In this guide
Resumes and cover letters
Should you put hobbies and interests on a resume?
A simple test for when hobbies and interests strengthen a resume, how to write them as evidence, and what an interests line can reveal that you may not intend.
The test: does it show something the job needs?
'Reading, travel and cooking' tells a recruiter almost nothing, because nearly everyone could write it. An interest earns space when it demonstrates a skill, a responsibility or a level of commitment that connects to the role. UK careers guidance gives the same example of a sports team captain showing leadership and organisation.
| Filler | Evidence version |
|---|---|
| Running | Completed four half-marathons; organise a weekly running group of 15 people |
| Gaming | Moderate a Discord community of 2,000 members and write its rules and onboarding guide |
| Cooking | Cook weekly for a community lunch club serving around 40 older residents |
| Photography | Photograph events for a local theatre; images used in their programme and website |
When interests help most
- Early in your career, when interests may hold more evidence than work history.
- During a career change, when a hobby is where you built skills for the new field.
- When an interest connects directly to the employer's work or customers.
- When the role values a quality, such as attention to detail or teamwork, that your interest clearly shows.
What an interests line can reveal
Interests can disclose information you might not otherwise share, such as religion, political views, health or family circumstances. Employers are not allowed to use protected characteristics in hiring decisions, but it is still your choice whether to reveal them. You can describe the activity in neutral terms, for example 'volunteer coordinator for a community organisation', if you would rather not name it.
How to write the section
Illustrative example
An interests line that adds evidence
Before
Interests: football, music, socialising.
After
Interests: coach an under-11s football team on Saturdays (FA Introduction to Coaching Football course); play bass in a covers band that performs at local charity events.
Two specific lines are better than five general ones.
Keep it to one or two lines at the end of the resume. If an interest is strong enough to be a main piece of evidence, consider moving it into a volunteering or projects section instead.
Common questions
Will leaving out hobbies hurt my application?
Rarely. An interests section is optional, and most experienced applicants leave it out when their work history fills the page.
Should I include hobbies that are unrelated to the job?
Only if they show a quality the employer values, such as leadership or long-term commitment. Otherwise they take space without helping.
Sources
- National Careers Service: how to write a CV / resumeNational Careers Service (GOV.UK) · England · checked 3 October 2026
Put it into practice
See how Luceria helps with thisDrafted with AI assistance and checked against Luceria’s editorial standards. Examples are illustrative, not real people’s results. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.