It’s an age-old question: should you include your hobbies on your resume? We have the answers if you’re wondering if your love for working on old cars or a knack for fixing gadgets is good for your resume and job search. Does flaunting your technical hobbies help you land your next job, or is it a potential miss-step? Including technical hobbies on your resume can be beneficial, especially if they are relevant to the job, demonstrate valuable soft skills, fill employment gaps, or add a unique personal touch. However, assessing each application individually and tailoring your resume to ensure it aligns well with the job requirements and company culture is crucial. Here are some things you should know.
Relevance to the Job
The most critical factor in deciding whether to include technical hobbies is their relevance to the job you’re applying for. If your hobbies provide skills or experiences that directly apply to the job, they can make your application stand out. For instance, if you’re applying for a role in IT, mentioning hobbies like coding, building computers, or developing apps can demonstrate practical skills and a genuine passion for the field.
Demonstrating Soft Skills
Technical hobbies can also showcase critical soft skills. Activities like participating in hackathons, contributing to open-source projects, or even maintaining a tech blog can indicate valuable traits like teamwork, problem-solving, creativity, and self-motivation. These are transferable skills that are beneficial in almost any job.
Filling Gaps in Employment
If your work history has gaps, technical hobbies can help fill them by showing that you’ve been productively engaged in activities that have helped you maintain or develop new skills. This is particularly important if your hobbies have led to tangible achievements or recognitions, such as awards or contributions to notable projects.
Personalizing Your Resume
Including technical hobbies can add a personal touch to your resume, helping it stand out in a sea of similar applications. It gives a glimpse into your personality and can make your application more memorable. However, it’s essential to strike a balance; your resume should primarily focus on your professional qualifications, with hobbies playing a supportive role.
