Thursday, March 16, 2006

Personal But Not Too Personal

It's an old debate: Should you put hobbies and interests on a resume?

Here's an HR coach who says you shouldn't.

It depends. I've seen cases where doing so greatly helped the applicant because it humanized the person and helped the resume stand out amid a pile of impersonal ones.

The best rule: Use common sense. Listing "quail hunting" as a hobby may help you in Georgia, but not in New York City. Listing any political activities is usually a bad move. Anything that smacks of zealotry (Save the snail darter) or eccentricity (Model railroader) should also be avoided.

You want to give them a taste of your personality, but not a full meal, and certainly nothing with too much spice.

If that sounds vague, it is because this is poetry, not prose.

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