A hobby is generally thought to be a typical, pleasurable activity that’s undertaken for pleasure, usually during one’s free leisure time. Hobbies range from cooking, collecting sports memorabilia, playing board games, writing, painting, sewing, golfing, stamp collecting, and so on. Hobbies are enjoyable but may also pose a threat to your health or safety. For instance, you should not paint or stitch by yourself without the proper techniques and know-how. It would be foolish to try painting a living room wall without appropriate brushes, paint, and rags. Playing sports poses danger to your health, especially if you’re a serious athlete or you participate in extreme sports.
If you’re planning to apply for a job, it would be best to put hobbies on your resume. The reason is, hobbies make you unique. Even job descriptions have criteria. Hobbies can differentiate you from the rest of the applicants. As such, it’s a good idea to highlight your favorite hobbies on your resume, even if you don’t work on them every day.
Your hobbies should be something you’ve been doing for quite some time. The hobbies section of your personal interests section should list your interests in particular. For instance, if you love to knit, you can put that on your resume. There’s a big chance that your prospective employer will know you enjoy knitting if she sees that you have a collection of beautiful knitting needles on display at home or in your office.
It’s very common to list your hobbies in the personal interests section, but many people fail to take this advantage of it. Why is this? Simply because many job hunters have their interests confused. They try to emphasize their technical skills in their resumes, but they neglect their favorite hobbies. There are two reasons for this. One, employers look for hobbies that show your interest in working and two, a person’s hobbies can set themselves apart from others in the office.
If you’re a whiz with needlework, there are many websites that can give you a whole set of free needles and patterns. If you don’t feel like shelling out cash just yet, you can search the Internet for free samples of fancy paper, needles and other craft items. While these won’t show you your specific interests (tobias or rugs are a good example), they will give you a good idea of what your potential employer is looking for. You can also get ideas for your hobbies and sample resumes by visiting a site that gives information about employers and job applicants. On such sites, you can search for a free sample of a resume and you’ll find sample resumes for hobbyists.
If you’re taking a language course and you want to polish up on your foreign language, a great way to do that is to focus on your hobbies. Language courses can be boring, and some (not all) teachers may frown on them if their students only concentrate on their classes’ lessons. But hobbies! Practicing your hobbies!
A great way to use your hobbies as a tool for your job search is to list them on your resume, but not just any old hobbies. Your potential employer will be looking for someone with the same hobbies you do (and at least according to your resume). If your hobbies are something that sets you apart from the pack, maybe your job will open up more opportunities that you thought were impossible.
So if you’re looking to add a little spice to your life, consider using hobbies as short-term investing ideas. Consider the possibilities of working with your hobbies on your next resume or on your next job interview. It’s more rewarding than long hours at a desk, and it could change your life forever. Good luck!