How stamp collecting got me my first job….

Ok, stamp collecting didn't really get me my first job, but having an interest in rowing did help! I was just making a point. The "Interests" section of your cv or application form can be the section that distinguishes you from the rest of the crowd.

Thinking about the horrible "hack" you know that joins every club in existence solely to include them on her cv? Well, before you the whole idea as insincere and not worth listening to…read the article!

Once upon a time…
There was a girl going for a job interview. Amongst other pieces of information on her cv was the fact that she had been a member of a rowing team. As soon as all the "serious" questions in the interview had been covered the two interviewers visibly relaxed and struck up a conversation about the fact they too enjoyed rowing.

If you and the interviewer have a mutual interest to talk about it helps you both relax. It offers an opportunity for you both to discuss something other than the interview itself and can help put the interviewer in a positive frame of mind towards you. It will also help you stand out when they're considering all the candidates they've interviewed!

Why should that be? As well as someone who has the right skills for the job, employers hope to employ someone who will fit in with their team. There's more likelihood of that if you have a shared interest.

Not a fan of Korfball?
But what if you don't find that the interviewer shares your obsession with Korfball (strange cross of basketball and netball)?

The "Interests" section of any application isn't just a bonding exercise. It has two other important functions. It can tell the something about your personality and it can show a real passion for the area you are applying to work in.

Get a life
Would you want to work with someone who's life revolved around the office? Didn't think so. Remember that the interviewer doesn't know what a great laugh and party animal you are. Putting down your interests outside work reassures them that you can get along with others (team sports), that you are broad minded (love of travelling), that you are curious (pub quiz team member), that you can be responsible (youth club mini-bus driver).

You don't have to have exotic hobbies and you don't have to be captain of every school team! But try and get something a little more imaginative than "Reading" in there - even "Reading comics" would do.

Oh, and it's always a good idea not to lie - see Top tips for interviews.

Passion and glory
So, we know that "interests" can show, well, normal! But you can make them work even harder for you. Why not use them to show just how incredibly committed to getting this job you are?

The chances are that if you are really passionate about something it will be both what you want to do as a career and what you enjoy doing. So, if you do things that back that up, why not highlight it on your cv?

It's probably best not to put down "Watching TV" as an interest if you want to get into television careers. But how about your love of film? Or the fact that you can't stop putting together your own video projects at home or college? Or that you read Broadcast religiously? All of these would show that you are really passionate about visual media and tv in particular. Think of examples that apply to you - trade papers for your interest, tv series that cover it etc.

Think of it this way. If you had to chose between two equally good people, would you choose the one who seemed to have no real interest in your field or the one who really enjoyed it?

But I don't have any hobbies
Sit down. Get a pen and paper and write down all the things that you do in your spare time - including going out to clubs and pubs, watching football and reading magazines. You'll probably find that you have a longer list than you expected. And if you don't?

There are lots of things you can do to expand your list:-

• Get trade newspaper regularly in your library or from newsagents
• Dig out your old euphonium and get back into the big band scene
• Joining a Sunday Football League
• Offer your services to the local old folks home
• Start a short course - in anything at all!
• Join a local club that interests you - libraries usually have a list of everything going on in your area

Like everything else in job hunting this can seem like a real load on your time.
Maybe.

But let's just say the girl got the job.

by Katie Streten