LONDON (Parliament Politics Magazine): Do you put your hobbies on your CV or do you leave them out? If you bet on cockfights every week, you might not want to mention it, but the following seven activities do look particularly good on your resume.
1. Sports
Are you a sporty type? This is not only good for your health, but also for your professional life, at least when you are applying for a job. Sports for which you need a lot of perseverance, for example, suggest that you do not just throw in the towel in the workplace. Group sports show that you are a good team player. And extreme sports – such as skydiving and mountain biking – suggest that you are not afraid to take calculated risks and that you like to push your limits, two excellent qualities for managerial positions.
2. Drama and Debating
Being empowered and able to debate well is a plus for many jobs. A shy salesperson or a spokesperson who can’t get out of his words won’t stay in his position for long.
3. Travel and museum visit
Hobbies that suggest an eagerness to learn will also score on your resume. If you like to travel to get to know new cultures, you sometimes venture to a museum on the weekends or regularly dive into the books to learn more, you should definitely let your employer know. An inquisitive employee is one who always wants to improve his work.
4. Volunteering
Volunteering looks good on your resume, especially if you want to work in the social sector. It shows that you want to help others without getting much in return. This altruistic attitude is something they are looking for in a variety of industries.
5. Youth Movements
If you want to work in education or the youth sector, it is a plus if you have already been a monitor in a youth movement. Then you have already gained hands-on experience in managing a group of children or young people. Employers in other sectors also like to see this hobby on their resume. HR managers see it as a sign that you have a sense of responsibility, can easily adapt to unexpected events and like to take initiative.
6. Strategic Mind Sports
Interest in thinking games such as chess or bridge indicate that you like to think strategically. This quality is a real must for some positions, such as that of policy advisor or project manager.
7. Creative Hobbies
Fiction or poetry, photography, painting, drawing, cooking. Such hobbies show that you have a creative mind. This puts you in a better position in the market in dynamic sectors such as marketing, PR and design.