personal statement interests and hobbies examples

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Hobbies and Interests Personal Statement Guide

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Hobbies and interests in a personal statement can do more to bring focus and clarity to your statements than fields of study. A good hobby can make a much more exciting and unique statement.

Before writing a personal statement, ensure you have a comprehensive list of your most impressive accomplishments, hobbies, jobs, and talents. Your interests have a significant role in your statement. But don’t think you can’t discuss them because you don’t have specific credentials.

This article provides tips on how to write compelling and distinctive personal statements using hobbies and interests. Read on!

Tips to Consider When Writing Hobbies and Interests in a Personal Statement

Personal statements benefit from including interest, but doing so might be challenging. You won’t go wrong if you stick to these guidelines while writing your statement.

1. Don’t Talk About Your Passion for Its Own Sake

Put less emphasis on the hobby than you should on the qualities it exposes about you.

Don’t talk about your passion for its own sake unless it’s relevant to your field of study. For instance, if you’re applying to dental school, you should do more than state that you enjoy painting. Instead, you should explain how you plan to combine your appreciation for the visual and performing arts in your chosen field.

Making these associations may be complex at first. If you’re stuck for ideas, try writing down why you appreciate your activity and your chosen field. If you see a connection, you should use it.

2. Avoid Claiming That Your Leisure Hobbies Are “exactly Like” Your Future Career

You may say that being a football team captain gave you the leadership skills you’ll need as a doctor. You may also state that your love of art led you to dentistry.

Still, you shouldn’t put too much stock in your current situation. If you can paint, that’s great, but it doesn’t indicate you have the skills to be a dentist. It’s not fair to compare your responsibilities as a football captain to those of a doctor.

Recognizing that your interests reflect aspects of you differs from asserting that your interests are almost similar to your future profession.

The admissions committee will likely take great pride in their work. Therefore, it’s not a good idea to compare it to your hobbies. There are two ways in which these ties can strengthen your application essay.

First, they demonstrate your ability to apply knowledge gained in various contexts to your professional growth.

Second, they prove that your extracurricular activities are relevant to your chosen profession. It is not merely a wishful thinking exercise about your future.

3. How Well You Do in Your Interest Is Important

If your college swimming team won the state title, don’t just say that you swam there. Highlight the skills that helped your team succeed and include examples of how you’ve applied those skills elsewhere.

A well-rounded individual is very desirable in the eyes of the admissions’ committee because achievement in one area usually equals greatness in another.

However, here’s the catch: excelling in your pastime isn’t enough. You need to demonstrate that the skills that helped you succeed in your fun can serve you well in your chosen profession.

If you don’t, people may assume that you’re the type to let your passions get in the way of your professional development and studies. You want your extracurricular activities to be a selling point, not a drawback.

4. Show How Your Interest Benefits Others

It’s a given in nearly every personal statement that the author has some sort of altruistic motivation. However, only a few students can convey their genuine desire to help others in their accounts.

The admissions’ committee can learn much about your character from hearing about your interests and passions. It is an essential detail to provide, but something that is normally expected to be said may make them more skeptical.

5. Your Interests Should Take up No More Than a Few Phrases

The admissions officers can be difficult to predict. Your Mount Everest climb may inspire the admissions board that they can’t forget it.

However, how you describe your connection to the field you’re applying to likely garner greater attention from admissions officers.

You should describe your activities in a few sentences, but you can organize them to maximize their impact. Include a brief discussion of your hobbies near the beginning of your statement to demonstrate how they influenced your early career path.

Your statement should emphasize your potential as a professional in your field, regardless of where you focus. With so little room, every word must count.

Example of Great Hobbies and Interests Personal Statement

The hobby or interest part of an application that stands out. Here’s a great example of all we have discussed using an INK example;

I am a passionate hobbyist with diverse interests and an enthusiasm for learning new skills. Over the years, I have explored many hobbies, including painting, photography, playing music, gardening, and cooking – just to name a few!

