Hobbies and interests on a CV

[IAmALazyArse]

Gosh the parts of applications with:
"What are your hobbies and interests?"
question.

Talk to me about your hobbies and interests. What skills do they help develop? How do you put them on a CV? And do you actually mention the skills you gained or further developed thanks to the hobby or interest?

I ma gardening enthusiast... That's kind of it? I am ashamed🙈

Watching sport
Playing sport
Films

If they want to hire a 39 year old with the mentality of a 15 year old I'm quids in...

I never put mine on. I think it's a super-weird question, unless you're applying for your first ever job and you don't have anything else to talk about.

Team sports say something about being able to work in a team, pursued interests talk about focus and determination. Gardening.. patience and perseverance?

My career adviser recommended to put something specific down that will show a desirable trait. Also include a detail so that you are memorable.

For example, instead of "I enjoy sports" you can say "I was a member of sports club x for 5 years" - which shows commitment, dedication and loyalty. Or instead of "I enjoy reading" you can say "I love to read, my favourite author is x because of y". (Showing you can think for yourself and make a reasonable argument.)

I put ‘running, theatre and blogging’ and at least 2 always get a mention.

No never. Unless you are 22. Looks tragic, sorry.

I'm genuinely interested to know what kind of jobs you are applying for? I've applied for lots of jobs over the past 15 years, both professional roles and casual temp work, and can't recall ever being asked this question as part of an application.

But if it's part of an application instead of cv, what do you put?

No one cares about your hobbies.

Seriously, I used to read up to 100 cvs a week to shortlist them. Couldn't care less if someone likes cycling or playing piano.

It would make me think you didn't have enough of a professional / work life to talk about.

I thought these are not as important, but I am changing a field and in the new one it seems they are quite important as there was a specific part of an application which had massive word count just for these😮

I have no hobbies😭

Re read your op. I've never come across an application with that question. Are they school leaver type jobs?

Looking at trainee positions if it makes any difference

Oooh maybe this is the perfect application section for all the mysterious MN “my husband’s hobby” people?

If they ask about it on the application, sure, put something interesting. You like gardening, but what specifically and why? Maybe you are really into cacti or something unique, winter veg, or whatever.

On a CV, no, not unless you are 18 and going for your first job. I think I'd get laughed out the door in my field if I told them about my hobbies (no one has ever asked!).

Oooh maybe this is the perfect application section for all the mysterious MN “my husband’s hobby” people?

😂

You like gardening, but what specifically and why

I do like to grow veg and I am creating wildlife friendly garden.
I sound like a boring fart🙄

To be fair, I was employed more based on my interests and hobbies and they reckoned I’d fit in well with the team

If it's a trainee position then I imagine the hobbies section is there to allow people to talk about non-work activities that demonstrate transferable skills such as teamwork, creativity, presentation/performance, etc.
Gardening does take planning, patience, discipline, learning from evidence, research....

I would concentrate on your skills; the skills you have learnt over the years through work or outside support roles (clubs you might run, charities you've volunteered for etc.). Re-read the application and if it asks about specific skills and knowledge, make sure you give STAR example of those skills.

I'm never interested in your hobbies when reading a CV, I want to know your skills and work history (this is for unskilled roles)

Thank you all!
I was quite surprised by it tbh. I do have great work history too.

only worth mentioning if you are doing something interesting and / or possibly relevant. Don't lie and make up things! Matching the kind of hobby with the personality required for the job can't hurt too much.

things I have seen and were at least a good talking point on recent cvs:
-studying a foreign language (if genuine!)
-sport when at a competitive level (you would think that takes away from the job, but it's strangely the opposite), or when coaching and volunteering around it.
-things you follow through: writing (and you have something published, even on kindles), music (that you 've been playing for x amount of years)

reading when it's only chick lit, "traveling" when you have been on an AI in Spain, or "meeting friends" is a desperate answer.

Many of the CVs even for senior roles still have that section, but people use that to boost their cv or as a talking point. It's not impossible that some of their hobbies were originally chosen for that, but maybe not...

Oh yeah. I remember when socialising was an acceptable hobby to put on a CV...

I remember when socialising was an acceptable hobby to put on a CV..

if you were going for a role for outgoing personality, you could jazz that up with an "organising x event for x charity" --sounds better than going on a pub crawl with your mates

Sacrificial goat killing
Cannibalism
Things like that

I wouldn't bother with any hobbies on your cv though

How about "Mumsnetting"?