You're torn on including personal interests in your resume. How do you navigate conflicting feedback?

Do your personal interests align with the job requirements? For example, you are interested in a training position and you have 20 years of experience teaching swimming lessons to a variety of individuals with a variety of skill levels and abilities. It could be an interesting item to include on a resume. Same role and your outside interest is plant propagation. This wouldn't be relevant UNLESS you could demonstrate that you presented at workshops.

Company Culture: Research the Company: Look into the company’s culture and values. If the company values well-rounded individuals or has a strong emphasis on work-life balance, including personal interests could be beneficial. Tailor Accordingly: Customize your resume based on the specific company. For a conservative industry, you might want to focus more on professional qualifications, whereas a creative industry might appreciate a glimpse into your personality and interests. Showcase Soft Skills: Demonstrate Soft Skills: Personal interests can showcase soft skills that are valuable to employers, such as teamwork, leadership, and communication. For instance, if you’re part of a sports team or volunteer organization,

Navigating conflicting feedback on whether to include personal interests in your resume involves considering several factors. Here’s how you can make an informed decision: Relevance to the Job: Include if Relevant: If your personal interests are relevant to the job or the company culture, they can be a positive addition. For example, if you're applying to a sports-related company and you have a passion for sports, include it. Exclude if Irrelevant: If the interests don’t add value to your application or are unrelated to the job, it’s best to leave them out.

As a resume writer, I emphasize the importance of tailoring your resume wisely. Personal interests can humanize your profile and make you memorable. For example, if you're applying for a role at a company that values creativity, mentioning your passion for painting can be advantageous. Conversely, if you're in a technical field, highlighting your coding hobby can be relevant. My experience shows that selectively including interests that align with the company's culture and the job role can enhance your candidacy. Always tailor your resume to showcase interests that add value to your professional narrative.

-->Relevance is key when deciding to include personal interests on your resume. As a resume writer, I advise considering whether your interests are pertinent to the job you're applying for. For instance, if you're pursuing a role in health and wellness, mentioning your involvement in yoga or marathon running can demonstrate your commitment to a healthy lifestyle. My experience has taught me that relevant personal interests can strengthen your resume by providing additional insights into your suitability for the role. Ensure your interests reflect attributes or skills that are valuable to the employer.

A well crafted resume should focus on giving maximum attention to the effort in each job and resulting outcomes. An employer is looking at your resume to see what you've done elsewhere in the hopes that you can create the same outcomes for them. Include personal items as an adjacent to your outcomes (i.e., if your creation of a book club increased employee engagement) but don't do it lieu of outcomes.

Personal interests by definition won't always align to the role you're applying to. I encourage you to have some personal interests included, as this will make you seem more genuine and human, or even make someone laugh. Will every interviewer see them? No. But if you share an interest with someone, it's a fantastic ice breaker. The interests I list on my resume are: Traveling Cats Saabs Not karaoke

There's no 100% rule❗ A few considerations 👇 ✅ Are interests relevant to role❓ ✅ Have you exciting successes❓ ✅ Do you have space to include❓ ✅ What stage you're at in career❓ ✅ Do you want to include them❓ Best of luck 🍀