In today’s job market, it’s crucial to stand out from other job applicants. You might mention your passion for travel or learning new languages on your resume in the hopes of catching a recruiter’s eye. Or, as one viral social media post recently claimed, you might list “olive oil” as an interest.
The post, which was published by an anonymous account and received 10 million views, said including this detail would be a dealbreaker and prevent an applicant from reaching the interview stage for a banking role. It sparked a conversation about whether hobbies, however niche, belong on a resume today.
Some commenters on social media rose to Olive Oil Candidate’s defense, saying such an interest might be unconventional but a person shouldn’t be penalized for sharing it. Some users pointed out that a job seeker listing olive oil is not that different from a candidate sharing an interest in wine. Other users said the unusual hobby would pique their curiosity and they would grant an interview.
‘Companies are drowning in resumes’
Having a personal touch in your resume, such as a hobby, could help you stand out, especially given the high competition among candidates in the job market today.
“Companies are drowning in resumes,” says Glen Loveland, senior career coach at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University, many of them AI-generated. “Every resume looks similar.”
“Someone who is showing a flash of their personality, whether it’s on the resume or in an interview, is probably going to pop a bit more than just your standard templated resume,” Loveland says.
“People are just clamoring to be seen”
Erin Kennedy
executive resume writer and CEO of Professional Resume Services
Jasmine Escalera, career expert at MyPerfectResume, points out that it wasn’t always uncommon to list personal interests on a resume. But, she says, there has been “an evolution of resumes away from personality and away from interests and into more skill sets and experience and ATS systems and keywords.”
Likewise, Erin Kennedy, executive resume writer and CEO of Professional Resume Services, says it’s been drilled into job seekers’ minds that they should “stick to the facts, stick to what you do,” so candidates learned to leave hobbies off their resumes.
But recently, Kennedy has seen an uptick in people listing hobbies again, nodding to their vintage Star Wars figurine collection or pickleball fever.
“People are just clamoring to be seen, to differentiate from everyone else,” she says, “because being hired today is a lot different than it was three, five years ago.”
Do your research
The job, employer and industry you’re applying for also factor into what’s appropriate, the experts say. Referencing hobbies, especially more niche ones, might be frowned upon in more straitlaced sectors but may help your case in a more creative industry.
If you decide it’s too risky in a resume, you can also talk about your interests on LinkedIn or in a cover letter, the experts say.
If you’re preparing for an interview, you should research your interviewer beforehand; if you see something you can connect with on their LinkedIn, for example, you can mention it in an interview. That adds to “relationship-building” and bonding over “shared interests,” Kennedy says.
The best time to list a hobby is when it’s directly relevant to the role or employer at hand. If you’re applying to a company that sells outdoor gear, mentioning your love of hiking is a no-brainer. And if you’re applying to a chain of specialty food stores, being an olive oil connoisseur might be an asset.
The response you get when mentioning your hobbies can act as a litmus test for company culture and fit. If an employer rejects candidates because of something innocuous, if a bit out of left field (like a passion for olive oil), “it doesn’t reflect very well for the company,” Escalera says.
When it comes to your resume, “every candidate should be cognizant of the space that they have,” she adds, noting that your application materials should cover your experience and qualifications first and foremost.
“The number one most important thing, of course,” she says, “is to get hired.”
Want to get ahead at work with AI? Sign up for CNBC’s new online course, Beyond the Basics: How to Use AI to Supercharge Your Work. Learn advanced AI skills like building custom GPTs and using AI agents to boost your productivity today.
Take control of your money with CNBC Select
CNBC Select is editorially independent and may earn a commission from affiliate partners on links.
Dining and Cooking