19 Simple Hobbies To Put On A Resume to Make It Look Great

Last Updated on January 2, 2022

Whether you are a fresher out of college with little or no experience, whether you are making a career shift to a different field, consider what hiring managers mean when they ask this question: What are your hobbies and interests? Sounds easy. Doesn’t it?

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But you may go on babbling on about your passion for baking, cooking, or even walking your dog. However, hiring managers are interested in getting a good picture of who you are to see if you are a good fit for the job.

This is why it is important to know which hobbies to add to your resume or CV. Hobbies that showcase your relevant skills and strength and pass you off as a more interesting and well-rounded person and a suitable candidate in their eyes.

In this article, I have carefully selected the best category of hobbies to put on a resume to help you stand out to hiring managers and land your dream job.

Remember employers spend millions of dollars to train their staff to learn new skills to help them perform better at their jobs. If you list any of these hobbies on your resume you become very valuable. For example, according to CNBC, Amazon spent over $700 million to train over 100,000 employees to help them work better.

19 Best Examples Of Hobbies To Put On a Resume or CV

Computer hobbies to put on a resume

Your ability to use the computer to perform basic and advanced processes makes you seem very intelligent. It is a true fact! People generally consider computer geeks or nerds as smart. Why? because most people abstain from doing the hard stuff and computer are kind of a little bit complicated. Here are some of the technical skills to add to your CV to get you hired easily.

MS Office Skills

Most if not all companies want employees who are proficient in the use of Microsoft programs. All tasks and processes are done using those programs and having those core skills can really make your resume stand out. They show a candidate who is comfortable in the use of programs that are popular on the job market such as the ability to make presentations, process bulk documents, and also organize and manipulate large amounts of data.

The MS Office Suite of programs are:

Microsoft word
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft One Note
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Access

Even if you lack experience, with these unique skills you can cultivate in your free time, landing your dream job can become very easy.

Web development

The ability to develop websites shows that you have a comprehensive list of skills that you can bring to the table to help the organization achieve its goals.

Developing websites requires strong numeracy skills, high creative ability, excellent problem-solving skills, high attention to detail, and the ability to communicate effectively with others. Hiring managers find these skills essential to the needs of the company hence you make a good fit for them.

Blogging

Blogging involves writing and writing is a valuable skill to have at work. Every employer wants employees who can express themselves very well.

So, if you have a blog you post on frequently without any grammatical errors or offensive content then feel free to add this skill to your resume.

Photo Editing

The job you may be applying for may be on the same page with this hobby but it makes you are the more interesting and well-rounded person in the eyes of the HR professional.

This hobby shows that you have a keen eye for detail, organizational skills, and the ability to communicate your ideas effectively.

Coding

Coding requires attention to detail, critical and computational thinking which are really effective skills for the workplace. Persons with such skills are very valuable and will contribute a lot to finding creative solutions to problems. They are very productive assets to a company.

Active hobbies to put on a resume

If you are considering looking for a job that demands the use of your hands then this category of hobbies should not be discarded. Hiring managers in these kinds of companies are very much interested in those kinds of activities.

Weight Lifting

Endurance activities like weight lifting show your ability to withstand difficult activities and push through taxing moments. Hiring managers will find this hobby an interesting one.

Yoga

Yoga involves determination and focuses concentration. Yogis, according to research are able to keep cool during difficult times and can keep a clear head even when those around them are hot.

Employers see those traits and know that you can handle their customers even when they are angry.

Collection hobbies to put on a resume

Collectors are dedicated and focused individuals who have the patience to see through with any task they set for themselves. They also have the ability to sort through large amounts of data and make meaning out of it.

Here are some collecting hobbies to consider.

Coin collecting

If you happen to apply for a job that requires determining the worth of things at a glance then coin collecting can really spell a lot about you to a hiring manager. Coin collecting also requires extreme patience and dedication to finish a task.

You can easily start this collecting hobby by focusing on United States coins even if you are not a resident of the united states of America. You can collect Wheat Pennies, Lincoln memorial cents, flying eagle cents, or Indian head cents for starters. You will find them in coin rolls or even your Grandma’s stash.

