Help me answer this application question please! Hobbies & Interests?

[ChickenGotLegs]

Got made redundant last year after 13 years in the same job so back to job hunting, probably the worst time for it too!

I'm currently on the hobbies and interests section and i'm struggling on how to word it. I don't really have many so i'm trying to make these sound more exciting than they probably are! They are DIY, Gardening and computers.

I just don't know how to flesh them out to sound more.....exciting? interesting?

Is these anything else that i should add that sound good? i don't play sports, don't play any instruments. i'm not a member of any clubs either.

Can anyone help me please?!

What type of jobs are you going for as that would affect the wording I’d put in there?

When youngest computers, what do you mean exactly? Do you build them, write programmes, design websites? Give more detail.

And DIY and gardening are fine. I think your hobbies make you sound a practical, hands-on person - which is very useful in all sorts of jobs.

I'm not sure why you need to add more really. I thought the interests section was only supposed to be brief. If you want to add more what about reading? Any sports/exercise?

Agree with Gymsloth - not sure why you would need to expand anymore, unless you were an Olympic athelete or something, which is going to be quite niche and unexpected.

DIY, Gardening and computers - sounds fine to me. Often recruiter will use your interests and hobbies as conversation starters to relax you at the beginning of an interview.

Are they specifically asking for this information or are you following a CV guide?

I don't think hobbies are relevant and would be wary about the corporate culture of an organisation that asked as part of a job application.

I didn't know this was still a question. I wouldn't overthink it.

Yes, sounds fine to me. I don't think recruiters pay very much attention to hobbies and interests, unless you put down something really bizarre.

You could maybe make them sound more relevant to the post you are applying to by adding a little detail about why you like these hobbies ?

e.g '' I enjoy gardening in my spare time. Planning the design, researching which plants will work and doing the work required to achieve the desired end result, gives me a sense of personal satisfaction.''

''I enjoy computing as learning new software and keeping abreast with new design graphics (or whatever it is that you actually do) helps keep my existing computer skills relevant as well as learning new skills''

''I am a very practical, hands on person, so I enjoy the challenge of doing my own DIY ''

etc etc ?

@ ChickenGotLegs

I decided to tag you as I see it's been a couple of days since you posted, and I didn't want yo to think you'd had no more replies

And good luck with the job hunt ! (see my proper reply above)

updownroundandround Your tag of Chicken won't work because you've left a space between the @ and the name. It needs to be all one - @ChickenGotLegs - it will then bold and tag the poster. Hopefully Chicken will get the tag I have just done.

I once wrote sport, listing lots of sports I was supposedly interested in thinking it would demonstrate that I'm a team player, fit and healthy which was a complete lie. At interview (civil service) I discovered that the panel were sports mad and asked me about some sport that was on TV. I lied and said I was playing in a badminton tournament that weekend so hadn't been able to watch and seemed to get away with it as I got the job anyway. My tip would be if you are going to lie make sure you have a practised story for interview.

@LApprentiSorcier

Thank you (an IT person I ain't, lol )