A hiring manager may not only ask about your education and work experience during a job interview, but it is also quite common to hear the question, “What are your hobbies and interests?” It can sometimes confuse a person, so preparing your answer in advance is best. Everyone should have their hobbies and interests. Having them outside of your work demonstrates that you are well-rounded person. In this article, we’ll examine how to answer questions about your time outside of work and your hobbies and interests. Moreover, we’ll also tell you exactly what you shouldn’t talk about and give sample answers.
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When an interviewer asks about your hobbies and interests, it is to find out how well-rounded you are and whether you fit into the company’s culture. Managers may want to know how full your personal life is and if you have any hobbies outside of work. It is a sign that they will be interested in you for the job.
Potential employers may also ask this interview question to see if you can balance work and personal life. In this situation, they want to know how busy your life is outside the office and whether it will interfere with your ability to carry out your work responsibilities.
If you are asked this kind of interview question, you should first accept it completely calmly. Some job applicants are surprised by such questions, which are not directly connected with their job duties, and it is difficult for them to give quality answers. Don’t let this put you off. It is normal that a prospective employer may not only ask about specific skills required during job duties, but he may also be interested in your soft skills, which can be identified through hobbies and interests. If you need to do this, you can pause to think about what you will say and then answer as you have done to all the follow-up questions and those that came before.
But how do you get through a job interview and provide answers concerning your life outside work? In this situation, you should listen to the following advice.
The best answers in this situation are shortcuts. It’s worth naming just one or a few hobbies. Specifying only 1 way you prefer to spend your leisure time makes the answer more succinct and shorter. If you list some of your hobbies and interests (no more than 2-3), you demonstrate yourself as well-rounded individual. Ensure the description is brief if the interviewer asks only what is necessary.
Of course, you can have a few hobbies besides your main job, but in a job interview, it is best to specify those related to the job you are applying for. The types of extracurricular activities you should list are often the following:
Interview answer about hobbies and interests should also be accompanied by the useful skills you have gained from them. You can choose the hobbies that suit you best and identify the interpersonal skills and other qualities that you have been able to develop through them. It is best to list your hobbies, and for each one, list the main abilities and qualities they have helped you acquire. The most common ones are:
During the interview, it’s a good idea to mention that your extracurricular activities position you well for the position, and it’s worth finding a common interest between you and the company and the similarity of your values. For example, you are often involved in community service and draw a parallel with the fact that the company is active in its charitable work. You can also match your resume requirements with your hobbies. Your extracurricular activities may have personal value and show your passion for your work. If you are creative person and your job requires creativity, your hobbies might include painting and other things. If your job, for example, involves making and selling products for hiking and other similar pastimes, you might state that you enjoy outdoor activities.
To get the right answer, it’s worth doing a few simple things:
To show your potential value, make your response more specific by giving an example of your hobbies and interests. In this situation, you can use the STAR method to identify the problem and how to solve it.
Your hobbies and interests may apply to a particular company or position. At the end of your answer, ask how you would use your hard or soft skills in the work environment. Ask your potential employer if they encourage social hobbies, value creativity among employees during events when staff becomes one sports team to bring employees together and if they appreciate new cultures.
When discussing how you spend your free time, it pays to be as brief as possible. It’s not a good idea to go into a monologue of more than 10 minutes about your sports team. The answer to this question should differ from the lion’s share of your interview. Here’s another career advice: Stay honest. When talking about what you’re passionate about, it should be the whole truth and not a way to rub dust in the eyes of a potential employer. After all, if you lie and it comes out, it’s a huge red flag to your employer that you might lie about yourself. In addition, additional questions may be asked about how to spend your spare time.
Job search is inextricably linked to interviewing. Suppose you want to demonstrate your professional development and useful skills and prove yourself well-rounded individual. In that case, it pays to prepare example answers to the question about your hobbies. They could look something like this:
Every month I volunteer at my local food bank. Last time, I sorted haberdashery items, monitored the quantities, and kept records. I was also responsible for sorting cans and boxes into their respective product types and working with other volunteers. Together we provided food to about 500 people in need.
I am excited about my hobby. I enjoy not only serving the community but also meeting new people. I have found many people who also share my desire to help people through volunteering. Your company is also quite active in charity work, particularly supplying a food bank. Have you ever considered starting to do company outings to volunteer?
Since school, I’ve always been involved in sports, so I joined a local football league to keep fit and meet new people. This year I am the football team captain, so I ask other team members to arrive 1 hour early so that we have enough time to warm up and do a light jog. I also help my teammates with improving their physical performance. I encourage players to communicate with each other during the game and make sure that every player is involved. I want to remain a leader in the position I am applying for. My experience as captain of the football team will help me do that. I saw on your social media that you had a real field day for employees at your last corporate event. Do you often hold corporate outdoor events involving all employees?
I’m passionate about travel and try to send somewhere new every summer. My flight was delayed on my last trip to San Francisco, and I wanted to get to the show. When I found out the plane was running late, I contacted the hotel and warned them that check-in would be a few hours late. I knew I would make it to the show in time, but I planned to check out the theatre from the hotel to save time. Once I arrived at the hotel, I had at most 15 minutes to check in and get into a taxi. Travelling has helped me develop the ability to adapt to different unforeseen situations. I anticipate what could go wrong and think through options to solve problems. With the help of ready-made strategies, I have successfully planned trips and events as an administrative assistant.
When describing your hobbies and interests, avoid making the following mistakes:
In conclusion, your hobbies are worth considering before the interview. List a few interests you might discuss during the interview beforehand. It is imperative that you remain honest and don’t exaggerate your hobbies. Avoiding arguments and discussing hobbies that might cause controversial reactions is also advisable.
