Interests and hobbies section of CV. Advice?

viz · January 2016

Employers are looking for people who will fit. Your interests can stand you out against the crowd and get you the interview. Therefore if you have hobbies that are directly tuned to the role, or if your hobbies say something about you thay would mark you out as being the type of person they would like, or even just if you would really love to get the job because it's a real match for you as a person, then you should make sure that comes across in your CV.

EricTheWeary · January 2016

There are a few applications that stand out through their awfulness or brilliance but one that sticks in my mind was from someone who had won an Olympic gold medal. So, basically no job experience but he could have extrapolated from that medal plenty of employable skills around hard work, focus, working in a team,etc, that would at least have got him an interview.However, he didn't.

viz · January 2016

Lol awesome! Why not?

eSully · January 2016

octatonic;949966" said:
I wouldn't bother mentioning it- employers don't give a shit about your hobbies.

Been on interview panels. Yes, some employers do. Particular at the interview the hobbies can be brought up as a way for you to sell yourself as a team player and colleague. Saying things like you play in a sports team, band, organise something or other is usually a plus. I'll agree that a lot of companies don't give a toss but for smaller companies you being a good fit for the company is important. They already know from your cv (if you told the truth, not a given in my experience) whether you can do the job. Quiet often the interview is for who will fit in

EricTheWeary · January 2016

viz said:

Lol awesome! Why not?

If you are looking at a hundred applications and want to know how someone fits your vacancy you want them to make it easy for you - show how their skills and experience match what you are looking for. If the other 99 explain how working in MacDonalds or what have you has done so then Mr Gold Medal - who has offered no explanation - goes to the bottom of the pile. I was quite curios but offering him an interview just to satisfy my curiosity seemed quite a waste of his and our time.

Teetonetal · January 2016

I was always told that admitting to playing guitar/bass/drums rings alarm bells in employers heads.

They see - flaky, drugs use, needing time off for gigs, late nights and tired employees.

They don't read it as:

Dedicated, motivated, appetite for learning etc, unless they are a good musician themselves.

Roland · January 2016

The purpose of the CV is to get you an interview. Hobbies are an opportunity to show that you're an interesting person, and have characteristics that would suit you to the job. Guitar playing can show dedication to learning and self improvement, dexterity, ability to cope with complex physical and cerebral tasks simultaneously. If you play with others then you can show team player, if you perform then management and sales skills in organising gigs. If you can draw out things like this then it also shows your ability to explain, sell ideas, and convince others.

I once did get an interview because my CV included guitar playing, and I've talked my way into several projects because it has given me an understanding of the music and entertainment business.

eSully · January 2016

Teetonetal;950184" said:
I was always told that admitting to playing guitar/bass/drums rings alarm bells in employers heads.They see - flaky, drugs use, needing time off for gigs, late nights and tired employees.

They don't read it as:Dedicated, motivated, appetite for learning etc, unless they are a good musician themselves.

Not sure that's entirely true but I guess it's down to how you word it, for example if you say 'I enjoy playing guitar as it helps me pull bitches and thing. My dream is to stick it to the man, fuck your job, go tour America' well that would be good as it shows initiative

stickyfiddle · January 2016

Teetonetal said:

I was always told that admitting to playing guitar/bass/drums rings alarm bells in employers heads.
They see - flaky, drugs use, needing time off for gigs, late nights and tired employees.

They don't read it as:
Dedicated, motivated, appetite for learning etc, unless they are a good musician themselves.

In my experience this isn't true, but I'm sure it depends how you sell it and who .

Two years ago I was interviewing for my current (corporate) job with the following on my CV:

"While at university, I became the manager of a rock band named Inlight. I undertook a variety of tasks within this role including arranging rehearsal sessions, planning photo shoots and overseeing the band budget and bank account. I also organised and coordinated high profile gigs involving numerous performers."

It was no problem and a good talking point in an interview and marks you out as someone confident in front of an audience, capable of working with others, organised, creative, etc.

I have a shitload of recent professional experience now so I wouldn't go into as much detail or may not include it at all, but wouldn't specifically hide from it either - depends on the job.

doogz84 · January 2016

Phil_aka_Pip said:

strumjoughlamps said:

I recently did a Cv and followed online guidelines, 2 sections that apparently is the thing to do nowadays are a 'Misson statement' and 'hobbies and interests'

"Mission Statement" = Bullshit and everyone knows it.

