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Articles
What is a resume and why
is it so important
How to write a
professional summary for your resume
Including references on
your resume
Prioritizing job
descriptions in your resume
Reviewing your final resume
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Including hobbies and interests in
your resume
There are two types of resumes: chronological
and functional.
As its name implies, a chronological resume is one that
lists your experience and education in order, starting with the most recent
jobs or achievements. This type of resume is sometimes also referred to as
reverse chronological resume, because the order of the listing starts with
your current employment.
Functional resumes focus on your qualifications,
not your career timeline. This style of the resume highlights what skills
you have, rather than where and when you acquired or utilize them. In other
words, instead of listing your experiences by your job titles, your resume
will contained sections titled by your skills such as verbal and written
communication, customer satisfaction, project management, etc.
The functional resume style is recommended for college students seeking
internships or their first jobs out of college, for those with no
professional experience, those who have not worked for some time, or for
career changers. This resume style allows you to reference your hobbies and
interests in a way that apply to your career objective only; listing hobbies
and interests outside of your career objective is not recommended as it
doesn’t promote you as a professional in any way.
Any time you are composing a resume, it is important to keep in mind your
career objective. You want to present yourself in a best possible light to
your potential employer. Thus, the information on your resume has to answer
one question: Why are you the best candidate for the job?
The biggest mistake people make on their resumes is including information
that is not related to their professional experience. Facts pertaining to
your volunteer positions, community work, interests and hobbies that
disclose your race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, religious
beliefs or any personal descriptors that do not directly impact your
professional performance must be excluded from your resume. The functional
resume does not require you to list names or organizations you have worked
or volunteered for; thus, you can list the experience you have acquired
there without potentially disclosing any demographic information.
Additionally, don’t create a separate section on your resume for hobbies and
interests. This is typically seen as amateur, and gives your resume less
credibility.
Listing hobbies and interests as they apply to the position you are applying
for should be done under specific functional sections. For example, if you
are seeking a position in graphic design, and have samples of work that you
have done as a hobby, indicate this fact on your resume or in your cover
letter. If your hobbies are related to the type of work you are seeking
utilize them to your advantage. If you have read books or completed seminars
at the community center that are applicable to your job, make a mention of
them. Any employer will welcome the opportunity to have you demonstrate the
qualifications that make you a perfect candidate for the job.
As a final step, have a friend review your resume, or if you are a college
student, seek assistance from a career center at your school. Having another
person review your resume will help uncover any items that may raise
questions about your experience or education, as well as address if the
inclusion of your hobbies and interests works to support your career
objective. Perfecting your resume will assure that you show your potential
employer that you are the best candidate for the job.
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