"Interests outside work"

[Julian]

I'm doing applications and got to the inevitable interests outside work question. 

If you see CVs, how much do you actually care about what the applicant does outside work?  This is a tenancy, so I think it's reasonably important that I come across as a person who will get along with others, but other than that - if you're looking at job applicants, do you actually care if they have interests in jam-making and topiary?  Would you be more likely to interview someone who is a cyclist for example?  If someone gives more than a brief line, would you worry that their work would come second to their hobbies?

All thoughts welcome so that I can put off filling it in for a bit longer...

[clarion]

It's sometimes helpful to see that someone is a more rounded individual.  It wouldn't colour my judgment either way, but it can also help to have something to discuss to put people at their ease in interview/assessment situations.

[tiermat]

It can be useful in the selection process.  Way back when I used to do the hiring and firing for a company, we needed a desktop support person.  Of all the CVs I got through only one stood out, not because of the experience or qualifications (which were all on a par), but because the person's hobbies included Ballroom Dancing.  My view was, if he could go out onto a dance floor, dressed in a, to me, silly outfit and dance then he wouldn't have any problem walking up to a user at their desk to fix an issue.

Sure enough I interviewed him and took him on and he was one of the best desktop support people I have worked with.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

An ex boyfriend of mine got me to help him sort application forms once for junior doctor posts. Once he'd got a pile of definite yeses and definite nos, I helped him winnow out the maybes. I rejected someone who gave their current residence as an address in Middlesborough on the grounds that they were clearly careless and slapdash and several decisions were made on the basis of their stated hobbies and interests. But there were something like 1500 applications for 25 jobs and once he'd picked out the definite yeses, the maybes were all so similarly qualified and experienced it was hard to find any grounds to separate them.

So my advice is that it should only be an issue if the rest of your CV isn't outstanding, and obviously that's not the case.

[mike]

I always look at it too, and have (several times) decided to interview someone because they'd got interesting stuff there or (also several times) decided not to interview someone because that section was too long or too detailed.

Just a quick sentence like: 'outside work I spend time playing with swords, guns and kittens' should do it 

[Euan Uzami]

I'm doing applications and got to the inevitable interests outside work question. 

If you see CVs, how much do you actually care about what the applicant does outside work?  This is a tenancy, so I think it's reasonably important that I come across as a person who will get along with others, but other than that - if you're looking at job applicants, do you actually care if they have interests in jam-making and topiary?  Would you be more likely to interview someone who is a cyclist for example?  If someone gives more than a brief line, would you worry that their work would come second to their hobbies?

All thoughts welcome so that I can put off filling it in for a bit longer...

say skiing. ( likely to conveniently take holidays in winter when everyone else doesn't want to  )

[geraldc]

A couple of my friends have said that they wouldn't recruit anyone who didn't have a linked in profile, but they are in social media/new media so does kind of make sense.  A friend interviewed someone who had their blog listed in interests, a day after the interview, while reviewing the applicants, he decided to visit the blog, where the guy slagged of the interview (admittedly without naming the company), needless to say an email saying he wasn't right for the role was sent out straight away.

When CVs get passed round the office for comment, first thing done is a quick google search. It's amazing what can be picked up. 

[Kim]

It's a good way to out yourself as a gayer in a reasonably non-contrived way, if you're unfortunate enough that tokenism is your last, best hope for being given interviews.

[Chris S]

When CVs get passed round the office for comment, first thing done is a quick google search.

The virtual anonymity of "Smith" has always been handy .

[Charlotte]

It's a good way to out yourself as a gayer in a reasonably non-contrived way, if you're unfortunate enough that tokenism is your last, best hope for being given interviews.

Well quite.  Does your reputation precede you or is it wise to let them to know you're a campaigning radfem bender before you go any further?

If in doubt...

'outside work I spend time playing with swords, guns and kittens' should do it 

We have a winner 

[Wombat]

When CVs get passed round the office for comment, first thing done is a quick google search.

The virtual anonymity of "Smith" has always been handy .

Bit of a bugger for me, then     (unique surname, well there's me, and the missus..) googling my name is slightly embarassing, as you'd think I did nothing other than repeatedly insulating my loft on video.  Thank you, dear Government department PR company!

