Updating your CV? Don’t put ‘sleeping’ as an interest

Britons have used their resumes to reel off a list of pointless pastimes including making milkshakes, online dating and eating takeaways.

Bosses warned applicants who make the misplaced boasts risk being laughed out of the job market and should spend their spare time picking up more useful skills.

Updating their Facebook profile topped the list for the worst interests listed on CVs according to a survey of 1,000 HR specialists.

This was followed by shopping and playing with pets in second and third.

Going out drinking with friends came in fourth, followed by sleeping and watching TV.

Eating, collecting random objects and texting were next, while being a Harry Potter fan was tenth.

The poll was carried out by the Army Reserve to show how volunteering with the armed forces can beef up your CV.

Major-General Ranald Munro, the British Army’s senior reservist, said: “This research has revealed that many Brits aren’t spending their free time taking part in worthwhile activities that can help them stand out from the crowd and benefit them in the workplace.

“Whereas a spare-time role in the Army Reserve in which you can get paid to learn new skills such as cyber security, driving and engineering as part of your military training, as well as improve your leadership, team working and personal fitness, will benefit you in your day job and make you stand out for all the right reasons.”

Mark Elborne, president of General Electric, said: “We are proud to recruit, support, offer development opportunities and retain Armed Forces personnel.

“Staff with military training demonstrate high levels of commitment, efficiency and reliability.”

Also included in the top 10 worst CV “outside interests” were eating and ‘Being a Harry Potter fan’.