According to indoor sports centre SNO!zone, 60% of bosses said interviewees who list reading and cooking as interests on their CVs suggest lack of imagination. But 82% believed interest in extreme sport such as skiing and mountain biking suggests energy and ambition.
An interest in any sport was highly regarded by 94% of employers, while 31% said cooking suggested creativity and 70% valued the knowledge of a foreign language - even if it is not relevant to the role in question.
Lisa Allan, SNO!zone's brand manager, said: "Many graduates believe the personal interests section on their CV is unimportant and don't really think about what to put down.
"Not only do employers want someone experienced and well-qualified, they also want someone with the right personality to fit into the team and fulfil the vacant role and personal interests give a good insight into an individual."
But Steve Huxham, chairman of The Recruitment Society, advised employers to be cautious when asking staff about interests. He said: "Interests can tell employers if someone is a more rounded individual, but employers need to avoid being amateur psychologists.
"An employee could say they enjoy skiing but have only been once and a person who likes reading management books is different from one who likes reading Terry Pratchett."