[Nuncio]

No advice Julian.  I just hope you don't have a David-Brent-alike making the decision.  He reduced the numbers by randomly throwing a bunch of applications in the bin on the grounds that he did not want to emply unlucky people.

[Ham]

While I do take notice, I try not to make judgments based on that, especially negative ones. Most people do not draw inferences, but you would prefer the ones who do draw inferences to draw the right ones. A couple of innocuous ones eg cycling, reading should tread a comfortable middle ground between, say, extreme ironing and stamp collecting.

[Julian]

My actual hobbies reveal me to be a middle aged man.  I should probably be selective.

[GrahamG]

It's a bit of a 'window into the personality' type of thing I presum. I'm currently helping wifey with her teaching application forms (first post as newly qualified teacher), and it's a real maze with the whole personal statement things on methods & strategies. Headache on the way tonight as we try and whittle it down to something really special in order to secure an interview.

*edit* sorry that was my way of saying "I wish she could just bung a CV in" 

I've always been tempted to be brutally honest and tell them that cycling, perving and getting high are my main interests

[mrcharly-YHT]

Say you are looking for an employee who you want to be able to send to conferences and client meetings at a moment's notice, anywhere in the world. Someone who lists 'travel' in an interest might be a better match than someone who lists 'coaching local football team'.

Conversely, if you are after a steady employee who won't move in 2 years, the football coach might be an excellent fit.

[Clare]

You get extra points if you can get the phrase "quail beheading scissors" in somewhere.

[Rhys W]

When CVs get passed round the office for comment, first thing done is a quick google search.

The virtual anonymity of "Smith" has always been handy .

Having the Welsh equivalent, I agree! It also helps to share an exact name with a rugby player and a track and field athlete, as well as a minor 20th Century actor and (almost) an astronaut! Takes a lot of digging around to find me. You can find my Linkedin, but that's just my cv.

I've had a couple of people ask me about cycling as an ice-breaker, and my other interest (music) strays into building guitar effects pedals - definitely of peripheral interest to many electronics jobs.

[Wowbagger]

I think it probably helps if you don't just have a hobby, but help organise others who have a similar interest.

Thus "I'm a keen cyclist" is likely, I think, to have less effect that "I'm a keen cyclist and I take an active role in organising rides for like-minded people in which great emphasis is given to cake, beer and smut".

[hatler]

I took someone on once because they did charity fundraising half-marathons in odd places around the world on the grounds that they would be enthusiastic and up for a challenge. (They had all the right job skills.)

It worked out well.

[Ham]

I'm currently helping wifey with her teaching application forms (first post as newly qualified teacher), and it's a real maze with the whole personal statement things on methods & strategies. Headache on the way tonight as we try and whittle it down to something really special in order to secure an interview.

Make sure you reply to the job specification, work through it point by point. If you manage that you should end up on the shortlist first cut. Sound enthusiastic but realistic. Personal statements are v important as well, research the school and create a reason why you would want to work at THAT school. Look at the last Ofsted.

IANAT, but I do help Mrs Ham (HT) with shortlisting.

[L CC]

This thread has just reminded me of the CV, recently proof-read by my boyfriend-of-the-time which had 'chasing down loose men, hot bikes and fast cakes' as my interests, that I forgot to change before sending it to the recruitment bod.

[Kim]

Didn't your mother warn you about fast men and loose bikes?  *tuts*

[darkpoint]

An interest might help get you the interview,  people near me where interview grads recently, so not a lot of scope for differences in experience or qualifications. 
One mentioned that he could solve the Rubik's cube in under 3 minutes, he got an interview and was challenged to do this.  (which he did.)  It helped them stand out,  even though I can mostly solve a Rubik's cube in 3 minutes I would never list that as a hobby these days.

When I apply for IT jobs,  I list my butlering as a hobby / interest,  and I have lost count of the number of interviews where i have walked in to see that highlighted.  That prompts some easy questions from my point of view about how i got that job etc.

[Jaded]

I used to use it in interviews/application forms, but would be less likely to do so now as it is less easy to defend against charges of discrimination, particularly if you are doing the selection based on competencies, like the last sorry process I was involved in.

I used to use the hobbies bit as a lightener towards  the ned of the interview - but it was also one of the best ways of finding out a bulshitter. Surprising how often "photography' meant holiday snaps.