Stamp collecting

Collecting stamps as a hobby helps you to develop keen attention to detail and the ability to organize and catalog information on the go.

How you manage a collection reflects your ability to manage common tasks as well.

Book collection

Collecting books as a fee-time activity reveals a personality that loves to learn and find connections between seemingly unrelated ideas. Most people collect books to the general feel of a particular genre. This teaches them to have a better picture of what they are looking at. This is a very valuable skill to employers.

Social hobbies to put on a resume

If you a more of the sociable type you have a big chance of getting jobs which includes meeting a large number of people and even leadership roles in the company. This is because you feel comfortable among people. This list of social hobbies will help guide you.

Traveling

Travelling makes you a more interesting person. A person who likes to mingle and communicate with others. Even if you are a solo traveler, be sure to add that detail.

Volunteering

Participating in community events and helping others show that you can work well within a team and they have strong leadership skills.

People who volunteer do not only work well with others but can also bring up ideas to ensure the success of any project they are currently working on.

Club memberships

Employers really appreciate an individual who loves to be part of a group.

If within the club, you hold positions like president, organizer, or treasurer, include that information. It will help you stand out to the one interviewing you.

Artistic hobbies to put on a resume

These categories of hobbies require thinking out of the box to find problems and create solutions to solve them. Creativity is Key!

Painting

You don’t have to be a professional painter or apply for a painting-related job to add this hobby to your list. Just by adding the successful projects, you have done with this hobby shows that you can see through with your tasks.

The painting also takes time so being able to successfully complete three to four projects shows you are excellent at timekeeping and can be relied upon.

Sewing

The use of a sewing machine to stitch materials together makes you very creative in the eyes of a hiring manager. When you start sewing you can’t but help to learn how to manage projects and if you provide services for others manage customers very well.

This creative ability is sure to impress your employers.

Interior design

Designing your own space teaches you how to be creative, think critically about your decisions, how to style your designs, and also how to manage your space effectively. These kinds of skills cannot be easily taught and employers know that.

So, having these skills is a green light for you and plus for them making you a more valuable addition to their staff.

Investigative hobbies to put on a resume

Hobbies in this domain are demand a lot of creativity and problem-solving skills. Hiring managers are very much interested in them. Companies are built to solve problems so they look for candidates who can solve problems in more ways than one.

Crossword Puzzles

Mental stimulating activities like puzzles highlight your ability to take on difficult tasks and find ways to solve them.

Learning a new language

Having a new language in your stockpile of hobbies can really elevate your resume to high levels. It shows an individual who is willing to learn new things and keep up with current trends in the industry they working in.

Also, employers prefer multilingual employees because they operate in an international environment. They deal with customers from different backgrounds and so having employees that can communicate effectively in more languages is a plus for them. You will not only land the job but earn a better salary than your colleagues.

Board games

Board games involve strategy and critical thinking skills. Having such a hobby listed on your resume will make you pop out of the page. They come in different types, from party, strategy, war and all sorts of genres.

Simple ways to improve and create a job-winning resume

Despite your hobbies, to a really effective resume, you need other ingredients to make it spicier for your employers. Here are some simple tips to help you optimize your resume to deliver a more effective punch.

Add effective keywords to make you a better candidate. Recruiters look for certain keywords on a resume that spells a lot abo their personality. For example, instead of using
Use action verbs that will catch the eye of your hiring managers. For example, use words like operated, organized, headed, or executed if you want to show you led a project. For when you saved time and money using words like decreased, conserved and reduced. Also, when you supported customers use words like advised, educated, and informed.
Don’t stuff up your resume with unnecessary words. Make it lean with easy-to-read words and phrases. Only add information when relevant. For instance, don’t add loads of references when just a couple or three may do. Also, avoid words like “an” or “a” to make your sentences clearer and crispier.

Writing a compelling resume has never been easy. To make it easier on yourself learn how to write a powerful resume with this book— Modernize Your Resumé: Get Noticed…Get Hired by Master resume writers.

Or check out this resume writing video guide and you will be on your way to crafting powerful resumes.

Conclusion

Every company is interested in employees that can bring the best skills to solve problems using creative solutions. Having these hobbies listed on your resume will really give you a boost even if you are a newbie from college with little to no experience.