Can What Are My Hobbies Be The Secret Weapon For Acing Your Next Interview
Written by
James Miller, Career Coach
When preparing for an interview, whether for a dream job, a competitive college program, or even a crucial sales call, candidates often focus intently on technical skills, professional achievements, and industry knowledge. However, a seemingly simple question – "what are my hobbies" – can be a surprisingly powerful tool in your communication arsenal. This question isn't just about small talk; it's a strategic opening to showcase your personality, soft skills, and cultural fit, giving interviewers a deeper understanding of who you are beyond your resume.
Why Do Interviewers Ask About what are my hobbies
Interviewers and professional communicators ask about what are my hobbies for several key reasons that go beyond surface-level interest. The primary purpose behind this question is to gain insight into your personality, understand your soft skills, and assess how well you might fit into a team or company culture. Beyond technical competencies, employers seek individuals who bring a well-rounded perspective and positive influence to the workplace.
Your response to "what are my hobbies" can reveal traits like discipline, creativity, leadership, teamwork, and communication skills, all of which are highly valued in professional settings. For instance, an interest in team sports might highlight your collaborative spirit, while puzzle-solving could demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities. Discussing what are my hobbies also serves as an excellent icebreaker, helping to build rapport and create a more natural, engaging conversation during interviews or professional interactions. It's an opportunity to connect on a human level, making you more memorable.
How Do You Choose Which what are my hobbies to Share
Selecting which of what are my hobbies to share is crucial for making a positive professional impression. The best approach is to pick genuine hobbies that you truly enjoy and can discuss naturally and enthusiastically. Authenticity is key; your passion will be evident and make your answer more compelling.
Team sports like soccer or basketball are excellent for demonstrating teamwork, collaboration, leadership, and discipline, making them highly relevant for roles in sales, marketing, or project management.
Puzzle-solving, chess, or coding side projects can highlight analytical thinking, problem-solving capabilities, and logical reasoning, which are highly desirable for tech, finance, or research positions.
Volunteering demonstrates community engagement, empathy, social responsibility, and often organizational skills, making it valuable for HR, non-profit, or customer-facing roles.
Blogging, content creation, or public speaking showcases strong communication skills, creativity, and the ability to articulate ideas effectively.
Beyond genuineness, strategically choose hobbies that showcase skills or qualities relevant to the role you're pursuing. For example:
While it's important to be authentic, consider avoiding controversial or overly generic hobbies unless you can draw a meaningful and positive connection to the job or company culture. The goal is to provide insight that reinforces your professional value, not to create awkwardness.
What's the Best Way to Structure Your Answer About what are my hobbies
When asked about what are my hobbies, a clear, concise, and engaging structure will help you deliver an impactful answer. Think of it as a mini-story that connects your personal interests to your professional potential.
What the hobby is: State your hobby directly and clearly.
Why you enjoy it: Briefly explain your passion for it. This adds authenticity and helps the interviewer see your genuine interest.
What it has taught you: This is the most crucial part. Detail the skills, character traits, or lessons you've gained from this hobby. For example, if your hobby is cooking, you might mention attention to detail, patience, or creativity.
How it relates to or benefits your professional role (if relevant): Connect the dots for the interviewer. Show how the skills gained from your hobby are transferable to the job. For instance, "My love for complex puzzles has honed my problem-solving skills, which I believe would be valuable in tackling challenges in this role."
A simple yet effective format includes:
Practice concise storytelling to keep your answer focused and engaging, avoiding rambling. The aim is to provide just enough detail to illustrate a point without taking over the interview. According to Indeed, framing your hobbies in a way that showcases transferable skills is key to making a positive impression [^1].
What what are my hobbies Showcase Professional Significance
Many common what are my hobbies can be framed to highlight highly desirable professional qualities. The key is to draw a clear line from your personal interest to a relevant workplace skill.
Reading: Demonstrates curiosity, continuous learning, and information retention. This is valuable for virtually all roles, particularly those requiring research, adaptability, or staying current with industry trends.
Volunteering: Reflects community engagement, teamwork, empathy, and often organizational or leadership skills, highly valued in roles that require collaboration or social responsibility.
Team sports: Showcases collaboration, leadership, resilience, strategy, and discipline. A candidate who coaches a sports team, for example, demonstrates patience, motivational skills, and the ability to guide others [^2].
Blogging or Content Creation: Highlights strong communication skills, creativity, organization, and the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly. This is particularly relevant for marketing, communications, and digital roles.
Puzzle Solving or Coding Side Projects: Indicates analytical thinking, problem-solving aptitude, logical reasoning, and perseverance. These are crucial for tech, data analysis, and any role requiring intricate problem resolution.
Cooking or Baking: Can showcase attention to detail, patience, creativity, and the ability to follow instructions or innovate within a framework. This translates well to roles requiring precision and process management.
Here are some examples of hobbies and their professional significance:
Consider concrete examples. The Muse suggests thinking about how your hobbies reflect key attributes like leadership, teamwork, or problem-solving. For instance, explaining how training for a marathon taught you discipline and goal-setting can be powerful [^3].
What Common Challenges Arise When Discussing what are my hobbies
Even with the best intentions, discussing what are my hobbies can present a few challenges. Being aware of these can help you prepare better.
Fear of seeming unprofessional or irrelevant: Some candidates worry that sharing personal interests might detract from their professional image or be perceived as a waste of interview time. The key is to frame the hobby with a professional takeaway.
