15 years of applying for jobs.

I would never include it on a CV but if asked in an interview that would be different!

Historical re-enactment?

I dont put hobbies on CV, its about my career not my private life

Ok, probably best move away from the CV question...How about hobbies or interests a potential partner could impress you with and those you'd find off-putting.

Companies tend to like active hobbies (like sports, running etc) to show you are healthy, and also have a high energy level

And group activities to show you can function socially & have friends so can de-stress

Depending on the job, something showing being socially responsible (scouts, school governor or similar) might be a positive - as long as its not a long hours job

Offputting: hobbies that interfere with the job or are mainly drinking or v solitary

I would not put on CV but am asked at interview from time to time

HTH

Some application forms , my workplace 🙄 have a hobby section on their form. If I’m recruiting I generally only glance at it, and we might discuss it if there is something amazing stated. If it’s just general sports, baking, reading true crime etc we take no notice. Kind of ticks the normal person box. If you said you were an Olympic skier I’d ask more about that so don’t exaggerate would be my advice.

If I ask that question in an interview (and usually I only do so for more junior positions where the candidate may not have a huge amount of work experience) I'm not really arsed about what the hobby actually is, but rather that they are passionate about something, shows interest in it etc.

The generic "shopping with friends" or "going out with family and friends" etc doesn't mean I won't hire the person but it's much more boring. Most people enjoy those sorts of things.

I had a young lad out of university interview for a junior role with me and he said he loves train spotting. I couldn't think of anything more boring (if I was to try something) but I really admired the passion and commitment he had for it.

I've been asked in interviews before and at one I explained I was trying to watch every film on the "IMDB top 100 films ever made" list and at the other one a few years later I was working my way through reading every novel by Stephen King. Nobody is expecting you to have the world's best hobby.

^ if you have to lie/embellish the truth to attract a partner its not going to work! you need to focus on meetign someone who likes you for who you are!