Why Job Seekers Are Bringing Hobbies Back to Their Resumes

Lawyers, bankers, and data scientists are increasingly tucking personal details—ranging from training miniature dachshunds to perfecting scrambled eggs—into the final line of their resumes. Reder Sheikh, a partner at Major, Lindsey & Africa, notes that over half of the legal associates she placed last year included such sections, a marked shift from the mid-2010s when recruiters advised removing them to curb potential bias. Now, the tide is turning as hiring managers seek a tangible sense of the person behind the credentials.

Richard King, who operates a corporate recruitment agency, suggests this return to personality is a direct response to the sea of identical resumes generated by AI. The strategy is not without risks, however. A viral social media post earlier this year sparked debate after a recruiter mocked a candidate for simply listing "olive oil" as an interest. While some viewed the entry as bizarre, others like EY technology principal Fred Cibelli argue that such quirks provide a much-needed departure from standard interview scripts. For successful applicants like Dawn Choo, who included her background in the Washington Ballet when applying to Meta, the inclusion serves as a vital conversation starter that underscores character beyond a list of job titles.