My approach is holistic and creative, seeking out novel ways to engage my interests in exciting and engaging ways. When I was exploring painting, I experimented with different textures and styles to create unique compositions that reflected my aesthetic.

Similarly, as a musician, I endeavored to use unconventional instruments such as kazoos and xylophones to create offbeat melodies. Furthermore, I love utilizing technology to further my endeavors.

These projects have challenged and taught me new abilities, from audio production to Photoshop design. All-in-all, I relish any opportunity to tap into my multifaceted creativity and explore the bountiful world of hobbies and interests.

Your hobbies and interests personal statement are significant! If you have any hobbies or interests that you would like to include in your essay, make sure they are narrow enough.

There’s not enough time to show the committee your skill and passion for all your hobbies! Instead, you should go in-depth and show how the specific activity benefits others.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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BEST Examples of Hobbies and Interests to put on a CV (2023 Guide)

Putting hobbies and interests on your CV is a great way to make your CV stand out from the crowd and impress the employer.

What you spend your free time on tells the employer a great deal about you, your values, your motivations, and in some cases, your skills and intelligence. This information can add real value to your job application and improve your chances of being shortlisted for a job interview.

David Littleford et al. , (2004) in their book Career Skills (pg. 14-15) mention under “other interests”:

“You should include hobbies and other interests, especially if they involve social and community activities. These activities are important – cover membership of societies, sports clubs/teams, etc. All these activities and the extent of your involvement give the recruiter clues about the real you and your interests.”

Use the guide and examples below to find out more about hobbies and interests and how to include them on your CV – let’s begin!

What are hobbies and interests?

Should i put hobbies and interests on my cv, what your hobbies “say” about you, what kind of hobbies should i put on my cv, examples of good personal interests to put on a cv, examples of best hobbies to put on a cv, how to write hobbies on a cv, location of the hobbies section on a cv, examples of different cv hobbies sections, things to avoid when writing your hobbies section.

A hobby is an activity that you regularly  pursue for enjoyment purposes, particularly during your leisure time. These are activities that generally relieve you from stress, tension or fatigue.

Examples of hobbies for a CV:

• Playing sports (football, tennis, hockey, cricket, etc.)
• Playing chess and solving puzzle games
• Reading and writing books, articles and publications
• Travelling and meeting new people
• Designing, drawing, sketching and painting
• Cooking and baking

An interest is an activity that you want to do or are currently doing on an  irregular  basis.

Examples of personal interests for a CV:

• Volunteering at local companies, clubs and organisations
• Organising events in the community
• Participating in fundraising events for charity
• Joining a professional, social or environmental group

The answer is, yes! Research has shown that adding relevant hobbies to your CV can make your CV more interesting, strengthen your job application and increase your chances of getting shortlisted for an interview. Putting your personal interests on your CV also shows the employer that you are a whole human being with a satisfactory life outside work and not a work robot.

If you lack work experience, your interests may show your suitability for the job in other ways. For example, they may give valuable information on your leadership potential or ability to work in a team.

Interviewers also use your interests to come up with ‘relaxing’ questions if the interview gets too hot or heavy; something which can help calm your nerves and improve your performance during the interview.

The benefits of including your personal interests on your CV:

• It will give the recruiter a fuller and more complete picture of you
• Extracurricular interests tell the employer that you are an all-rounded person who, besides just working, also enjoys having a good time
• They form a great basis for discussion at the interview stage
• Sporting activities indicate that you are fit, healthy and outgoing
• Involvement in the community suggests good interpersonal skills
• School leavers
• College students
• University graduates
• Candidates with little or no work experience
• Candidates who have blank space in their CVs that can be utilised

Remember that your CV is your personal marketing tool, and you should make the most out of using the totality of your CV, including the interests section, to “sell yourself” to the prospective employer.

