Should You Include Personal Interests On the Resume?

Many job seekers are confused as to whether or not they should include their personal interests in the resume. There is a reason why you do not include them; this article will explain why.

The employer is not interested.

Employers are not interested in knowing about your personal interests. They are far more interested in knowing what you can do for them and how you will benefit their company. If a job applicant has no experience or skills to offer, the employer is unlikely to be impressed by an applicant’s hobbies and interests.

Many people think that including personal interests on their resume will make them appear more interesting and unique, but the reality is that it has little effect on an employer’s decision about whether or not to hire someone.

From an article on ResumeBuilder, “Lots of human resource and resume experts may maintain that including a section on your resume detailing your hobbies is perhaps unprofessional or they see personal interests as irrelevant for a job application.”

“Another aspect that you must not include on a resume in a hobbies section is anything related to religion, politics or your intimate personal interests. This is a basic rule of thumb for resumes and any professional profiles on social networks or job applications.”

Do not confuse them with the job description.

Interests are not skills. They are a way to express yourself, and they make you more interesting. You can include some of your interests in your resume if they relate to the position you’re applying for, but don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s okay to include hobbies or other things that aren’t related to work at all.

The difference between interests and skills is important because when it comes to resumes, people are more interested in seeing what kind of person you are than how much experience you have with software X or how many languages do you know? If we were hiring a programmer, we’d want them to write code well—not go rock climbing or play chess with friends on weekends! So if something like “learning new programming languages” is listed under professional development instead as an interest (alongside reading books about quantum physics), this will help clarify where these skills come into play during work hours without confusing anyone who might see both parts together on one page (or online).

The interests are not relevant to the job description.

The reason why you would not include your interests on your resume is because the employer is not interested in your personal life. They are only interested in knowing what you can do for them.

The main purpose of a resume is to highlight your professional experience and skills, so if you list something like “I love poetry” or “I play guitar,” it doesn’t really tell us anything about the type of employee that you would be (even though those may be valuable and interesting additions to an interview). As such, it’s best to keep all irrelevant details off the page.

A resume is a tool for getting your foot in the door. It should not be used as an opportunity to tell your life story, or to share all of your interests with the world.

The core idea is to sell yourself as the best candidate for a specific job, and that’s what you need to focus on in a resume.

You should be able to demonstrate how your skills and experience match those required by the job description. In other words, you need to emphasize your core competencies (i.e., relevant skills) and highlight any achievements (i.e., relevant experience).

When writing your resume, think about what employers are looking for when they read through resumes. They want candidates who will increase revenue while improving efficiency or quality within their organization. They also want people with good communication skills and initiative—these qualities aren’t easy things to find when scanning hundreds or thousands of resumes!

Not professional

The first reason that personal interests should not be included on the resume is that they are not relevant for the job. If you are applying for a position that requires a certain skill set or experience and you have none, then obviously you will want to highlight those skills or experiences. However, if your resume does not need to include any specific skills or experience because it has been tailored specifically towards the job description and requirements, then there is no need to mention anything like your personal interests as they are not relevant to your qualifications as an applicant.

Irrelevant to career

As a hiring manager, I can tell you that I am not interested in your personal interests. I need to know how your professional interests match the job description and career goals of my company. As such, they are not relevant to the resume and should not be included on it. However, if you have any additional information you want me to know about yourself outside of work or school (e.g., hobbies), feel free to include it in a separate section of your resume labeled “Additional Information.”

Too personal

Personal interest is an area that can be tricky. You want to make sure that you are not going too far and including things that may offend the hiring manager or otherwise be irrelevant to your job search.

• Do your interests not fit with the job?
• Are they simply too personal?
• Are they unrelated to career goals?

We hope that after reading this article, you are more confident about your own resume. Remember that the main idea is to sell yourself as the best candidate for a specific job, and that’s what you need to focus on in a resume. You should always make sure it is professional and relevant to career goals. 

We can help with resume writing and other professional branding documents to help you excel in your job search. Contact us today if you would like more information about our services!