Difficulty connecting hobbies to the job role: It can be challenging to articulate how a seemingly unrelated hobby directly benefits the position you're interviewing for. This requires thoughtful reflection and preparation.
Choosing hobbies that seem too personal or controversial: Interests like political activism or highly niche, potentially polarizing hobbies might be best avoided in a professional setting unless directly relevant and positively framed.
Being asked follow-up questions you are unprepared for: An interviewer might dig deeper into your hobby, and if you haven't genuinely engaged with it or thought through its implications, you might stumble.
Common difficulties include:
The trick is to anticipate these hurdles by reflecting on your hobbies and rehearsing how you'll present them in a way that aligns with your professional aspirations.
How Can You Master Discussing what are my hobbies in Interviews
Mastering the art of discussing what are my hobbies can significantly enhance your interview performance. It’s all about preparation, authenticity, and strategic communication.
Reflect before your interview: Take time to identify 2-3 hobbies you genuinely enjoy and can confidently discuss. Critically think about how each hobby has helped you develop skills or positive traits relevant to the role or company values.
Prepare a short story or example: For each chosen hobby, craft a concise, compelling story that showcases a positive trait or transferable skill. For example, instead of just saying "I like hiking," you could say, "Hiking helps me develop perseverance and problem-solving skills, especially when navigating challenging terrains, which reminds me of tackling complex projects."
Be ready to turn the hobby conversation into a dialogue: After sharing your hobby, consider asking the interviewer a related question, if appropriate. For instance, "Does your team participate in any volunteer work or team-building activities?" This shows engagement and curiosity about the company culture.
Practice speaking about hobbies naturally and enthusiastically: Avoid sounding rehearsed or robotic. Your genuine passion for the hobby should shine through. Practice with a friend or in front of a mirror to ensure your delivery is confident and engaging.
Be honest: Only share hobbies you genuinely pursue. Inauthenticity can be easily detected and might undermine your credibility.
Here's actionable advice:
Remember, discussing what are my hobbies is an opportunity to showcase your well-rounded nature and how your personal interests contribute to your professional capabilities.
How Can what are my hobbies Be Used in Other Professional Situations
The strategic use of what are my hobbies extends far beyond job interviews, proving valuable in various other professional communication scenarios.
In sales calls or client meetings: Mentioning a shared hobby or interest can be a powerful tool for building rapport and finding common ground. Discovering a mutual love for a sport or a particular type of music can instantly humanize the interaction, foster trust, and make a client feel more connected to you and, by extension, your product or service. This personal connection can often be the differentiator in closing a deal.
In college interviews: For aspiring students, discussing what are my hobbies is crucial for demonstrating a well-rounded personality, passion, time management skills, and commitment beyond academics. Admissions committees look for students who will contribute positively to campus life and bring diverse perspectives. Highlighting extracurriculars like debate club (critical thinking, public speaking) or a passion for photography (creativity, attention to detail) shows a multi-faceted individual.
Networking events: Hobbies can be excellent conversation starters at networking events, breaking the ice and leading to more memorable interactions than just discussing work.
Team-building or professional development settings: Sharing what you do outside of work can help colleagues understand you better, build camaraderie, and even spark collaborative ideas.
Always adapt your hobby discussion depending on the formality of the interaction and your audience. The goal is to use your personal interests as a bridge to stronger professional relationships and more effective communication.
How Can Verve AI Copilot Help You With what are my hobbies
Preparing to discuss what are my hobbies effectively in any professional setting can feel daunting, but Verve AI Interview Copilot offers a powerful solution. This innovative tool is designed to help you articulate your experiences and interests in a compelling, strategic manner.
Verve AI Interview Copilot can guide you through mock interview questions, including those about what are my hobbies, providing instant, personalized feedback on your delivery, content, and tone. It helps you practice structuring your answers to connect your hobbies to transferable skills, ensuring your responses are impactful and relevant. With Verve AI Interview Copilot, you can refine your storytelling, build confidence, and ensure your personality shines through, making a memorable impression. Elevate your interview preparation and communication skills with Verve AI Interview Copilot at https://vervecopilot.com.
What Are the Most Common Questions About what are my hobbies
Q: Should I really share personal hobbies in a professional interview?
A: Yes, when framed correctly, hobbies showcase personality, soft skills, and cultural fit, adding depth beyond your resume.
Q: What if my hobbies seem too boring or common, like watching TV?
A: Focus on the "why" and "what it taught you." For TV, perhaps it's about critical analysis, understanding narratives, or learning new perspectives.
Q: How long should my answer be when asked about my hobbies?
A: Keep it concise, 30-60 seconds, focusing on what the hobby is, why you enjoy it, and what professional skills it demonstrates.
Q: What if my hobbies are very niche or physically demanding?
A: Explain the hobby clearly and immediately link it to relevant skills like discipline, teamwork, resilience, or problem-solving.
Q: Is it okay to ask the interviewer about their hobbies in return?
A: Yes, if appropriate for the flow of conversation. It can build rapport and show genuine interest in connecting with them.
[^1]: Indeed. (n.d.). Interview Question: What Are Your Hobbies and Interests. Retrieved from https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/interview-question-hobbies-and-interests
[^2]: Hirist. (n.d.). What Are Your Hobbies Interview Question With Sample Answers. Retrieved from https://www.hirist.tech/blog/what-are-your-hobbies-interview-question-with-sample-answers/
[^3]: The Muse. (n.d.). The Right Way to Answer "What Are Your Hobbies?" in a Job Interview. Retrieved from https://www.themuse.com/advice/hobbies-job-interview-question-answer-examples
