The hobby effect: Why showing your personal side can pay off professionally

A new study finds that sharing hobbies tied to growth and fulfillment can make people appear more competent and motivated.

Many people shy away from sharing personal details in their professional profiles, such as LinkedIn, for fear that mentioning hobbies could make them seem less serious and less focused in the eyes of employers or clients.

However, new research reveals that when professionals mention leisure activities associated with meaning and fulfillment—such as hiking or cooking—they are perceived as more competent and are more likely to be chosen or hired.

"What our research indicates is that spending leisure time on meaningful activities reflects a person's motivation and a desire for self-growth," says Michelle Daniels, assistant professor of marketing. "People value that motivation, as it signals drive, confidence, and competence."

Daniels conducted the research in collaboration with Adriana Samper and Andrea Morales, both professors in the Department of Marketing at W. P. Carey.

What the research reveals

The researchers conducted five studies, published in the Journal of Consumer Research. Across all five, people who mentioned meaningful hobbies were more likely to be chosen, supported, or hired in professional contexts.

In the first study, they posted two Facebook ads featuring a designer from an interior design company. One ad mentioned the designer's hobbies (hiking, cooking, and attending concerts), while the other did not. The ad featuring hobbies had a higher click-through rate—1.44% compared to 1.16%—indicating that people were more interested in learning more about the company when the designer shared her personal interests. For reference, the typical Facebook ad has a click-through rate of about 0.9%.

In the second study, students at a U.S. university were each given $1.00, which they could keep or donate to a fellow student raising funds to participate in a career-building trip. Participants read short biographies of three students raising money for the trip: one featured meaningful leisure activities, one featured less meaningful activities, and a third did not mention any leisure activities. Participants were the most likely to donate to the student who mentioned meaningful activities.

In the third study, participants played a trivia game in which they selected a person to serve as a 'lifeline' and assist them in answering a question. Both options shared details about their professional life. Option A also disclosed information about their leisure activities, while Option B instead shared details about their hometown. For half of the participants, Option A offered meaningful activities such as hiking, cooking, and photography. For the other half, Option A involved less meaningful activities, such as relaxing, browsing social media, and playing video games. When Option A shared meaningful activities, 54% of participants selected him as a lifeline, but when he shared less meaningful activities, only 40% did. Participants also rated Option A as more competent when he shared meaningful activities.

Taken together, these studies show that sharing meaningful leisure is helpful, but not all leisure is viewed equally. While activities like relaxing or browsing social media are not necessarily seen negatively, they do not lead to greater support or choice. Why is this? Such activities do not demonstrate personal growth or skill development. Taking part in meaningful activities, on the other hand, makes people seem more capable, skilled, and effective—all qualities linked to being competent.

When is sharing leisure most effective?

The fourth study examined when the effect was most potent. It highlights that when a person already demonstrates clear evidence of skill, hobbies add little to their perceived capability.

In this experiment, more than 1,200 adults were recruited online to read a short profile of a realtor. All participants read about the realtor's work experience and certifications. The profiles varied by whether they mentioned an award for high client reviews and whether they listed his personal hobbies—hiking, cooking, fishing, and woodworking. This resulted in four versions: no award or hobbies, award only, hobbies only, or both.

When no award was listed, the version that included hobbies scored higher for both competence and the likelihood of being hired. However, when the award was included, the difference disappeared; people rated him as equally competent and hirable regardless of whether he included his hobbies.

Daniels also considered whether this effect might occur for all professions. "In fields like law or accounting, where qualifications already speak for themselves, the effect may naturally be weaker," Daniels says. "It is likely strongest in jobs where people deal directly with clients or don't have built-in markers of expertise, like advanced degrees." Further, while the research did not examine what happens when a person overshares their leisure, Daniels did caution that a tipping point likely exists: "Sharing too many activities may backfire, making someone seem all play and no work."

Who values meaningful leisure?

The final study examined whether certain personality traits impact who values leisure the most. This study involved more than 550 students who rated a realtor's online profile. They found that students who care more about being productive and using their time effectively were much more impressed when the realtor listed hobbies like hiking and cooking. For them, these activities made him seem far more competent. But for participants who place less value on being productive themselves, the hobbies made little difference.

The results suggest that how leisure is received depends on both the audience and what's shared.

Final thoughts

While it may seem risky to share personal hobbies in a culture that emphasizes work, overall, the five studies suggest that a small, thoughtful glimpse into life outside work can build credibility. For early job seekers in particular, meaningful hobbies can serve as credible signals of motivation and competence when more formal cues of competence are limited. Young professionals need not hide their personal interests, so long as those interests also signal a desire to learn and grow.