Extracurricular activities are all the things you do outside of your studies or job and can be valuable additions to your CV. Hobbies can fall under this category, but roles in clubs or associations and volunteer work are equally important to consider. Including these can provide potential employers with a clearer picture of your personality and skills. But what is the best way to mention these on your CV? Swiss recruitment specialist Robert Walters shares some tips.
For early-career professionals
If you are just entering the job market, it's crucial to highlight extracurricular activities on your CV, even if they don’t directly relate to the position you're applying for. These activities can set you apart from other candidates and demonstrate that you’ve already developed certain skills, even if you lack formal work experience. They also help showcase your interests. Examples include holding a leadership position, organizing events for a student association or sports club, volunteering for a charity, or being part of a band. These activities reflect your personal interests, but academic projects or workshops should be listed separately.
For experienced professionals
Even if you’ve been working for a while, extracurricular activities can still add value to your CV. Employers appreciate knowing what else you’ve been involved in outside of work. It’s a way to show that you are socially engaged or have expertise beyond your core profession.
Choose wisely
Are you a multi-tasker with many side projects? You don’t need to list everything. The number of extracurricular activities you mention depends largely on your work experience. If you’ve just graduated or are early in your career, it’s fine to give more attention to these activities. However, if you’ve been working for several years, you’ll need to be more selective. Consider the relevance of each activity to the job you’re applying for. Also, think about the image you want to project: what does a particular activity say about you, and how does it support the narrative you want to create?
If you’re unsure whether a certain extracurricular activity will work in your favor, it might be best to leave it off your CV.
Additionally, reflect on how long ago the activity took place and whether it’s still relevant to your current level. Leadership roles, for example, typically have a shelf life of about ten years. Likewise, after a few years of work experience, your involvement in your university’s student association can probably be removed.
Current extracurricular activities
When listing current extracurricular activities, be mindful not to give the impression that they take up so much time and energy that you wouldn’t be able to fully commit to your new potential employer.
The best place on your CV
Extracurricular activities are best placed just below your work experience and education sections. List them in reverse chronological order just like other experiences and include a start and end date (or mark them as ‘ongoing’). Provide a brief description of your role or activity, rather than just the organization or club's name.
If an extracurricular activity is relevant to the job you're applying for (e.g., you were a promotional coordinator for your association and are now applying for a communications role), consider providing a short summary of your responsibilities, just as you would for your professional work experience.
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