How to answer “What are your Hobbies and Interests?”

September 26, 2023

What Extracurricular Activities are you Interested in?

“What are your hobbies and interests” or “What extracurricular activities are you interested in /have participated in” are common questions asked in HR or MR rounds. On this page, we have included the complete guide to answering this question.

Page Highlights

Why: “What are your hobbies and interests?” asked
How to answer: “What are your hobbies and interests”
Sample Answers: “What extracurricular activities are you interested in”

Why: "What are your hobbies and interests"? asked

Interviewers ask this question to see whether the candidate has any interests in things other than education. Individuals who practice hobbies are known to have better cognitive development than those who don’t. Therefore this is an important HR interview question.

How to answer: "What are your hobbies and interests"?

Although on the surface this might seem a simple question, there are certain parameters that a candidate should know before answering. The aim behind asking this questions is to check:-

Communication skill
Adaptive ability
Cognitive ability

To frame an answer for this question, follow these steps:

Select Your Hobbies 1. Choose hobbies that are associated with your job profile.
2. Don't include random hobbies like partying or eating.

Skill/Quality Identification 1. Your hobbies should help you cultivate skills and qualities that might assist you in getting work done.
2. Like playing sports as hobby helps you gain sense of teamwork and co-ordination.

Co-relate the hobby with your job:- 1. Try to include a hobby which can directly help you in your job.
2. For example, if you are interviewing for the position of programmer/developer you can mention video games as a hobby and how you are always fascinated by the different upgrades these games get and like to replicate the same.

Real Life Example:- 1. Your hobby should be something that will help you do a better job in the future.
If you are interviewing for a job which requires you to do lot of research and go through a lot of different content, and if your hobby is reading then the job will not look tough.
3. If the situation is something that you are familiar with then you will achieve better results.

Also Check Out:-

Important Points to Remember

Sample Answers: "What extracurricular activities are you interested in?"

Refer the sample answers provided below for your interviews.

Answer 1: What are your hobbies and interests?

I was in the tenth grade when puzzles and board games piqued my interest and since then they have been my hobby for life. Solving casual jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku games, crosswords in the magazines has been my fascination forever now. However, while learning to solve them in a month’s time to decoding them in a week and now even in few days, I have learnt so much in this process. This hobby has definitely cultivated the qualities of patience, consistency, planning and observing while doing a certain task. The basic principles of completing a task despite the existing hurdles will definitely help me to work and plan my activities accordingly without getting too anxious or impatient with time.

Answer 2: What hobbies do you have?

Having one hobby is good but having two which compliment each other and help you strengthen your abilities is always better. My hobbies of practicing Yoga and Meditation has instilled in me the highest level of calm and self assurance that nothing else could. Our working pattern in this industry is very hectic and there’s no time to relax your muscles. We are needed to be on our toes all the time. So these hobbies of mine have been very helpful to take some time out for myself and connect to my inner self thus bridging the gap between my mind and soul. Daily practice of Yoga and meditation also helps me to concentrate better in my work and I do not feel lethargic or demotivated by anything at all.

Answer 3: What are your interests outside of academics?

I have always been fascinated by designer car models. They help me to think about the numerous possibilities that exist in this world. I have been into car designing since my school days. I was an amateur in the beginning and created basic models but now me along with my friend have started to work on a more advanced level with better designing. This has increased my creativity level and now I can think out of the box to find a solution for any problem and use my unique ideas to get an upper hand. I started designing just out of hobby but I know I can deliver my best in terms of ideas if anyone needs my assistance to plan out any task or project.

Also Check:

Top 60 HR Interview Questions Answer
Have you led any team efficiently? Answer
Why did you score low in Academics? Answer
Give me an example of your creativity. Answer
Can you work night shifts. Answer
Are you willing to relocate? Answer
What was the toughest decision you ever had to make? Answer
Tell me something which is not mentioned in your resume. Answer
What are you expecting from this job? Answer
What are your plans for higher studies? Answer
Explain how would you be an asset to this organization. Answer
Do you have any questions for me. Answer

FAQs on What are your Hobbies and Interests?

Question: I don't have any hobbies that I can think of. What should I do in the interview?

Answer:-

You should always say something as your hobby. Do not say no or lie about your hobbies.

Question: Is it important to have hobbies for interview?