If you think that an employer asking about your hobbies during an interview is simply seeking to fill a pause, you are wrong. From the information received, he can draw far-reaching conclusions, and based on these conclusions, he can decide whether to hire you or whether it is better to look for another applicant.
Therefore, let’s find out how to behave in an interview when you are asked about your hobby. An expert from Essaypay has collected useful information for you in this article.
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Why does an employer ask about hobbies in an interview?
The conversation about your professional experience and education is, of course, the most significant aspect of the interview. But now that you’ve said everything there is to say, and you’ve told your future boss everything there is to know about your abilities and objectives, he asks you, “And what do you like to do in your leisure time?”
Your first thought might be, “Why does he want to know?” What difference does it make if I spend my free time crocheting or climbing Everest? Weekends and evenings are mines alone; I’m not obligated to inform anyone about my butterfly collection! This is my one and only pastime!
But, of course, you don’t express this tirade out loud; instead, you obediently proceed to list your hobbies. Of course, you’re attempting to present yourself to the employer in a favorable manner. Although you can never be sure what your future boss will think.
What conclusions does the employer make?
If you do extreme sports
Do you believe your future boss would respect you if he learns that you spend every summer kayaking or caving? That he would regard you as a courageous and determined individual who is unafraid of difficult situations? No, because the employer will find out how many times a year you break your arms and legs, as well as how beneficial an employee who is unavailable on weekends and vacations will be to the company. Furthermore, not every male supervisor will be willing to accept such a courageous lady in his office: what if he considers her background to be extremely weak?
In addition, your active hobbies may not match your future job. For example, if you think that the boss will be surprised by your desire to spend all weekends and vacations actively, and the vacancy provides for a routine image, the employer may have doubts about the candidate.
Corporate compliance
The employer is unobtrusively checking the truth of what’s on your resume by asking about your hobbies. For example, you characterize yourself as a subordinate who does not make decisions on his or her own. And then you reveal that you perform in amateur theater and only accept main roles, or even prefer to direct. This is a clear mismatch!
An abundance of different hobbies
You say you’re interested in scrapbooking now, but you made soap last month and wove beaded baubles before that. Do you believe the employer will be impressed by the range of your talents? In fact, he might come to the opposite conclusion: that you are a person who gets easily carried away and does everything at once while taking nothing seriously. And, as you can see, this attribute isn’t on his list of qualities he wants to see in his employee’s personality.
A creative hobby
Are you embarrassed to reveal that despite having excellent expertise as a sales manager or accountant, you create images or sing an author’s song in your spare time? And it’s all for nothing, because such a passion displays you as a creative individual who is capable of non-standard solutions and, as a result, isn’t afraid to take on new difficulties.
The mismatch between salary and hobby
If you mention hobbies on your resume or in a personal meeting that are positioned as elite and expensive, and the salary offered is far from paying for such entertainment, the employer may have two thoughts and both put you at a disadvantage:
- You have another job. Consequently, you are unlikely to be able to fully immerse yourself in your work and devote enough time and energy to it. That’s what most employers who want a reliable employee think;
- You are from a wealthy family. Why is this not a plus? It’s simple: the employer will immediately ask himself questions: why then do you need this job at all? How long can he stay here if the money isn’t a motivator?
No hobby
Even if you did not include this information on your resume, you will almost certainly be asked about your hobbies in some way. Don’t say you don’t have any; instead, plan ahead and present something commonplace in an unusual way. People who enjoy going to the movies, for example, can say that they are collecting a collection of tragicomedies. Sports are, of course, the most win-win situation. Even if you’re not serious about it, simply say that you enjoy running in the evenings, walking, or playing basketball.
What’s not to say when asked about hobbies
You should not describe certain hobbies in response to this question, nor should you reply, as we stated before, that you have none. Why not? Such an answer demonstrates that you have no life outside of work, and responses like “In my spare time, I watch soap operas” lead one to believe that you lack motivation and energy.
Also, don’t say you enjoy gambling, parties, or other similar activities. This will present you as a sloppy and unreliable employee. Alcoholism is included in the same group.
HR manager that works for Writemyessay company, that provides “write my essay” for students, shares some more tips:
- Connect your passion to your future job if at all possible. If you’re seeking to work at a bookshop, for example, you should mention that you enjoy reading and understanding literature.
- Tell us how you fit hobbies into your schedule. This is significant because you will be able to demonstrate that you are committed to your activity and that you understand time management and how to organize your day. On the proposed work schedule, you can present an example of time distribution.
- Make it short and to the point. Don’t go on a 15-minute rant about your favorite book character. It’s worth stopping just in time, so as not to spoil the impression you’ve already made;
- Do not lie. You can’t know for sure if the manager or the employer is into the same hobby. For example, you said that you love going to the football matches of the local team. The boss has the same hobby. He may ask who is your favorite player or what was your last game. You will not be able to answer anything, and the impression will be spoiled by a small lie. The more sincere and honest you are, the better they will think of you.
