Resume Hobbies and Interests: What to Include, What to Skip, and When They Matter

The hobbies and interests section is one of the most debated elements of resume writing. Some career advisors say to skip it entirely; others argue it humanizes your application and creates connection points with interviewers. The truth lies somewhere in between—and depends heavily on context. Here’s how to make strategic decisions about including personal interests on your resume.

The Core Question: Should You Include Hobbies?

When Hobbies Add Value

You’re Early in Your Career Recent graduates and young professionals often have limited professional experience to fill a resume page. Strategic hobbies can demonstrate skills, leadership, and character that haven’t yet manifested in work history.

The Interest Relates to the Role A software developer who contributes to open-source projects, a marketing applicant who runs a popular blog, or a financial analyst who actively trades stocks—these hobbies directly reinforce professional qualifications.

The Company Culture Values Whole Persons Some organizations, particularly startups and culture-focused companies, genuinely care about who you are outside work. Research the company to determine if they appreciate this information.

You Have a Notable Achievement Running a marathon, publishing a novel, or reaching a significant milestone in a competitive hobby demonstrates dedication, goal-setting, and perseverance—all transferable qualities.

It Creates a Connection Point Interviewers are human. If your hobby creates common ground or an interesting conversation topic, it can help you become memorable among equally qualified candidates.

When to Skip Hobbies

Space Is Limited If you’re struggling to fit relevant professional experience on one page, hobbies should be the first thing cut. Your work history and skills matter more.

You’re a Senior Professional Executives and senior leaders typically have extensive professional accomplishments that speak for themselves. Hobbies can seem trivial at this level unless they’re extraordinary.

The Industry Is Very Traditional Finance, law, healthcare, and government positions often prefer straightforward professional documentation. Hobbies can seem unprofessional in these contexts.

The Interests Are Generic “Traveling, reading, and music” tells employers nothing meaningful. If you can’t make your hobbies interesting and specific, they’re not worth including.

Interests Could Create Bias Political activities, religious involvement, or controversial hobbies might create unconscious bias. While discrimination based on these factors is illegal, impressions form nonetheless.

What Makes a Hobby Resume-Worthy?

Demonstrates Relevant Skills

Leadership:

• Team captain for recreational sports league
• Board member of community organization
• Scout troop leader or youth mentor

Creativity:

• Furniture building or woodworking
• Music composition or performance
• Photography with published work

Technical Skills:

• Building computers or electronic projects
• Developing mobile apps as side projects
• 3D printing and design

Communication:

• Podcasting or content creation
• Public speaking through Toastmasters
• Writing for publications or personal blog

Shows Dedication and Achievement

Generic mentions fall flat. Specificity and achievement make hobbies compelling:

Weak: “Enjoys running” Strong: “Marathon runner—completed 4 marathons including Boston”

Weak: “Likes chess” Strong: “Competitive chess player—rated 1800 USCF, regular tournament participant”

Weak: “Interested in cooking” Strong: “Amateur chef who has completed French culinary certification courses”

Creates Cultural Fit Signals

Some hobbies signal values that align with company cultures:

Team-Oriented Culture:

• Team sports participation
• Community volunteer work
• Group music (bands, orchestras, choirs)

Innovation-Focused Culture:

• Side projects and entrepreneurial ventures
• Tinkering and making
• Emerging technology exploration

Wellness-Focused Culture:

• Fitness activities
• Mindfulness practices
• Outdoor pursuits

Provides Conversation Starters

Unusual or interesting hobbies give interviewers something to ask about:

• Competitive hot air balloon racing
• Urban beekeeping
• Vintage video game collection and restoration
• Long-distance hiking (completed the Appalachian Trail)

These create memorable impressions and comfortable interview moments.

Categories of Hobbies to Consider

Sports and Fitness

Stronger Options:

• Competitive or team sports (shows teamwork, commitment)
• Endurance events with completions (shows goal-setting, persistence)
• Coaching or refereeing (shows leadership, communication)
• Less common sports (memorable, conversation starter)

Weaker Options:

• Generic “working out” or “fitness”
• Extreme sports that suggest risk-taking (depending on role)
• Solitary activities without notable achievements

Examples:

• “Captain of recreational soccer league—led team to division championship”
• “Triathlon finisher—completed 3 Olympic-distance events”
• “Volunteer youth basketball coach for community league”

Creative Pursuits

Stronger Options:

• Activities with tangible outputs (artwork, writing, music)
• Published or exhibited work
• Skills that transfer to professional contexts
• Teaching or instructing creative skills

Weaker Options:

• Generic “art” or “music” without specificity
• Purely consumption-based interests (watching movies, listening to music)

Examples:

• “Watercolor artist with work exhibited in local galleries”
• “Fiction writer—published short stories in literary magazines”
• “Guitar instructor—teach 10 students weekly”

Intellectual and Learning

Stronger Options:

• Language learning with achieved proficiency
• Certifications or courses completed for personal growth
• Active learning communities
• Knowledge applied in interesting ways

Weaker Options:

• Generic “reading” or “learning new things”
• Passive consumption of documentaries or podcasts

Examples:

• “Currently learning Mandarin—HSK Level 3 certified”
• “History enthusiast—volunteer docent at Civil War museum”
• “Active participant in machine learning study group”

Volunteer and Community

Strong Options:

• Leadership roles in volunteer organizations
• Consistent, long-term commitment
• Causes related to company values or industry
• Quantifiable impact

