Best Examples of Hobbies and Interests for a CV (2025)

Within the pages of your CV lies a silent storyteller—your hobbies and interests. A strategic blending of your interests transforms your CV into a genuine reflection of who you are.

So, if you think hobbies and interests for a CV are a waste of time and space, in a moment, you will see why this CV section is not the one to cut.

In this guide, you'll learn:

• What are the best hobbies and interests for a CV.
• Strategic hobbies and interest examples to strengthen your CV.
• How to add a list of hobbies and interests to a CV to grab the recruiter’s attention.

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Should you put hobbies and interests on a CV?

Traditionally, CVs were rough documents focusing solely on academic qualifications and professional experiences. However, as workplaces have evolved, including hobbies and interests has become increasingly relevant.

Here are the main advantages of including hobbies and interests on your CV:

• Cultural compatibility: A two-year study of hiring managers on cultural matching revealed that employers sought candidates who were competent and culturally similar to themselves regarding leisure pursuits, experiences, and self-presentation styles. 
• Distinction:Amidst a flood of CVs, the hobbies and interests section creates a unique identity for yourself. It transforms the CV from a simple list of qualifications to a more holistic document
• Conversation starter: During interviews, hobbies serve as starters for valuable conversations, helping establish a connection with the interviewer. This not only enhances memorability but also leaves a positive impression.

Remember that everything on your CV should increase your value as a candidate. 

This is where a targeted CV is crucial, reflecting particular job requirements and industry specifics. Read the job ad to determine what’s relevant in your individual case.

Pros and cons of listing hobbies & interests on a CV

Before you go off to write your own hobbies and interests CV section, keep this in mind: Every hobby or interest you add can be seen in a positive or negative way.Let me give you some examples:

Playing Chess
Pros	Cons
You are analytical and strategic.	You might be quiet and keep to yourself.
Travelling
Pros	Cons
Well-cultured and inclusive.	Will this candidate be available if we need them in an emergency?
Skydiving
Pros	Cons
You're brave.	You're a risk-taker.

As you can see, people can interpret things in different ways. Hiring managers are no different. The best way to clear any confusion? Make it more detailed:

Playing chess—a great way to unwind, destress, and keep the mind sharp.

Playing chess

That bad example above is vague (you could play chess to avoid group activities), while that good example clears confusion. Remember: A good hobbies CV section will reveal important parts of your personality that wouldn’t be communicated to the hiring manager had you not included them.

Expert Hint: Out of all the various CV sections, the hobbies and interests area is the only place to show your human side. You have three to five bullet points to do this, so make sure to use them wisely!

Where to put hobbies and interests on your CV?

Preparing a precise CV outline might not always be crystal clear, but adding hobbies and interests to a CV should be a more straightforward decision. Hobbies and interests for a CV come as a bonus feature and land at the very bottom of a CV.

This way, your work experience and skills sections shine first, and the personal stuff adds a nice touch afterward. It helps the reader engage with your professional journey first, and then delve into the more personal facets. 

Additionally, you can include some of your key hobbies and interests in your personal statement up top. If your hobbies highlight specific skills that align with the job requirements, bringing them up in your CV profile can provide tangible examples of your abilities.

Expert Hint: Although hobbies and interests are two different things, don’t make a separate part of a CV for each. Save the space for more important information, e.g. your skills or achievements on a CV.

Best hobbies and interests examples for a CV

Sports

Sports on CVs are probably the most common addition when adding hobbies. While there are some critics, most career experts agree on the benefit. Interest in sports shows communication, collaboration, and leadership skills, but it also displays a work ethic that can set you apart from other candidates. For example, coaching Little League is a great team activity that highlights soft skills like teamwork and management.

Blogging

Blogging is a hobby that definitely can help your CV. For example, I am writing this piece now thanks to my love for writing for my old travel blog. General blogging can be a boon to a copywriting, journalism, or editing CV.