"I am a hard-working conscientious individual who always takes his job seriously and gives it 110% effort" ... yeah right, everyone puts that down and there's no point in writing it.

Some kind of profile summary is not a bad idea. Mine goes:

Profile Please allow me to introduce myself as a well-seasoned software engineer who has specialised in real time embedded C, after several years of writing assembler for a variety of different cpus, with additional experience in software Quality Assurance, Requirements Analysis and technical leadership.

Key Skills Software engineering. Full life cycle, including requirements analysis, design, coding, testing and post release support. Engineering standards, process definition and technical documentation.

Technical Embedded C, various assemblers, RTOS, ICE, and RCS. Development hosts: PC with DOS and Windows, UNIX and derivatives.

I trust that this would sell them what they want.

I cringed at that part

not_the_dj · January 2016

doogz84 said:

Phil_aka_Pip said:

Profile Please allow me to introduce myself as a well-seasoned software engineer who has specialised in real time embedded C, after several years of writing assembler for a variety of different cpus, with additional experience in software Quality Assurance, Requirements Analysis and technical leadership.

I cringed at that part

I'm assumnig he's man of wealth and taste.

strumjoughlamps · January 2016

Phil_aka_Pip said:

Profile Please allow me to introduce myself

im a man of wealth and taste oo ooo oo ooo

scrumhalf · January 2016

I worked with someone who used a Deloitte's questionnaire for interviewing people which was pretty thorough, although it was admittedly for senior and board-level appointments.

There were also accompanying notes which explained the rationale behind the questions and what to look for in the answers.

The things about interests was two-fold. Firstly, to see if they had a life outside of the workplace, how much time they spent on their hobbies and how long they had been doing them - the idea bieng to see if they stuck at things or if they were the sort of person who had a new interest every month. The second reason was to see if their interests were interesting.

Phil_aka_Pip · January 2016

littlegreenman said:

@Phil_aka_Pip, you do know that the 3 sections you just put there are in fact your "Mission Statement"? And a pretty good one at that

tbh, no I didn't know that, to me a "Mission Statement" would read something like "To boldly split infinitives that no man has split before bringing a mathematically impossible 110% effort to bear on an ultimately futile but hopefully financially rewarding corporate enterprise"

whereas what I wrote summarises what I can offer in terms of experience and skills.

@doogz84 the uncool wouldn't recognise it, anyone who's cool would, and would also recognise me at interview time as a man of (aspiring) wealth, and certainly taste

Phil_aka_Pip · January 2016

Back to the OP: IMO you could just mention "music" as an interest, and leave it to the interviewer to solicit as much detail as he thinks he wants. You can then target the detail you provide towards the context of his question. EG

Him: What kind of music?
You: <insert your main tastes here>
Him: Playing or listening?
You: Both
Him: Are you into HiFi?
You: <describe how you listen to music, leave out your playing as he didn't ask about it>

OR

Him: What kind of music?
You: <insert your main tastes here>
Him: Playing or listening?
You: Both
Him: What instrument do you play?
You: <mention your main instrument>
Him: Are you in a band?
You : (if you sense him being alarmed at the possibility) Yes, but I also play a lot and do recordings at home
OR
(if you sense him being interested) Yes, we collaborate well and I help to write the music and organise things

chillidoggy · January 2016

I've just received a load of CV's for a job for which I'm going to interview next week.

I find it difficult to ignore when one bloke lists his hobbies as "playing guitar, making music and watching motorsport". Thing is, he's got bugger-all other qualifications for the job in question, but I'd still like to talk to him!

ESBlonde · January 2016

Just put "Active in local performing arts." if they care they will ask for detail.

stickyfiddle · January 2016

ESBlonde said:

Just put "Active in local performing arts." if they care they will ask for detail.

Too risky - they might think it's am-dram!!

Phil_aka_Pip · January 2016

Heartfeltdawn said:

"I like bombing terrorists, not complaining at government cutbacks in the military, and singing the National Anthem".

You missed out "Saluting objects that move, and painting those that don't"

57Deluxe · January 2016

19 ??? I didn't even know what a C.V. was at 19.... in fact I don't think they were invented then... a nice letter usually sufficed.

Better put how much you love keeping up on your Social Media then...

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Interests and hobbies section of CV. Advice?

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