There’s a lot of talk surrounding what one should share or not in his/her resume. Listing your interests or passions is always a matter of debate, and different people have different opinions in this regard. Before going further, do you talk about your passions outside work in your CV? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Whether adding your interests apart from your professional graph in your resume is a good idea or not, it totally depends on understanding the purpose of your resume. People hire people, and developing a human connection with the recruiter is as important as holding relevant experience and skills for a specific role. Experts and career coaches believe that highlighting your discrete interests outside the world of work can help you gain the attention of the hiring team and eventually an interview call. There are two ways to do it – 

Talk about Passions that are Achievement Oriented

Gone are the days when saying things like reading, cooking or dancing was considered admirable. The main objective of your resume is to stand out and catch the readers’ attention, so you are called for the next round.

Also Read: 5 Essential Things to add on your Resume in 2020

For instance, passionate about learning languages. Proficient in speaking English, Hindi, Spanish, and French, hence can initiate the conversation with around one-third of the world’s population or expertise in any musical instrument.

Being inquisitive to learn new things, whether a language or an instrument, shows your potential to acquire new skills. This way, hiring managers know that if required, you can learn a new skill to meet the needs and specifications of any crucial project.

Talk about Hobbies You do for Fun

In case you have to give a lot of thought on discovering your interests that are achievement-driven, you can always talk about fun stuff. Hobbies that bring you joy or you do for recreation are always good to catch the eyeballs of the readers or to make them laugh.

There’s no harm in revealing a bit of your fun side, especially when everything else in your resume is loud and clear about your professional journey. Like if you love cooking, you can share a short story of either you trying your hands on some new cuisine or how you created a scrumptious meal from the leftovers.

There’s no hard and fast rule of making it to the list of shortlisted candidates. But since the resume is the first step to land your dream job, focusing on these simple things can bring you extra brownie points. Moreover, it may help recruiters see whether you are an ideal cultural fit for the company.