Interests section on resume? Forum

[KM2016]

IME, interests sections are awesome. At almost every screener interview I came into during OCI, the interviewers had a thing or two from my interests section underlined or circled, and conversation always began with my interests. Makes for a much more personal, cordial, and conversational interview.

In fact, I really hit it off with several interviewers based on my interest section, and didn't get asked a single question about law school, my interest in the firm, etc. Most of these led to callbacks, and many callback interviewers also really enjoyed discussing my interests.

Long story short, definitely put an interests section on your resume. Don't make them too broad or too specialized.

[eriedoctrine]

Don't refrain from not excluding this section.

[A. Nony Mouse]

So it's too late for my summer apps (thanks a lot, CLS), but you guys have sold me on adding interests for future apps. So what about listing someone related to that field instead of the field itself?

Like instead of: Football, playing piano, writing screenplays

I put something like: Elway, Keith Jarrett, Tarantino

Asking about any of them leads into the general topic and other topics (Elway for fantasy football and because I was a QB in HS, Jarrett because I play piano, Tarantino because Pulp Fiction got me into it).

I didn't notice anyone else do that in these 9 pages except for the $100, $50, $20 guy, so maybe this is a bad strat.

I agree this comes across as sort of stalkerish. It also requires the reader to know who the people are, and while it probably means I'm a philistine, I didn't know who Keith Jarrett is. You don't want your reader to have to figure out what your interest is. (I think you could get away with Tarantino movies or Tarantino screenplays, but just the person is a little weird. An interest should be a thing or activity, not a person.).

[BVest]

I agree this comes across as sort of stalkerish. It also requires the reader to know who the people are, and while it probably means I'm a philistine, I didn't know who Keith Jarrett is. You don't want your reader to have to figure out what your interest is. (I think you could get away with Tarantino movies or Tarantino screenplays, but just the person is a little weird. An interest should be a thing or activity, not a person.).

I likewise had no clue. And to tell the truth, my 1 minute of googling did not enlighten me greatly (American jazz pianist and composer, though I kinda guessed the pianist and composer part). Agreed about it needing to be a thing or activity. If you say jazz or jazz piano, someone might ask who your favorite performer is and you can then talk about Keith Jarrett.

[PennBull]

Don't refrain from not excluding this section.

nice triple negative; glad you were helpful

[Anonymous User]

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[sublime]

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[cookiejar1]

i changed my interests per employer so for jenner i said my interests included the color blue and spreading the wealth

for quinn i said my interests were beach sandals, refusing to capitalize letters, and hiking with the people that i hate

and for kirkland ny i said i that i was interested in putting my dog down right before trial

[BlueLotus]

Are interests sections as important when applying to public interest positions? I have one on my fellowship resume, but no employer has ever asked about it; they're more interested in relevant experience, language proficiency, etc.

[Avian]

Are interests sections as important when applying to public interest positions? I have one on my fellowship resume, but no employer has ever asked about it; they're more interested in relevant experience, language proficiency, etc.

From what I've heard the process is different. Biglaw hiring is already largely decided based on your grades/journal, so interviewers are mostly looking for fit. Public interest on the other hand is less picky about grades and looks for people who are actually committed to the mission of the organization or who have relevant experience. The interests section is really just an icebreaker and a decent way to flesh out whether you seem like a good fit personality-wise for the firm. They don't actually care that you're into X sports team, and skiing, just that you seem normal and like someone they would want to work with. Public interest interviews often ignore this aspect because they simply don't have time to talk about your hobbies when they have other things to figure out.

[Anonymous User]

I don't think these ideas were brought up, but would it be weird or creepy if I have LEGOs under my interest section. I used to work for LEGO and I collect them. Also, I know saying videogames is probably frowned upon, but what about "meta-gaming".

[BVest]

I don't think these ideas were brought up, but would it be weird or creepy if I have LEGOs under my interest section. I used to work for LEGO and I collect them. Also, I know saying videogames is probably frowned upon, but what about "meta-gaming".

Is LEGO on your resume in the other experience section? If not, see if it will fit chronologically. That's how it can be brought up without looking odd on the interest section.

"WTF is meta-gaming?" is my reaction, and likely that of many potential employers.

[rinkrat19]

FWIW, I might actually put "advanced Lego design and construction" or something in my interests, as long as there were also some more traditionally adult (and less mom's basement) sounding hobbies on there too. Lego is awesome.

I don't know what meta-gaming is either. From wiki it just looks like cheating at RPGs? I don't get it.

[hiima3L]

I don't think these ideas were brought up, but would it be weird or creepy if I have LEGOs under my interest section. I used to work for LEGO and I collect them. Also, I know saying videogames is probably frowned upon, but what about "meta-gaming".

I'd ding for pluralizing LEGO.

[Anonymous User]

FWIW, I might actually put "advanced Lego design and construction" or something in my interests, as long as there were also some more traditionally adult (and less mom's basement) sounding hobbies on there too. Lego is awesome.

I don't know what meta-gaming is either. From wiki it just looks like cheating at RPGs? I don't get it.

I have some other solid stuff like home-brewing and boxing, the game I'm referring to with "meta-gaming" is Eve Online, where a lot of the game can take place outside of actually playing the game, and you use some skills that could be useful in real life (such as economics, diplomacy, negotiations, ect.)

Although, the more I talk about this, the more I realize I sound like an idiot so "meta-gaming" is out of the question

[Cobretti]

FWIW, I might actually put "advanced Lego design and construction" or something in my interests, as long as there were also some more traditionally adult (and less mom's basement) sounding hobbies on there too. Lego is awesome.

I don't know what meta-gaming is either. From wiki it just looks like cheating at RPGs? I don't get it.

I have some other solid stuff like home-brewing and boxing, the game I'm referring to with "meta-gaming" is Eve Online, where a lot of the game can take place outside of actually playing the game, and you use some skills that could be useful in real life (such as economics, diplomacy, negotiations, ect.)

Although, the more I talk about this, the more I realize I sound like an idiot so "meta-gaming" is out of the question

[irish921]

Don't get too cheeky.

[skers]

Don't fucking put meta-gaming. JFC.

[pdwannabe]

would it be bad to put fantasy football as an interest? I feel like it could lead to good convo depending on the interviewer, but could also make you look lazy or something

[Anonymous User]

NVMND

[wsparker]

would documentaries be a weird interest?

[BlueLotus]

would documentaries be a weird interest?

No. Sounds good. Might be a good conversation starter.

How is this? Specific/interesting enough?

• Kayaking, hiking, birding, gardening, art history, animal rescue, salsa dancing, harmonium, meditation, Wii, Scrabble.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Too many. Pick three or four you can really hold a conversation about.

[BlueLotus]

Too many. Pick three or four you can really hold a conversation about.

Thanks, which 3-4 are the most interesting/compelling?

I'm worried that people might think "animal rescue"=PETA freak. But it is a big part of my life.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Whichever 3-4 you can speak most interestingly/compellingly about.