Should I put hobbies and interests on my resume?

Only if they add something useful: a relevant skill, evidence of a quality the job needs, or a genuine talking point. If they do not, leave them out and use the space for experience or skills.

When hobbies help:

• You are a student or graduate with little work experience.
• The hobby is related to the job, such as coding projects for a developer or photography for a marketing role.
• It shows commitment or leadership, such as captaining a team or organising community events.
• The employer's culture or advert suggests they value personality.

When to skip them:

• Your resume is already full with relevant experience.
• The hobbies are very common and generic, such as "reading" or "travelling", with no detail.
• They could cause controversy or distract from your application.

A short, specific interests line is enough when you include one.