Better Hobbies to List on Your CV

Instead of generic filler, use specific hobbies that show personality or skill:

  • Instead of “Reading” -> “Reading African macroeconomic history”
  • Instead of “Surfing the web” -> “Coding personal Python projects”
  • Instead of “Sports” -> “Captain of a local amateur chess club”
  • Instead of “Meeting people” -> “Volunteering at Lagos Food Bank”

“Hobbies: Reading, surfing the web, meeting people, and listening to music.”

I groan every time I see this on a CV. Everyone listens to music. Everyone browses the internet. You are just wasting valuable CV real estate with meaningless filler.

Why Do Hobbies Matter?

In most cases, they don’t. If you are an experienced professional with 5 years of solid work history, you can delete the hobbies section entirely. Nobody cares.

But if you are a fresh graduate with little experience, your hobbies can serve as a conversation starter during the interview. They show culture fit.

Be Specific or Delete It

If you are going to include hobbies, make them interesting and specific.

If you say you like writing, mention your personal blog. If you say you like sports, mention that you run half-marathons.

If your only real hobby is scrolling through Twitter and arguing about Big Brother Naija, do yourself a favor and just remove the section completely.