• Senior professionals including managers and executives
• Candidates with a lot of work experience
• Candidates whose CVs are overflowing to more than 2 A4 pages

It’s not always appropriate to add this section to a senior CV. The more experience you have, the less important the hobbies and interests section becomes. Managers, executives and other experienced professionals are expected to show their skills and personal qualities from their work experience, achievements and educational background, without the need to resort to outside interests.

Phrases such as ‘Playing football’ , ‘solving puzzles’ , and ‘fixing computers’ are not generic terms without any meaning, rather; they carry a deeper message.

Here’s what the prospective employers will be subconsciously asking themselves when reading through the candidates’  CVs :

What do statements such as, “I play football on a regular basis”, “I enjoy solving puzzles” or “I like fixing computers” tell me about this candidate and their suitability for the job?

Many candidates do not realise that the hobbies and interests they include in their CVs can reveal a lot of information about them and their personalities.

Below is a list of some personal interests and activities and what they tell employers about the candidate:

List of hobbies and interests for a CV

Ask yourself: how do these interests add value to my application? Try to highlight your ability to interact, help and/or communicate with others.

Answer: Those that are relevant and add value to your application!

When deciding which interests to include, the golden rule to apply is;

Will it help me get the job?

Only include relevant hobbies, sports and leisure activities that display you in a positive light and strengthen your application; for example; interests which show that you are active, sociable and responsible.

Martin Yate, a best-selling careers author, outlines three broad categories of leisure activities to include on your CV in his book The Ultimate CV Book (Pg.35):

• Team sports (football, cricket, basketball, etc.)
• Determination activities (running, swimming, cycling, climbing, etc.)
• Brain activities (chess, reading, etc.)

However, not every one of the above categories may be suitable for your situation and the job that you are applying for. Only select the hobbies and interests that are relevant to the job and add value to your application.

• Bain activities (such as playing chess) are a good match for jobs which are technical or analytical in nature  (e.g. jobs in IT or science).
• Team sports (such as playing football) are a good match for jobs which require working with people on a daily basis (e.g. jobs in business or marketing).

Example of relevant and irrelevant hobbies for a web developer:

NOTE: Different activities can be interpreted differently depending on the job you are applying for. For example, “playing computer games” as a hobby is irrelevant to most jobs and may sometimes portray you as a self-absorbed individual living in their own little cyber world. However, the same hobby can add tremendous weight to your CV if you apply for a job as a video game developer, graphics designer or shop assistant at your local games shop!

How to match your interests with the job you are applying for:

There are thousands of hobbies and interests that people include in their CVs. Selecting the correct hobbies to include will depend on a number of factors, including the job sector and the job role/specifications.

Use the guidelines below to select the correct interests for your CV:

For example, if the job holder must have “excellent people skills” , you could mention your volunteering, team sports or socialising activities – all of which develop your communication, interpersonal and people skills. Don’t mention playing chess or jogging as that would be irrelevant.

If, on the other hand, the job specification states that the person must possess “outstanding technical skills” , you would mention playing chess, building computers and upgrading computer networks – things that indicate that you are technically competent and analytical-minded. Don’t mention socialising events because that would be less relevant.

Many companies have a ‘culture’ in the way they operated and how employees of that organisation behave. Google, for instance, is now famously known for allowing employees to play games, take a walk or do sports in order to relieve stress or become more productive during working hours. When applying for a job at a company like Google, there is no harm in showing a little bit of your fun, playful and human side because that fits in nicely with their company culture.

It is always a good idea to write down the list of skills and abilities that you possess and see which of these would add value if you include it in your CV. Skills and abilities are closely related to your hobbies and interest; therefore, you may include them in this section too.

List of interests and their relevance to different jobs

Interests enhance your CV because they show the employer that you are an all-round person with a passion and determination to undertake activities outside work.

