What the Hiring Manager Is Really Asking…

“What are your hobbies?” is an interview question that can provide insight into how you’ll fit in with other members of the team; it can also provide insight into your personal priorities. Another purpose of this question, however, may be to gauge how you would react to the unexpected.

Interviewers often ask questions which seem out of left-field (questions like “what are your hobbies?”) in order to evaluate your ability to think on your feet when a conversation takes an unexpected turn. The answer you provide, and the manner in which you provide it, will typically provide a peek into your personality and how you handle stress.

As with a more typical interview question (and resume and cover letter writing, too), candor and confidence are your tickets to success when answering “What are your hobbies?”

• What is the interviewer trying to find out with this question?
• How could details about your hobbies reveal insight into how you would work as an employee?

The Best Approach

• Take it in stride—treat this like any other question that you might expect to hear in an interview.
• Be comfortable. You’re just talking about the things you enjoy doing, so speak along the lines of casual conversation.
• Mentioning hobbies that relate to your work can be helpful (for example, tell them about your love of golf and baseball if you’re applying to work in a sporting goods store).
• Keep it professional. Stay focused on the types of hobbies which would be appropriate to talk about if you were an actual employee.
• Be consistent with what you are sharing/listing on social media, because there’s a good chance your Facebook and LinkedIn accounts have been reviewed by the interviewers.
• Understand that the hobby you mention as a job candidate will be remembered when you are an employee. In fact, it could be mentioned in a company-wide email that introduces you, so be prepared to discuss it later.
• Have a little fun and show a bit of personality with questions like these—it’s a great way to put your confidence on display.

• Think about your hobbies; what are three things that you like to do in your spare time.
• Think about the qualities you are trying to convey in this interview. Do you want to appear committed, ambitious, a team-player?
• Match each hobby to one of the professional qualities that you are trying to convey. How does each hobby reflect the chosen quality?

Preparation

A hobby is something you enjoy doing in your leisure time. If a hobby doesn’t immediately spring to mind when you’re fielding this question, take some time to consider things you do in your spare time that could qualify as a hobby. Answer the question in a manner similar to this one: “What do you do in your spare time?” And here’s some additional info on what constitutes a hobby:

• Something that relaxes you, or brings you pleasure.
• Something you do for fun on a frequent basis.
• Something you would do more often if you had more time for it!
• Watching TV and searching the Internet are not hobbies, unless, for example:
  • You watch cooking shows and scour the Internet for recipes in order to up your chef game—this could translate to cooking being your hobby.
  • You watch Antiques Road Show, check out consignment stores for unique knick-knacks and artwork, and buy and sell vintage goods on eBay. This could translate to antiquing or thrifting being your hobby.
• Volunteering, taking classes, and simply reading books are often unrecognized hobbies. Keep that in mind!

Don’t worry if you can’t directly connect your hobbies to the job or industry. Your hobbies can demonstrate other skills or strengths that an interviewer might find interesting or unique or even humorous.

But do try to connect your hobbies to the job or industry, if possible—doing so sends a strong indication of the depth of your interest in the field.

• Do your chosen hobbies reflect a wide array of interests? Try to have one hobby from different areas (i.e. a volunteer position, an indoor activity, an outdoor activity). This can help you appear more well-rounded.
• Why is it important to portray yourself as having a variety of interests?
• What are 3 ways that your hobbies provide a reflection of your professional goals?

Mistakes You Should Avoid

Make sure your filter is in place when discussing your personal life. Be forthright but keep yourself in check.

• Telling an interviewer you have no hobbies can make you appear reluctant to talk about yourself. Talk family, pets, community, leisure activities, club and association memberships, etc. Definitely don’t decline to answer the question!
• Avoid discussing hobbies that might paint you in a negative or irresponsible light, like gambling.
• Don’t trap yourself by trying to relate your answer solely to work—be honest and share a bit about yourself.
• Don’t appear frazzled or confused by the question. Expected the unexpected in any job interview. While this question is not an everyday one, it’s also rather light. Relax and have some fun when answering!
• Don’t create a non-existent hobby. If you land the job, your hobbies (or lack of) may become visible, and no one likes a liar.

Avoid sharing too much information. This is not a question that requires a 10-minute answer. If follow-up questions are asked, answer them, but try not to go on and on forever. You don’t need to provide a full biography—just enough to show your interviewer that you’re a real person with real interests, and that you’re at ease when it comes to thinking on your feet.

• Write a sample answer of your list of hobbies. Review it with a Cambly tutor if necessary.
• Write how these hobbies make you stand out from others.
• What are the obstacles you think may arise when answering this question? Write the steps you will take to prevent this mistake from occurring.