Paid Hobbies…on a Resume

Text : With equal skills and qualifications, it is often the candidate's personality and how well they fit with the company culture that makes the difference. The "hobbies and interests" section of the resume allows you to give a glimpse of this before the interview. What hobbies should you include to make a good impression?

1- Real Hobbies
First of all, real hobbies. A lie or a slightly exaggerated passion will do more harm in an interview than good on paper. There's no need to rethink your hobbies outside the office to find your dream job! Just focus on those that are generally considered the most "relevant" to highlight.
Expert consensus: it's mainly the link between hobbies and the desired position that pays off. Sandrine Théard, a recruitment consultant, clarifies with an example: "A passion for video games, well... generally, it's not very appealing. But if it's for applying for a job at Ubisoft, it's different."

2- Hobbies Most Valued by Recruiters

Generally speaking, here are the hobbies most valued by recruiters.

Competitive sports, at a significant level:

"Then we know that we have someone before us who is able to fight, who sees their goals through, and who has good self-discipline," explains the consultant.
Team sports and group activities - Whether it's an ultimate frisbee league or improvisation: a hobby that suggests the candidate works well in a team and enjoys it always looks good, as teamwork and collaboration are highly valued in companies.

Travel - The "real" kind:

A passion for travel that amounts to an all-inclusive trip to Mexico every year doesn't say the same thing as that of a globetrotter-type traveler. "A great traveler is generally someone who is open-minded and adaptable, two qualities often valued in companies," specifies Sandrine Théard.
Arts - Particularly well-regarded for positions requiring creativity, practicing an art like music demonstrates a certain discipline, or even intelligence, according to a study conducted by the University of Neuchâtel among experienced recruiters.

Specific... and unusual interests:

A candidate who is very interested in a specific literary style or an unknown martial art gives the impression of being curious and passionate, which works in their favor. However, the source of interest is decisive: a very atypical, or even strange, passion can give a negative connotation to an application. A collection of beer caps, for example...

Combination of hobbies:

Sandrine Théard argues that it is the whole set of hobbies and interests of a candidate that must be considered to get a distinctive profile: "A candidate who likes knitting, reading, and drawing displays a strong solitary side. A candidate who likes playing hockey, traveling, and writing shows a certain balance, which is generally more interesting."

Caution
The "hobbies and interests" section is not mandatory on a resume. In some cases, saying nothing is clearly preferable to the truth. Among the hobbies that have a bad reputation are collections, extreme sports, "passions for cats" and their variations. It's not about suppressing these interests indefinitely and living a lie, just to be a little cautious before the first interview...


Véronique Champagne.

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