Examples:

• “Board member for local Habitat for Humanity chapter—coordinate 15 build days annually”
• “Weekly volunteer tutor at after-school literacy program”
• “Fundraising chair for American Cancer Society Relay for Life—raised $50K”

Technical and Maker

Strong Options:

• Projects with demonstrable outcomes
• Skills that complement professional work
• Open-source contributions
• Building or creating tangible things

Examples:

• “Home automation enthusiast—built smart home system using Raspberry Pi”
• “Open-source contributor—maintain documentation for Python packages”
• “Restore vintage motorcycles—completed 3 full restorations”

Formatting Your Hobbies Section

Section Placement

Place hobbies at the bottom of your resume, after:

1. Contact information
2. Professional summary
3. Work experience
4. Education
5. Skills
6. Certifications (if applicable)

Hobbies should never compete for space with more important content.

Section Titles

Options for naming this section:

• Interests
• Hobbies & Interests
• Personal Interests
• Additional Information
• Activities & Interests

Avoid overly casual titles like “Fun Stuff” or “About Me.”

Format Options

Simple List:

INTERESTS
Marathon running (completed 4 marathons) | Chess (USCF rated 1800) | 
Open-source software contribution | Volunteer youth basketball coach

Brief Descriptions:

INTERESTS

• Marathon running—completed Boston, NYC, Chicago, and Marine Corps marathons
• Competitive chess—active USCF member, 1800 rating, regular tournament player
• Open-source contributor—maintain documentation for popular Python libraries

Integrated Format:

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Interests: Marathon running (Boston Marathon finisher), competitive chess (USCF 1800),
open-source software contribution
Languages: Spanish (conversational), learning Mandarin

Length Guidelines

Keep this section brief:

• 2-4 interests maximum
• 1-2 lines total
• Short descriptions only when they add significant value

What to Avoid

Generic Interests

Skip these unless you can make them specific:

• “Reading” → Instead: “Book club organizer—lead monthly discussions”
• “Travel” → Instead: “Solo backpacker—visited 25 countries across 5 continents”
• “Music” → Instead: “Jazz saxophonist—perform monthly at local venues”
• “Movies” → Instead: “Film festival volunteer—assist with programming for Sundance”
• “Cooking” → Instead: “Competitive BBQ cook—placed top 10 in regional competition”

Controversial Topics

Proceed with caution:

• Political activism or affiliations
• Religious activities (unless applying to religious organizations)
• Polarizing causes
• Activities that might suggest risk-taking that concerns employers

Misleading Claims

Never exaggerate hobbies. If you list “avid golfer” and the hiring manager invites you to their weekly foursome, you’ll need to actually play golf.

Inappropriate Content

Never include:

• Drinking or partying references
• Gambling (unless applying to that industry)
• Activities that suggest poor judgment
• Anything you wouldn’t discuss in a professional interview

Industry-Specific Guidance

Technology

Tech companies often appreciate:

• Side projects and personal coding
• Open-source contributions
• Gaming (especially for gaming companies)
• Tech community involvement
• Hackathon participation

Finance

Conservative approach recommended, but these can work:

• Competitive individual sports (golf, tennis)
• Chess or strategic games
• Financial markets interest (personal trading)
• Athletic achievements demonstrating discipline

Creative Industries

More latitude for personality:

• Creative hobbies directly relevant to work
• Unusual or distinctive interests
• Cultural consumption with depth (specific film genres, art movements)
• Creative side hustles

Healthcare

Focus on:

• Community service and volunteer work
• Activities demonstrating empathy and service orientation
• Stress management activities (yoga, meditation)
• Team activities showing collaboration

Consulting and Professional Services

Business-relevant interests work well:

• Client-facing activities (golf, tennis, running clubs)
• Leadership in organizations
• Business-oriented side projects
• Public speaking or thought leadership

International Considerations

Resume norms vary globally:

United States and Canada

• Hobbies optional and often excluded
• Keep brief if included
• Focus on achievements within hobbies

United Kingdom

• Interests section more common
• Slightly more personal information acceptable
• Still keep professional

Europe

• Varies by country
• Generally more accepting of personal information
• Cultural activities valued

Asia

• Often expected to include more personal details
• Team activities valued
• Academic or cultural achievements appreciated

Making the Decision: A Framework

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Does this hobby demonstrate skills or qualities relevant to the job? If yes, consider including it.

2. Is there a notable achievement or specific detail that makes it interesting? If no, either find one or skip it.

3. Does this hobby risk creating bias or negative impressions? If yes, skip it.

4. Do I have space on my resume after including all professional content? If no, skip hobbies entirely.

5. Would I be comfortable discussing this in an interview? If no, don’t include it.

Building Your Resume

Creating a professional resume that strategically incorporates hobbies—or appropriately excludes them—requires understanding your specific situation and target roles. Tools like 0portfolio.com can help you structure your resume appropriately, ensuring important professional content takes priority while providing templates that accommodate optional sections like interests.

Final Thoughts

The hobbies section is optional. Never let it distract from your professional qualifications or consume space needed for more important content. But when used strategically—with specific, interesting, professionally-relevant interests—it can humanize your application and create meaningful connection points with potential employers.

Focus on quality over quantity. One genuinely interesting hobby beats a list of generic interests every time. And if you have nothing notable to include, that’s perfectly fine—many successful job seekers skip this section entirely and land excellent positions based on their professional merits alone.