Staring at a half-empty resume? You are certainly not alone. For high school students, recent college grads, and those shifting into a new field, your formal work history might be a bit short right now. But a short work history does not mean you lack personality or valuable skills. Employers do not just hire lists of technical competencies; they hire real, multidimensional people.
Recruiters often rely on what is playfully called the “Airport Test.” They look at a candidate and think, “If my flight was delayed and I was stuck in an airport with this person for three hours, would we have anything to talk about?” Listing specific, authentic hobbies and interests can help bridge your experience gap, give employers a sense of who you are, and provide interviewers with the perfect icebreaker.
Why Your Hobbies and Interests Actually Matter to Employers
If you are a Gen Z job seeker or applying for your very first role, an empty page can be intimidating. You might think you have nothing to offer because you haven’t held a corporate title yet. This is exactly where an interests section comes in handy. It fills the “experience gap” by showing that you are active, engaged, and actively learning outside of a traditional classroom or office setting.
Employers want to see that you are an authentic human who will fit into their day-to-day work environment. Passing that Airport Test is largely about showing that you are relatable and have passions of your own. When you share what you care about, you give a hiring manager a window into your personal drive and curiosity.
Most importantly, your hobbies often showcase hidden soft skills. Understanding the difference between skills and interests can help you connect the dots for an employer. For example, if you list that you are the captain of an intramural sports team, you are quietly communicating that you have leadership and teamwork skills. If you spend your weekends gaming or building computers, you are showing off your problem-solving abilities. If you create digital art, you are demonstrating creativity and attention to detail. Hobbies provide concrete proof of your soft skills in action.
When You Should (and Shouldn’t) Include an Interests Section
Here is what to know about adding this section: it is not a requirement for every single resume. You have to read the room—or in this case, the job description and your own background. If you are figuring out how to make a resume for your first job, an interests section is incredibly helpful. For career explorers ages 13 to 18, and career starters ages 18 to 24, fleshing out a resume with your extracurricular passions helps balance out a lack of paid experience.
It is also a great idea to include interests when they directly align with the role you want. Let’s say you are applying for a tech internship; listing “open-source coding” or “beta-testing software” shows that you live and breathe the industry. If you are applying to work for an eco-friendly apparel brand, mentioning “sustainable upcycling” or “community gardening” proves that your personal values match the company’s mission.
On the flip side, there are times when you should leave your hobbies off the page. If your resume is already packed to the margins with highly relevant internships, professional projects, and paid experience, you probably do not need an interests section. Space is valuable, and professional experience should take priority. Additionally, if the application explicitly asks for a strict, traditional format—like applying for a formal role at a conservative financial institution—it is usually best to stick to the facts and skip the hobbies.
20+ Modern Resume Interests Examples That Stand Out
If you decide to include an interests section, you need to be specific. Generic words do not help you stand out. This can help you practice resume storytelling by giving employers a clear picture of what you actually do. Let’s break this down into a few categories worth exploring:
Creative & Digital
Instead of just writing “Art” or “Music,” dial in on the specifics. Narrowing down your creative outlets shows technical proficiency and dedication.
- Digital illustration and graphic design
- Video editing for YouTube or social media
- Indie game design and world-building
- 3D printing and prototyping
- Music production and audio mixing
- Creative writing or running a personal blog
Tech & Analytical
If you are aiming for a STEM career, your hobbies can do a lot of heavy lifting to prove your analytical mindset.
- Building and troubleshooting custom PCs
- Open-source software contribution
- Fantasy sports data analysis and statistics
- Developing custom mobile applications
- Building smart home automations (like Raspberry Pi projects)
- Chess or competitive strategy games
Community & Culture
Employers value candidates who are engaged with the world around them. These interests highlight your organizational and interpersonal skills.
- Organizing local esports tournaments
- Bilingual podcasting or content creation
- Volunteer tutoring or mentoring youth
- Organizing community park cleanups
- Participating in local theater productions
- Leading a neighborhood language exchange club
Sports & Wellness
Physical activities and wellness practices can highlight your discipline, dedication, and ability to handle stress.
- Bouldering and rock climbing
- Serving as an intramural volleyball captain
- Dedicated yoga and mindfulness practice
- Training for long-distance running or triathlons
- Practicing martial arts (like Jiu-Jitsu or Taekwondo)
- Coaching a local youth sports team
The Red Flags: Hobbies and Interests to Avoid
While sharing your personality is a good idea, not every weekend activity belongs on a professional document. If you are considering how to make your resume stand out, you need to make sure it stands out for the right reasons. There are a few categories of hobbies that you should keep off the page.
First, avoid the generic and cliché. Listing “watching movies,” “listening to music,” or “hanging out with friends” adds zero value to your application. Everyone likes hanging out with their friends. If you genuinely love movies, be hyper-specific. Change “watching movies” to “independent film analysis” or “writing film critiques.” Specificity shows passion, while generic phrasing just looks like filler.
Second, steer clear of highly personal or controversial topics. It is usually best to avoid listing heavy political involvement, polarizing affiliations, or deeply niche interests that might spark unconscious bias. You never know who will be reading your resume, and you want them focusing on your qualifications, not debating your personal viewpoints. Keep the focus on activities that are universally understood as productive or engaging.
Finally, leave out violent or dangerous activities. Even if you are an expert at something extreme, keep it professional. Anything that raises an HR red flag or distracts from your core qualifications should be left out. The goal is to seem like an interesting, reliable coworker, not a liability.
How to Format Your Interests Section (and Ace the Interview)
When you are ready to add these to your document, placement matters. When reviewing all things resume and how to make yours shine, you will see that interests should never overshadow your education or work history. Keep this section concise. Place it at the very bottom of your resume, or tuck it away in a side column if you are using a modern template. You can format it as a simple comma-separated list to save space, or use short, punchy bullet points if you have a bit of room to spare.
There is one golden rule when it comes to listing your hobbies: never lie. If you list “bouldering,” you need to be prepared for the hiring manager to be an avid climber who immediately asks you about your favorite local climbing gym or your preferred gear. If you write down “fantasy sports data analysis,” be ready to explain the spreadsheet formulas you use. You should be prepared to passionately and accurately discuss every single interest you include.
Ultimately, this section is a tool for the interview stage. Once you are sitting across from a hiring manager, use your interests as the ultimate icebreaker. If they mention your hobby, light up and talk about it. It is an opportunity to build immediate rapport, calm your interview nerves, and show them the authentic person behind the paperwork.
Including unique and relatable hobbies on your resume helps you stand out as a memorable candidate. It is a practical way to show employers the real you, bridging the gap between your current experience and the role you want. Ready to explore? Create your free Tallo profile to get started. You can showcase your skills, interests, and digital badges, and get matched with colleges and companies that value exactly who you are.