Hobbies don’t apply for recruitment

An illustration showing a businessman goalkeeper

Source: © Pepe Serra/Ikon Images

What does the hobbies section of a CV really tell an employer about a job candidate?

When assessing whether someone is able to do a job, many things are simply not relevant. What they look like. Their accent. And, I would argue, what they do in their free time. (Caveat: as long as it’s not morally reprehensible.)

Yet it’s fairly common for people, particularly early in their career, to include a section on their CV where they list their hobbies. While having interests and activities outside of work is undoubtedly important and can even improve your productivity (see p59), telling potential employers exactly what those are has always seemed weird to me. If your skills and experience aren’t enough to make you employable, why should your recreational tastes make any difference?