The following personal interests will make your CV shine:

• Involved in local clubs, classes and groups. Involvement in clubs and student societies demonstrates that you have excellent interpersonal and people skills, traits that are highly valued by employers. Don’t forget to make mention any professional bodies you are a member of.
• Volunteering at local companies and organisations. Research has shown that the most important part of a candidate’s CV is their work experience section. If you don’t have any relevant work experience, it is highly recommended to take up some voluntary work to improve your skills, gain exposure to your industry and give your CV a great boost!
• Attending events, shows and exhibitions. Attending events, whether they are for business or pleasure, demonstrates to the employer that you are keen to learn about the latest trends in an industry or on a subject. It also shows that you are confident and enjoy meeting new people; two personal traits that are highly desired in almost all jobs.
• Organising events in the community. Employers love candidates that show initiative and take on additional responsibilities to further their skills and experience. Having experience in helping with community events is particularly useful if you want a job in events management, marketing or business management.
• Involved with charities (including campaigning and fundraising). Employers value charity work because it shows that you are socially conscious, compassionate and caring. It also demonstrates that you have great people skills and are capable of dealing with the public.

These interests enhance your CV because they inform the employer that you possess excellent interpersonal, organisational and communication skills which enables you to undertake these activities. It also confirms that you are motivated and determined about the things you are passionate about.

The following hobbies will give a boost to your CV:

• Exercise and sports. Adding sports to your CV will portray you as a healthy and fit individual. There are two types of sports; individual sports such as running, swimming and cycling, and team sports such as football, basketball, cricket and tennis. Individual sports portray you as a determined, passionate and strong-willed individual whereas team sports show that you have excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills.
• Playing brain games. Brain activities are great hobbies to add to any CV, especially if you pursue a career in computing, mathematics or science because they demonstrate excellent problem-solving and analytical skills. Playing chess or puzzle games also tells the employer that you are intelligent, thoughtful and capable of overcoming challenges.
• Writing. Writing as a hobby indicates that you have excellent written communication skills, a key requirement for copywriters, editors, public relations professionals, marketers and journalists. You don’t necessarily have to be writing voluminous books to mention this hobby on your CV! You can also include writing poems, short articles and blog posts.
• Mentoring and coaching. Employers highly value mentoring because they understand that teaching, advising or supervising someone requires great skill, patience and determination. This hobby is particularly useful to add to your CV if you’re applying for a job as a teacher, tutor, mentor, teaching assistant, sports coach or fitness instructor.
• Computing and IT. If you’re applying for a job in the information technology (IT) industry, you can add the following activities to your CV to enhance it; coding and programming, building and fixing computers, designing and developing websites, setting-up computer networks and keeping up with the latest developments in technology.
• Designing. Designing is an essential requirement if you’re looking to apply for a job in a creative industry such as marketing or design. Activities that you could add to your CV include designing art, drawing, sketching and painting by hand, and using computer-aided design (CAD) software to create 2D drawings and 3D models.
• Cooking, baking and eating. Who doesn’t like food, right? Cooking new dishes and baking cakes are great hobbies to add to your CV if you’re applying for a job in the hospitality and catering industry. You could also mention things like, ‘going out and eating at restaurants’ or ‘watching Food Channel or other food-related TV programmes (e.g. MasterChef)’. Passion for food goes a long way in this industry!

Below are the guidelines for writing a perfect hobbies section of your CV:

• Keep this section short and to the point as it is an extra/optional section; one to three interests are usually sufficient.
• Only include interests that are relevant to the job. For example, what value does “stamp and coin collecting” as a hobby add to the application of someone who applies for the logistics manager position? The answer: none. However, stamp collecting would be a very valuable hobby to mention when applying for a job as a stamp appraiser .
• Don’t use the usual lines about enjoying walking, reading or swimming; be more specific and describe them in sentences. For example, change “I enjoy reading” , to “I enjoy reading non-fiction and current affairs books” ), or change “Travelling” to “I have visited most major European cities,” etc.)
• Try to list interests that show a balance . A healthy interest in sports and the outdoors should be counterbalanced by other, more intellectual pursuits.
• Keep it real and don’t lie or exaggerate.

