Grads: How Interesting are your Interests?
- Grad season is swinging round again so quickly! Strangely enough, one section of the CV many people get wrong is the “interests” section. Use our quick fire do’s and don’ts to make sure your application isn’t condemned to the bottom of the pile…
2.Unusual, striking hobbies are a definite yes. Fencing, or upcycling furniture, for instance. Anything active and enriching.
3. Steer clear of “Facebook and Twitter”, “watching Game of Thrones” and “socialising”, which don’t add anything beneficial to the reader’s impression of you.
4. Do include that you’ve been travelling, especially if there is a year missing in your education and employment history. Your employer or agency really will be interested to find out what you were doing in your time out.
5. A mention of a freelance contribution to a magazine or blog – this is a yes, provided that you wouldn’t mind your potential employer having a look. Check that it is relevant to your career, however – a travel blog that shows off your writing skills and the experiences you had could be great, but a baking photo blog perhaps less so. Never link to your personal Facebook, Instagram or Twitter page, even if you think it is employer friendly.
6. Anything which is clearly untrue and tacked on will look lazy. Putting “finance and property” in your interests section because you’re going for a role in this field won’t add anything to your application.
7. Unless you’re applying to a job at Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium, avoid mentioning your pets.
8. Avoid self-deprecating jokes like “naff 80’s pop.” Humour doesn’t always translate well in a job application. Think about the company you’re applying for and exercise restraint.
9. “The gym” – simply, a don’t.
10. “Health and fitness” is better.
11. If you want to mention a sport, be specific – but make sure it’s one that you play, not one you follow. But, beware that this can be off-putting to non-sport lovers!
12. I would say “reading” is a yes, but I’m biased with this one because it is always on my CV.
13. Music” is too generic and just brings to mind visions of headphones on the tube. Playing an instrument or recording/producing, however are great to include.
14. Something that shows off a technical skill, like the above, or if you’re a pro at Photoshop is fantastic, especially for creative media roles.
15.And finally… we do actually love to hear about things like your Duke of Edinburgh award, or how you volunteered at Oxfam every Saturday in year 12. Put these down.
“The secret to happiness is this – let your interests be as wide as possible…” Bertrand Russell.
I have a huge amount of confidence in the team at Attic – they have taken a lot of time and trouble to understand the culture and nuances of our business and it shows. I will keep asking them to support us because I know they will deliver a great result – quickly and with style.
