When you’re interviewing for a job, the hiring manager will ask you questions to determine whether you’re a good fit for the company’s culture. As such, they’ll likely ask you, “What are your hobbies?”
Hobbies are activities that bring you joy – and they can say a lot about your character. When it comes to interviewing for a job, the hobbies you mention can give your hiring manager great insight into your personality type, what you do to de-stress and relax, as well as how you cultivate your own personal growth outside of the workplace.
Don’t type “What Are Your Hobbies Interview Answer” into Google. Instead, keep reading for the best answers to give when asked about your hobbies in an interview – and why.
1. Cooking
Cooking is something everyone does, but it’s not always something everyone enjoys. That’s why, if you enjoy cooking, you should bring it up in your interview when asked about your hobbies.
The culinary arts not only take a lot of time to master, but they constantly challenge you to make new recipes, use new foods, and try different techniques. It’s for these reasons that you should mention it in your interview.
Cooking requires a strong focus on the task at hand, following directions, and executing a project from start to finish – all soft skills that your hiring manager is looking for. Soft skills are “..non-technical skills that impact your performance in the workplace.” The same applies to baking.
If you have an interest in the culinary arts, even if it’s taking cooking classes or cooking with your spouse or children at home, it can show your potential employer that you’re able to dedicate yourself to a project and see it through independently or by working with a team.
If you’re planning on discussing cooking, be prepared to share your favorite meal you’ve cooked. It’s likely something your hiring manager will ask you before ending the interview.
2. Writing
If you enjoy writing as a hobby, it shows others that you’re a free thinker and creative. This can be a beneficial soft skill in the workplace because it shows that you’re capable of problem-solving and looking at a situation from multiple angles.
In addition to this, writing as a hobby demonstrates your ability to think about what you want to say and why. And, in the workplace, this strong ability to communicate can lead to more thoughtful conversations with peers, clients, and management to find the resolution to a problem.
Those who write in their free time also tend to be very passionate about their craft. If you love to write, you should also let your hiring manager know what you prefer to write about. Is it blogging? Short stories? Poetry? Books? You don’t have to divulge all the details, but it’s okay to let your hiring manager in on what kind of content and genre inspires you to pick up the pen.
Just be mindful to steer clear from talking about anything that could be inappropriate, such as politics or anything of an adult nature.
3. Gardening
Similarly to cooking, having gardening as a hobby means that you like to see your hard work pay off. Gardening requires not only a lot of learning to be successful but constant upkeep for the plants to thrive.
In addition to these qualities, gardening also demonstrates a strong level of patience, which can be very handy in the workplace when it comes to achieving long-term goals. Employers commonly look for applicants who demonstrate dependability and ambition, two soft skills that are routinely executed in gardening.
If you’re asked about your hobbies in an interview and you reply with gardening, let your interviewer in on the kinds of plants and flowers you like to grow, any methods you use for success, and what you’ve learned as a result of your experiences. They may be itching to start gardening themselves!
4. Playing Sports
Playing sports screams great team collaboration, which is why it’s such a great hobby to mention when your interviewer asks, “What are your hobbies?”
Sports teach you a lot about life, including how to bounce back after a defeat and adjust your technique to secure a win. In terms of the workplace, your hiring manager is looking for someone who can handle constructive criticism and adapt it to perform a job more effectively.
In fact, a study from the University of Milan found that “…more successful sportspeople scored on conscientiousness…and emotional stability.” And, this is what your hiring manager wants.
Essentially, your hiring manager is looking for someone who has sportsmanship – aka someone who works well in a team and demonstrates respect for their craft and those they collaborate with, so go ahead and share the sport you play (pickleball anyone?) and offer up a time you helped a teammate and why.
5. Traveling
Some people are just born with wanderlust in their veins, but believe it or not, traveling actually teaches us a lot about ourselves. When you expose yourself to new places and even different cultures, you develop a strong sense of self, but you also realize how vastly different people are. If you’re interviewing for a leadership position as a travel enthusiast, your experiences can be extremely beneficial to how you lead your team.
Everyone brings something different to the workplace. Whether it’s on-the-job experience, life skills, or a personality trait, the workplace is better when everyone can collaborate and feel like their voices are being heard. Similarly, workplaces run smoother when employees aren’t forced to work in a box.
For example, some employees may prefer to communicate via Slack than Zoom. If your company works remotely, some employees may prefer to knock out their tasks in the morning, whereas some may prefer working through the evening. If an employee has a creative role, they may need less structure to succeed, whereas someone in a logistics role may need a different type of support to keep them on track.
Just like visiting another country and having to learn about its customs and culture, you have to learn what works for each one of your employees and foster an environment that allows them to succeed.
Interviewers are looking for managers that can lead a team successfully and part of that is understanding people and taking the time to get to know them. Companies see more success when they utilize their team members’ strengths correctly. Traveling as a hobby shows that you’re able to view people through an individual lens.