The interests section should be placed at the end of the second page , just before the CV references section :

Remember: This section is optional so placing it higher up on your CV will give the prospective employer the impression that you do not understand how to prioritise things. Think about it, how can your personal interests be more important to the employer than your work experience or qualifications?

Example 1 – Economist

Example 2 – teaching assistant.

Note: The example below is a bit long because the candidate had blank space in their CV and utilised it accordingly.

Example 3 – Civil Engineer

Example 4 – credit controller.

Example 5 – Journalist

It is best to avoid putting anything controversial or sensitive on your CV. Humans are by their nature very judgemental, so be wise about what you disclose on your CV. For example, some recruiters may judge you negatively if you included heavy metal as your favourite music genre.

Avoid mentioning interests that could reveal your private beliefs.

Stating that you are an “active member of the local church” may harm your chances of being invited to an interview, especially when the potential employer reading your CV is a strict atheist. Similarly, stating that you “volunteered on a number of Labour election campaigns” or that you are a “huge fan of Manchester United” is also not a very good idea.

Don’t mention very risky, dangerous or time-consuming hobbies such as rock climbing, deep sea diving, bungee jumping, parachuting and boxing. It is in the employer’s best interest that you are fit and well when you’re working for them!

One recruitment expert commented, “Personally alarm bells go off for me when I read about people jumping out of perfectly good aircraft or hanging off tall buildings on the thinnest of ropes!”

Interviewers use the interests section of your CV to identify any conflict of interest if your hobbies demand too much of your time that could interfere with your ability to do your job or meet deadlines. A potential conflict of interest could arise, for example, if you state that you run two part-time businesses alongside your day job.

You may think it’s a good idea to make up some hobbies to impress the employer but this is not a good idea.

One unfortunate applicant had put ‘theatre’ as one of their interests but was left speechless and embarrassed at the interview when they were asked about the kind of theatre they liked and the name of the last play they saw.

Make sure that you know enough to talk about every interest you list on your CV at the interview. Don’t include “Karate” as your hobby if the nearest you ever got to karate was watching a martial arts film! What if the interviewer is a black belt and asks you about the style of karate you have studied?

Over the years, recruiters have documented the many weird and inappropriate interests that they have seen on CVs, including:

• Eating pizzas
• Handling guns
• Frog dissection
• Swimming with saltwater crocodiles

Needless to say, none of these candidates was invited for a job interview!

Adding too many hobbies to your CV fills up valuable space that could be used for more important information. The following is a sample of a CV’s interests section that contains too many activities:

At this stage, the prospective employer will most likely be wondering: “Gosh, when will this person have any time to do some work?!”

Putting hobbies and interests on your CV is an excellent way of enhancing your CV and improving the chances of being shortlisted for a job interview. Regardless of your job or industry, you should only include hobbies or interests that are relevant and add value to your application.

If you’re still undecided on what to include, have a look at the great examples below to see which of these you can add to your CV.

The best personal hobbies and interests to put on a CV:

• Sports such as football, basketball and swimming.
• Exercise such as walking or going to the gym.
• Volunteering and participating in the community.
• Reading books, magazines or publications.
• Writing books, poems, articles or blog posts.
• Designing or drawing by hand or computer (CAD).
• Building things such as computers and product prototypes.
• Coaching, teaching, tutoring or mentoring someone.
• Organising events/activities for local charities or organisations.
• Learning a new skill such as public speaking or new technology.
• Cooking and baking when applying for food-related jobs.
• Playing brain games, puzzles, riddles and solving quizzes.
• Travelling to experience new cultures and meet new people.
• Learning a new language.

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Mentioning Your Hobbies and Interests on Your CV

The hobbies and interest section is an optional section on your CV. Many candidates tend to leave it out to save on valuable space. Yet, including your hobbies and interests can give a human touch to your CV and show recruiters that you are a well-rounded person with a life outside of work. Which hobbies and interests are suitable for sharing with employers?

