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Why you shouldn’t dismiss the Lockdown Hobbies listed on a Candidate’s Resume
Nobody cared about non-work-related hobbies candidates listed in their resume, right? You probably thought “So cute, but what a waste of space!”. But we think you shouldn’t dismiss them right away. Because these Lockdown Hobbies in Resumes can reveal more about the candidate than meets the eye, they deserve to be looked at!
Many of the work-related hobbies that were considered resume material have become difficult to do without leaving the house. Some hobbies that people mention nowadays are gardening, painting, reading, learning new musical instruments, etc. are harder to connect to the role they’re applying for.
But why this shift? The pandemic. The pandemic and the resulting lockdown caused 114 million people to lose their jobs over 2020. In India, Covid-19 second wave left 73.5 lakh jobless in April’21.
As the figures suggest, many people are left with an unemployment gap in their resume. They couldn’t fill the gaps through traditional means – NGO volunteer work or physical event management.
So when returning to the job market, they’re instead highlighting skills they picked up during the time away from work.
These skills can tell you something about candidates, but what?
Here are 4 things you can learn from the Lockdown Hobbies in Resumes.
They Find Meaning in Each Day
Years 2020-21 have not been joyous or adventurous. You are basically doing the same things daily. And if you think about it, every job has some degree of monotony associated with it. People who know how to introduce a little creativity are the ones who stay motivated while working.
All those who found ways to stay busy and creative during the tough times are more likely to display motivated behavior at work too!
They are Disciplined Enough to Teach Themselves
The lockdown and social distancing measures meant staying at home for most of us. Few looked at this time as a golden opportunity to upskill and reskill. And for those of us who were not in the habit of studying, they had to adjust a little.
This meant sticking to a goal, following a schedule, seeking out knowledge, and staying patient. Isn’t that what we call being disciplined?
They don’t give up easily
When you start learning anything new, it’s not exactly a cakewalk. You face challenges and may even experience failure. You need to stay patient and practice a lot before you can see some good results.
For instance, if someone wants to learn to play the Ukulele online, it can get really frustrating (believe me, I know – I’m that ‘someone’). But if you don’t give up, you get to reap the fruits of your labor and hard work.
The same goes for employees trying to learn a new tool, technique, or language. Businesses want their people to have this Never Give Up attitude.
They believe in themselves
Employees who believe in themselves are more likely to believe in their coworkers as well. And this is good for team motivation and morale.
People who succeed in their hobbies have more self-confidence as they now have proof of accomplishing difficult tasks even after the initial setbacks (as mentioned above). This also shows resilience and determination to do a task if they put their minds to it.
While there is a huge difference between a hobby and a full-time job, there is a transferable element in all these 4 reasons why you shouldn’t ignore lockdown hobbies in resumes.
Ishani works as Manager – Social Media & Strategy Big Ideas HR Consulting Pvt. Ltd. and also as a Freelance Digital Marketer. She has a knack for problem-solving and also enjoys writing. She loves to share her views and knowledge with the readers by the medium of her blogs.