Side note: Have a favorite memory in your back pocket to share with your interviewer, when asked!
6. Volunteering
Type “What Are Your Hobbies Interview Answer” into Google and so many blogs will return volunteering as a top result. But why?
How you spend your time and the causes you dedicate your time and resources to says a lot about what’s important to you. For example, volunteering at an animal shelter highlights your nurturing side, and desire to improve the lives of those that need it.
Likewise, volunteering your time for a cause that’s important to you, such as at a nursing home, or crocheting and donating hats at a local hospital for cancer patients, could be because you lost someone to the disease or had a relative in an assisted living facility and saw how much the residents needed company.
When it comes to volunteering, the top characteristic it shows off is your humanity, and that’s going to be important in every job you have, especially in those that are client-facing. For example, if you’re working in customer service, you need to be able to understand the person’s complaint or issue, treat them with compassion, and find a resolution. People want to be heard, and when you have volunteer experience, it highlights your ability to connect with people when they need help the most.
Remember, when you’re talking about volunteering as a hobby, it’s important to give personal reasons for why you donate your time. Your hiring manager may be able to relate to your story or volunteer experience.
These reasons are why volunteering should be included on this list of “What Are Your Hobbies Interview Answer?”
7. Reading
Like traveling, reading exposes you to new ideas. However, it’s also beneficial in sharpening your focus, thinking creatively, and developing an extensive vocabulary.
Regardless of the type of job you’re interviewing for, hiring managers are looking for people who can easily articulate their goals and develop simple solutions for out-of-the-box, complex situations. This is where the benefits of reading come into play, especially if you’re interviewing for a marketing position.
The marketing industry is constantly changing and those who work in the field have to constantly be able to adjust their client’s marketing campaigns and strategies to generate leads. Employees that read as a hobby can focus on what their clients’ goals are, and think of a creative solution to help achieve them.
During your interview, it’s likely that you’ll be asked about what your favorite book is, so don’t be afraid to share it! Who knows, you two might have a favorite book in common, which helps establish a connection, if you end up getting hired for the position.
8. Working Out
Though many people work out for their health, for some it may bring leisure and relaxation, which is often why exercise is a popular hobby.
Working out can consist of many things, including yoga, using weights, or training for a marathon. Regardless of the type of exercise you engage in as a hobby, they all have one trait in common: discipline. And, discipline goes a long way in the workplace, both in terms of completing one’s workload and adhering to policies, such as arriving to work on time.
Furthermore, according to Human Performance Resources by CHAMP, those who get a lot of physical exercise “are more likely to show positive personality traits, such as openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness (wanting to do things well).”
While, of course, these traits aren’t limited to those who only work out as a hobby, they are characteristics your potential employer is looking for. When asked about your hobby, share what you love about working out or your favorite form of exercise and what it does for you.
9. Hiking
When it comes to what hobbies say about your personality, hiking demonstrates your interest in exploration. However, for a hiring manager, it also exposes your level of skill and preparedness.
Hiking requires you to not only be prepared for anything at a moment’s notice, but it also forces you to think on your toes, especially in the event of an emergency. Likewise, those who enjoy hiking tend to exhibit flexibility, endurance, and self-control.
Impulsivity in the workplace can lead to bad decisions and serious consequences. However, those that exhibit self-control are better suited to meet deadlines, maintain productivity, and make better business decisions that benefit their team. That’s why hiring managers look to hire individuals who demonstrate these qualities.
If you’re just getting into hiking as a hobby, here’s a helpful guide on what kinds of equipment you should bring with you on every trip and why.
10. Photography
If you practice photography as a hobby, then chances are you’re someone who likes to live in the present. After all, there’s something quite beautiful about capturing a moment in time.
While there’s nothing wrong with having photography as a side hustle or primary employment, dabbling in it as a hobby keeps you active, exercises your creativity, and forces you to be aware of your surroundings. In other words, those who practice photography tend to notice the small details that others may ignore or gloss over – and that says a lot about the kind of employee you’ll be.
Employers actively look to hire individuals that are detail-oriented so that they don’t have to be micromanaged. Likewise, they want someone who’s going to be a self-starter. Since photography is a challenging hobby, especially for beginners, doing this says a lot about your desire to learn and practice your skills. If you have a favorite local place to shoot, be sure to share it with your interviewer.
Final Thoughts
Remember, a job interview isn’t just about your work-related experience. It’s about seeing if you’re a good fit for the company’s culture.
When asked about your hobbies and how you like to spend your time, be honest about what’s meaningful to you and why. Doing so can help establish new connections and make it easier to move forward with the interview because talking about what you love makes you more relaxed.
Read on to see the 10 hobbies that look great on your resume.