CV: Which hobbies you should and shouldn’t list

With the CV, every applicant gets the chance to present themselves to potential employers in the best possible light. Means: Professional successes can be properly celebrated, negative things are better left under the table. (You can find strategies for dealing with gaps and problems in the CV here.) “The CV is nothing more than an advertising brochure,” says career coach Jürgen Hesse. It should make the applicant appear as competent, motivated and likeable as possible.

For the latter in particular, one point plays a major role that is often dismissed as unimportant or left out entirely: hobbies. But if you limit yourself to your professional career alone, you are giving away the opportunity to collect plus points here. “Specifying hobbies serves to draw a picture of personality,” says Hesse. And of course that should be as positive as possible. “It’s about building sympathy, because that creates trust and confidence,” says the psychologist. What is likeable and trustworthy depends in part on the personal preferences of the other person and the type of job. But you should always follow a few basic rules:

1. Please don’t be bored

There may be jobs for which absolute bores are perfect. But you can only stand out positively with interesting hobbies. For example, if you write “read” down, it’s better to omit it entirely. After all, everyone reads something somehow. Inventing an interesting hobby is not a solution either. If you are asked about your hobby in an interview, you should also be able to say something well-founded about it.

2. Be specific

Even mundane hobbies can seem interesting if you get a little more specific. Example reading: “If you’re going to read, then you should also write what you read,” says expert Hesse. If you’re interested in medieval poetry or American comics, you’re more likely to hit a nerve with the boss. Do you like to cook? Then write about what kind of kitchen. If you get specific, you are more likely to provide points of contact with which the other person can identify.

3. Less is more

Leisure activities should not take up too much space, neither in the CV nor in the job interview. After all, the company pays you for what you do in your working hours. If you show more passion for your hobbies than for your job, the effect will be negative. Application experts recommend not naming more than four hobbies. And they should only be mentioned briefly and concisely.

4. Sport is good

Basically, active hobbies are better than passive ones. Sport can create a positive image on several levels. Competitive athletes are often also efficient in other positions. Team athletes are considered to be particularly good team players. And those who do yoga are perhaps particularly well-balanced and healthy. Sporting successes (“West German Fencing Junior Champion”) may be mentioned. Coaching activities emphasize social and leadership skills.

5. Beware of extreme hobbies

Be interesting, yes. But anyone who practices extreme sports or those with a high risk of injury should think twice before mentioning them. After all, the employer does not want an employee who is constantly on sick leave. And a pronounced willingness to take risks can be an advantage in some positions, but in other jobs it can make bosses nervous. According to the application expert Hesse, martial arts also tend to raise a frown.

6. Always pay attention to the context

Ultimately, job seekers have to consider individually for each application which hobbies make them appear likeable and competent. Not only the type of job and the attitude in the company play a role. Regional characteristics also need to be considered. For example, application coach Hesse himself was recently surprised at a seminar with a violent contradiction when he explained that he would rather not put “hunter” on his CV. “A few people from the Black Forest taught me otherwise, because every third self-respecting person there is a hunter,” reports Hesse. “I then accepted that for the Black Forest, but in Hamburg or Berlin I don’t think you collect as many sympathy points as a hunter.”

Note: This text was first published in 2017. We are republishing it as a service piece for current events. According to a representative Insa survey reported by the “Bild” newspaper, almost every fifth employee in Germany would like to change jobs this year.