Hobbies and interests on a resume: when they help, and how to write them.
An interests section is optional. It helps when it shows something the job needs or gives an interviewer a genuine conversation starter; otherwise the space is better used for experience.
Add an interests section only if you have space and an interest supports the job or shows a relevant skill: for example coaching a youth team for a teaching role, or building websites for a marketing role. Be specific, keep it to one line, and leave out anything political, religious or controversial unless the role is directly related.
Illustrative examples to adapt
Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.
Interests line, specific
When to use: Students and early-career candidates with space left.
INTERESTS Coaching under-12 soccer ([number] seasons), restoring old bicycles, cooking for local fundraisers
Interests that support a career change
When to use: When an interest is evidence of a skill the new job needs.
INTERESTS Building small websites for friends' businesses ([number] sites), running a monthly book club
Disclosure: TryHired makes HIRED, a paid job-search program, so we have a conflict of interest when we mention it. Every sample on this page is free to use without buying anything.
Keep or cut
| Interest | Keep it when... | Cut it when... |
|---|---|---|
| Sports and fitness | It shows teamwork or commitment, such as team captain | It is just 'gym' |
| Volunteering | It shows skills the job needs | It fits better in a volunteer section |
| Creative hobbies | The job values creativity or the hobby has results | It is a single word like 'art' |
| Reading, travel, music | You can be specific | It is generic |
| Politics or religion | The role is directly related | Almost always |
The same line, rewritten
Illustrative example with placeholders.
| Version | Example |
|---|---|
| Weak | Interests: reading, travelling, music, socialising. |
| Strong | Interests: organising a monthly neighbourhood clean-up ([number] volunteers), long-distance cycling, teaching myself [programming language]. |
Why it matters: Generic interests tell the reader nothing. Specific ones show commitment and skills, and give an interviewer something real to ask about.
Mistakes to avoid
- Listing interests you can't talk about in an interview.
- Taking space from experience to add interests.
- Including controversial topics unrelated to the job.
- Using single words without any detail.
Build yours
Questions people ask
Should I put hobbies on my resume?
Where do interests go on a resume?
What are good interests to put on a resume?
Can interests help a career change?
How this page is built
Written by Maid Dizdarevic, a career coach and 8x LinkedIn Top Voice. Advice is labelled as advice. Every sample uses a fictional person marked '(illustrative)' or a 'Your name' placeholder, and every employer, school, date and result is a bracketed placeholder for your own true details.
- What a specific employer screens for: always read the posting.
- Your results: we never invent numbers, and you should never copy a result you did not achieve.
- Outcomes: no resume, letter or program can promise an interview or a job.
- TryHired editorial guidance by Maid Dizdarevic, career coach, Nov 2, 2026.