by Bruce Campbell

Created on: October 21, 2009   Last Updated: October 24, 2009

Your hobbies and interests have no business being included on a professional resume. In fact, the mention of them may even make you look like a jackass. Nobody in the professional world, especially a prospective employer, really cares what you do in your own time. We get it, you like to workout. Guess what? We all do. What the employer DOES want to know about is one thing and one thing only: What are you bringing to the table to help the bottom line?

Most importantly, the hobbies that you find fascinating might be a red flag to someone else, and even cost you a job offer. For example, you could argue that "My skydiving and bungee jumping hobbies show that I am a risk taker!" However, the hiring manager looking over your resume might think that these hobbies are reckless, and even ridiculous. "What kind of idiot jumps out of a perfectly good airplane? Pass!"

One exception is if your hobby has included some extraordinary effort and reward that really sets you apart from the herd. For example, if your hobby is bicycle riding and you trained for and completed the Tour de France, you might want to mention it. That truly is impressive.

Another exception is that you have to consider your audience. If you are trying to get a job as a banker or lawyer in a good ol' boys environment, and you've won a few local golf tournaments, you probably should let them know.

Some of your hobbies may be completely age-appropriate and you may be extremely gifted at them, but should never be included on the resume. If you love cartooning and everyone tells you how talented you are, you should still resist putting it on the resume. By all means, keep cartooning, just don't put it on the resume. Why? Because the hiring manager may think "cartooning" is actually the doodles of a daydreamer. It may be that nothing is further from the truth, but that doesn't matter. What matters is the perspective of the hiring manager. When you are looking for a job, you always, always, always consider how you may be perceived by people who may hire you. Everything from your hair, interview suit, and what is included on your resume.

We all have, and should have, interests outside of work. It's healthy. But these hobbies and interests should come to the surface only after you are hired and get to know your new work family. It may not seem fair, but when you send your resume out and go through interviews, you are being judged. So why would you want to include some information that is not really necessary, and may even exclude you from the hiring process?

Learn more about this author, Bruce Campbell.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.