
Stand Out From the Crowd!

At the end of any good CV there should be a section where you can give an overview of your hobbies and interests. This is an opportunity to sell yourself and stand out from the crowd!
I recently progressed an application because the achievement in this section impressed me hugely and set it apart from others I’d received. This section really can make the difference between being invited to an interview, or not!
Here are some ideas of things to include:
Charity work:
- This could be volunteering or fundraising and shows you put your free time to good use
Exercise:
- It’s well documented that a healthy body/mind makes a productive employee!
Sport:
- Do you follow a sports team? It’s worth mentioning how you support them – do you help with training, help out in the kitchen or wash kit?
Writing:
- If you write a blog or contribute content, this shows off your language skills, attention to detail and creativity
A business interest:
- Are you helping to grow a business, or have a business interest that shows your entrepreneurial and organisation skills but is not a threat to your career?
This list could go on and on! What I’m trying to do is to inspire you to use this space wisely instead of seeing it as a necessary section on your CV that you just put anything in to ‘tick the box’.