Should you put "Extreme ironing" on your CV?

So, you have written your CV and conveyed your skills, work experience and education to a prospective employer. Now you need to get your personality across.

Employers can assume a lot from reading this section and it will open up the interview discussion, so when you are writing your CV this section requires just as much thought as the rest.

It is best to pick hobbies and interests that demonstrate your traits/aptitude for the job you are applying for. Don’t LIE as you may find that you are being interviewed by someone who is an expert and you may become unstuck! If you do find that you have exaggerated or outright lied on your CV then you’d best make sure that you can talk about the subject if cross examined!

If you have listed hobbies such as reading, films or theatre make sure you can answer questions as to the last one you saw or read. Also, that you can answer questions about what kinds of plays/books/films you like. Answers such as “I love erotic novels” or, “My favourite film is Saw – I love blood and gore” might not give the best impression of you!

Here is a list of what could be inferred about your personality from your list of hobbies:

Playing team sports – team player, energetic and competitive
Solitary sports (such as chess) - strategic, quiet, possible loner
Extreme sports – risk taker, adventurous (sales CVs often are full of these)
Reading - intelligent, curious, quiet, solitary (choose examples of your recent reads carefully depending on the job you are going for!)
Socialising and pubs – sociable but may not turn up for work next day due to hangover
TV – has no life and lazy
Gardening and cooking – creative and relaxed
Art - intellectual, creative.
Computers – geeky, shy, lacking in social skills?
Animals – caring, gentle, responsible
Fitness and gym – motivated, energetic and driven
Charity work – (always a good one to include) team player, conscientious, honest, unselfish

Bear in mind that employers looking for an accountant will seek out different traits (e.g. ability to work quietly and on their own) than an employer looking for a sales manager (e.g. outgoing, motivated and sociable), so make sure your hobbies/interests reflect this. Check the job description for the “Person Specification” to give you an idea of how to tailor your interests to the role.

Don’t just list these hobbies as boring bullet points,  if you have something interesting to say about a couple of them, then put this on your CV. They may end up as a conversation point in the interview and help relax the formality of the meeting.