Making your CV stand out isn't just about impressive qualifications - you need to prove you have other skills, too. Volunteering, activities, hobbies and interests are good ways of doing this, but which ones should you mention and what should you say?
"Core skills employers are looking for include team working, loyalty, creative thinking and self motivation."
Helping out with your community's annual street party, forming an after-school football team for local youngsters, mentoring a refugee or hitchhiking from Leeds to Morocco to raise money for charity or are all examples of volunteer work that could help your CV stand out from the crowd.
"Core skills employers are looking for include team working, loyalty, creative thinking and self motivation," says career management coach Valerie Rowles. "Stating your interests on your CV is very important because these extracurricular activities can demonstrate skills and also give a third dimension to who you are as a person."
Beatrice, 16, is in her last year at school and has been attending a Summer Uni programme of free, short courses. She's learnt many valuable skills, including interview techniques and how to write articles for a local magazine.
Building on this experience, she has become part of DareLondon, the capital's youth advisory board. Beatrice regularly meets with around 20 other young people from different youth organisations to debate issues.
"I've got a lot out of it, including learning to listen to other people's opinions, leadership and teamwork," she explains. "I have a better definition of who I am and I have done things with my community, which is well respected on job applications."
There are a number of points to consider when including outside interests on your CV. "Only include genuine interests and think about quality rather than quantity in the ones you put down," says Valerie.
Unusual interests or achievements, such as practising Brazilian Capoeira or climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, can help you stand out and be memorable. "Interviewers often use them to ask questions, so you get the chance to talk about what you are passionate about," she adds.
Doris, 21, works for Kidsco – a children's charity. She believes her outside interests were important to her employer when they decided to hire her. "I think it helped them make intelligent guesses as to how I would conduct myself in a variety of situations."
In her spare time she volunteers at colourtelly and for a music manager updating social networking sites, such as twitter, about his artists. "As I didn't study media beyond A-level, it will be difficult for potential employers to see that I still have an interest in this field. These activities highlight this on my CV," she explains. "I am also working in partnership with a friend to launch a website platform for young people to highlight and share skills."
Should you include wacky-sounding interests? The answer is yes, but only if they demonstrate skills that are useful to the workplace. A survey of 900 CVs by Reed recruitment found 'ferret racing', 'Samurai sword collecting' and 'an interest in guns' among the more off-the-wall hobbies listed. Remember, your CV gives potential employers a first impression of you, so be sensible about what to include.
Gemma, who works for a top accounting firm, put her Ultimate Frisbee passion on her CV when she was applying for jobs. "I couldn't easily demonstrate teamwork and perseverance through previous jobs, so I put down Ultimate Frisbee to do that," she says.
"Top things to avoid are empty-sounding hobbies, such as socialising and meeting new people, clubbing and reading, but always include things where you've excelled," says Gemma. "This could be leading a sports team, winning a competition or anything that shows organisational skills, networking skills, involvement with your local community or an entrepreneurial drive."
Focus on extracurricular activities that can underline talents like teamwork, loyalty, perseverance and leadership, as well as demonstrating that you're a sociable person capable of having fun. Most importantly, make sure whatever hobbies you put on your CV are a genuine part of your life.
By Maeve Hosea