Outside of work, we all have hobbies that we like to do in our spare time. This is even more true recently, as we’ve all been forced to stay home more often than we would like. And while there’s nothing wrong with having a hobby just for the fun of it, wouldn’t it be great if your favorite hobby also boosted your resume at the same time? If you’re looking for a new hobby, and you want to kill two birds with one stone, here are some ideas to consider:
Learn a Language
One of the best hobbies you can take up to improve your resume is learning a new language. If you can speak another language, even just a little, it opens up so many more jobs for you. Not only that, but it will inspire you to travel to more locations.
Learning a language takes time, but there are plenty of ways to get started. You can use some language learning apps, find an online tutor, or even attend a class at a local college. If you can put in enough time and effort, before long you’ll be having basic conversations in another language and you can add it to your resume.
Flying Lessons
Have you ever wondered what it was like to fly a plane? If so, wonder no longer and take some flying lessons. Adding a pilot’s license to your resume shows a level of courage and determination that employers love to see. You may even fall in love with flying so much that you decide to become a pilot full-time. If this hobby interests you, look for some pilot school programs in your local area.
Painting and Drawing
Learning to paint or draw are other common hobbies that also look great on a resume. If you have the skills to draw or paint well, this will demonstrate your creativity. Creativity is useful in any job, not just ones like web designer or graphic artist. You can learn to draw by buying some instructional books, following tutorials online, or taking a class in your area. Once you get the basics down you’ll be able to let your creativity run free and create some works of art that you love.
Long-Distance Races
If you want to not only have a hobby that looks great on a resume but also improves your physical health, look to train for some long-distance races. 5K and 10K running races are popular choices, but you can also look to enter races for biking, swimming, or all three.
Employers aren’t necessarily looking for physical endurance when they hire someone, but they are looking for determination and commitment. Running a 5K or doing a triathlon is not something you can typically do without training. By listing these as your hobbies you’ll show your ability to work hard towards a goal – and you may even boost your self-esteem in the process.
Team Sports
If running or biking by yourself for hours doesn’t sound enjoyable to you, try team sports instead. Playing team sports will not only improve your health in a fun way, but it will showcase your ability to work on a team. There are adult leagues all over the place for every kind of sport, so you should be able to find one you’re good at in your area.
Reading and Writing
Written communication is a big part of any job. Employers want to know the person they are hiring is someone who can understand what they read and communicate effectively via their writing. If you read a lot of books, consider adding the number you’ve read this year to your resume. Or if you write somewhere online, add a link to it. Even if you don’t list your reading and writing hobby to your resume directly, you can still use the skills you’ve learned to write a better resume.
Community Service
Finally, there’s community service. Adding community service experience is one of the top things to add to any resume. Not only does it showcase the different skills you use while volunteering, but it shows that you use your free time for good. When an employer makes a hiring decision, they are typically doing so based on more than just your skills on paper. They want to hire a good person for their team, and community service is a good way to highlight this.
Making the Most of Your Time
Again, there is nothing wrong with having a hobby that has nothing to do with your career. We all need to have things we enjoy in our lives and to escape work for a little while. But if you’ve been wanting to improve your resume, and are in need of a new hobby, it doesn’t hurt to combine the two.