Most employers will be curious about you as a person and whether you’ll fit into their team culture. As you’ll both be spending a lot of time together, employers will want to know whether they can see themselves getting along with you.

A two-year study on cultural matching in hiring processes showed that:

“Employers sought candidates who were not only competent but also culturally similar to themselves in terms of leisure pursuits, experiences, and self-presentation styles.”

A ‘hobbies and interests’ section on your CV not only gives employers a glimpse of your character and personality, but also provides a great basis for small talk in interviews.

If you’ve just left education or have little work experience , that’s all the more reason to write about your interests and hobbies in your CV. The right hobbies and interests will add value to your CV and demonstrate that you have transferrable skills .

Not all hobbies and interests should be included in your CV . A good tip is to think about the position you’re applying for and to select hobbies and interests that complement your skills and experience.

Examples of hobbies and interests to include in your CV

It’s important to be selective about the hobbies and interests you include on your CV. You wouldn’t list every single job you’ve ever had on your CV, so by the same token, you don’t need to mention every hobby you’ve ever pursued.

Here are examples of hobbies and interests that add value to your application and highlight key skills:

Volunteering

Having an interest in helping others and giving back to your communities is highly commendable. Volunteering is a great addition to your CV because it shows that you’re caring and that you’re able to step out of your comfort zone.

Blogging/writing

Communication is a key skill required in every company. Blogging or just about any kind of writing demonstrates that you’re a good communicator and that you can think creatively. Even better, if you can show employers concrete examples in the form of blog posts, essays or novels.

Team sports such as football, basketball, rugby, etc. show that you’re able to work well in a team. If you’re a captain of a team, it’s a great opportunity to highlight your leadership skills.

Strategic games

Activities like chess and puzzle-solving showcase your intelligence (especially, chess which is a notoriously difficult game!) and demonstrate critical-thinking skills.

Travelling shows a keen interest in other cultures and the ability to adapt to different environments. Bear in mind that employers don’t want to read about how you developed your interpersonal skills meeting people in bars!

Be sure to highlight any work experience or languages acquired.

Learning languages

Nowadays, it’s not enough to speak English; the largest companies operate in international environments. Learning a language or two can help you stand out from the competition. Just make you don’t exaggerate your language abilities.

Reading conveys intelligence and that you like learning new things - a great asset for companies that are constantly evolving.

Yoga demonstrates that you’re able to stay calm which is a valuable skill in high-energy, deadline-driven environments. It also shows that you have an outlet for stress and that you care about your wellbeing - employers want a healthy workforce.

Hobbies and interests that don’t belong on your CV

Not all hobbies and interests will align with the professional image that you’re trying to convey to recruiters. Some may even give the wrong impression, for example:

Going out or socialising

You don’t want your employer to think that you might not show up for work after a team event. Also, as most people like to socialise, this activity says little about you as a person.

Recruiters may get the idea that you can’t take responsibility and that you have an addiction, even if that might be an unfair assumption.

Extreme sports

Extreme sports such as mountain-biking or sky-diving demonstrate you’re comfortable stretching yourself, but at the same time, raise concerns that they will impede your ability to work.

Religious or political activities

Stating your religious or political activities makes you vulnerable to discrimination.

Listening to music

Everyone listens to music, so this doesn’t tell employers anything about you.

Watching TV

Again, this is not an activity that is unique to you. What’s more, it gives the impression that you’re a couch potato with no other interests.

You may spend the majority of your free time with your family, but this says nothing relevant about your background or your aspirations.

How do you list your hobbies and interests in your CV?

While there’s a distinction between a hobby and an interest, there’s no need to add separate sections for each on your CV.

As you don’t have much space on your CV, priority should be given to your employment history and your education. Add relevant hobbies and interests to the final section of your CV with a short, descriptive sentence for each activity, e.g

Blogging: writing short articles about self-development on Medium.