Also, if you blog about a topic matter relevant to the job position, you’ll have a leg up on the other candidates as a sort of insider or expert. At the same time, my travel blog would be completely irrelevant if I wished to become an electrician or commercial painter.

Volunteering

Having an interest in helping others and giving back to your community is a commendable look. Since volunteering mixes your interests with actual work experience, I recommend you create a separate volunteer experience CV section.

Travelling

Travelling can be great for any role where you may have to travel a lot. Also, it can show off your inclusiveness, well-roundedness, and cultural awareness. These are great assets for creating and fostering safe and productive work environments.

Art & design

To get a job as an interior decorator or graphic designer, you’ve got to have a keen eye for design. Having an artistic hobby or interest speaks of your creativity, making it possibly a good option on a CV for creative industries.

Music

First off, don’t just say you are interested in music. That’s like saying you are fond of food—many people are. Once you’ve determined its relevance, be more specific, such as songwriting or playing the piano.

Reading

Like music, don’t just put reading as an interest or hobby. Be specific. Also, know that adding reading as an interest or hobby is risky. Sure, it shows that your spare time is spent improving your mind, but it’s a solo task (even when you’re a book club member).

Video gaming

Video games seem as if they would be unprofessional on a CV, right? However, they can be useful on an IT-related CV, for example, as gaming often implies a greater understanding of technology. Also, many tech companies or teams even use the multiplayer variety as a kind of team-building exercise.

Strategic gaming

Games like chess, jigsaw puzzles, or the ancient Chinese Go can show your strategic thinking and long-term planning. As with reading, though, they’re usually risky as they hint at a lack of openness and teamwork, which most companies value.

Yoga

HR managers are typically fond of yoga and yoga practitioners. Yoga can show you’re mindful, calm, in control, and emotionally put-together. Extra credit for you if you run yoga sessions—show all those things with a dash of leadership skills to boot!

Those are our top picks, but there are many more. Here are some other examples of CV activities based on the skill or trait they help to identify:

• Technical skills: tinkering with hardware, writing code, web development, robotics, 3D printing.
• Communication: teaching classes, learning languages, public speaking.
• Leadership: mentoring, tutoring, organising events, workshops.
• Creativity: photography, playing an instrument, videography, blogging.
• Critical thinking: board/tabletop games, chess, computer programming.
• Organization: book collecting, bullet journaling, event planning, gardening.

Expert Hint: Don’t show your colours on politics, religion, or sex, unless you are applying for a job in a political think tank, for example. These are touchy subjects for work environments, even when the HR manager agrees with your point of view.

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How to list hobbies & interests on a CV?

Now that you know what to put in your hobbies and interests CV section, it’s time to learn how to add them to your CV:

1. Pick only relevant hobbies and interests that work in your favour.
2. Don’t include more than 3–5 hobbies or interests, and add a short description to each.
3. Title this section in various ways: Hobbies & Interests, Personal Interests, Pastimes, orActivities.
4. Put the list of personal interests and hobbies at the bottom of your CV.

Here are some good hobbies and interests examples to consider:

Sample hobbies and interests section on a CV

Hobbies & Interests

• Blogging about food: including recipes, cooking, and food photography
• Travelling: have been to 25+ countries on 4 continents
• Yoga: both participation and running small classes

Hobbies & Interests

• Reading
• Stamp collecting
• Watching Friends reruns

Expert Hint: Hobbies and interests on a CV can be used by the hiring manager as ice breakers when you get to the interview. That means you had better know what you’re talking about!

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Key Points

When putting hobbies and interests on your CV, remember:

• Only include activities and passions that increase your value as a candidate.
• Personal interests and hobbies you add to your CV should be relevant to the position, company, and team.
• Remember that employers want someone who’ll fit in well.
• Don’t add more than five hobbies and interests.
• Make the hobbies section the final area of your CV.

Got any questions on how to add a list of hobbies and interests for CVs? Not sure which activities or passions are relevant? Let’s chat below in the comments, and thanks for reading!