When not to include your hobbies and interests in your CV

Hobbies and interests may add little value to your CV if you have an extensive career history or you’re applying for more corporate roles.

Before adding a section for hobbies and interests to your CV, research your prospective employer to get a sense of their company culture. If there’s an emphasis on team events in the job description or on their website, it’s safe to say that you can include your hobbies and interests in your CV. If, on the other hand, you get the feeling that the company culture is more formal, it’s best to leave them off your CV.

Whether you include a ‘hobbies and interests’ section on your CV is entirely up to you. Consider the amount of space you have on your CV and whether your hobbies and interests reflect the image you want to portray to recruiters. Bear in mind that including them may just give you the edge over other candidates.

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Business Personal Statement Example 8

My interest for business became noticeable around 3 years ago, when I started trading on eBay. Throughout the period of studying sports at college, it was a hobby in which I found extreme excitement and potential. As time went on I was becoming more and more drawn towards business. It became a necessity to be more aware, so I began to read more books to teach myself about business and spent more time researching. It has made a great impact to the way I view things and has opened my mind towards new opportunities. My enthusiasm and passion for this field has made me certain to further my studies in business. I believe that in order to be successful, one has to be disciplined and go through the lifelong process of self-development. To evaluate ones progress and constantly be working towards increasing your knowledge and improving or developing new skills, hence why I want to study at university. I also believe it’s a wise choice, becoming more valuable, in an ever-changing and unpredictable world of today. Furthermore, I’m very excited about meeting new, ambitious individuals, with similar interests. I look forward to having discussions with fellow students, expressing different ideas and learning from each other. After completing my degree, I should have a wider understanding of how businesses and managers operate. I’m dedicated to achieving my goals, which are to run a successful business. My heart is within the hotel and restaurant industry, but I’m flexible towards all new and potential opportunities. It would be beneficial to gain valuable work experience and financial back up, before getting to the stage of starting a business, which is something I’m planning on doing. Volunteering at a local sailing club, gave the opportunity for high school children to take part in sailing. This activity is usually a barrier for people with physical disabilities and was made possible with special equipment and the help of volunteers. Being part of it gave me a great satisfaction; in fact sailing on the boat, amongst many smiles, has to be one of my favourite memories. Our job was to have the sails up and ready before the children arrived and gear them up for sailing. We would have failed to do this on time, unless we communicated and worked together. Experiencing this helped me to further develop and understand the importance of, communication and team work, which are essential skills in business. Another thing which I’m passionate for is boxing and kickboxing, which I started at the age of 12. I have competed in many places around Suffolk and have won many trophies and medals. Over the years I have gained the trust and the ability to coach at Millenniums Martial Arts Centre voluntarily. This requires much confidence and has increased my ability as a communicator. It has also made a great impact on my leadership abilities, which can be used to my advantage in a business related career. Working with empire marketing as a sales person, required me to have brilliant communication and people skills, due to having direct contact with many customers on a daily basis. It also required you to have a sufficient memory to ensure product knowledge was to a good standard. My interest helped to pick up on day to day running of the business and the different roles of a manager. Studying at university I’m sure will be demanding and understand that it requires full focus over a long period. I feel confident and fully committed to successfully completing business studies/management with marketing. I will give my utmost effort to achieve the best possible grades. I have the hunger and motivation to accomplish my goals in which failure is not an option. I will strive to be the best I can, with a non-quit mentality. In my spare time I like to keep in shape by going to the gym on a regular basis. I have always been very creative and artistic and enjoy painting. Coming from a musical background I have a passion for music and listen to a wide variety. I’m currently learning to play guitar, for self-satisfaction. I think that it’s one of the best ways to express your feelings and one of the most versatile instruments. I also enjoy reading and currently reading, Enterprise and Small Business, Principles, Practice and Policy (Sara Carter and Dylan Jones-Evans). I find it very useful and intrigued by how important small businesses are to today’s economy.

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This personal statement was written by francesko for application in 2012.

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any feedback would be appreciated

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