Why are Extracurricular Activities Important?
What do you do in your free time outside of your workplace?
Extracurricular activities are very important for both personal and career growth. They are more than just schoolwork, helping people learn new skills, discover their interests, and become well-rounded. Whether you’re a student, parent, or teacher, knowing why these activities matter can help you make better choices.
On this page, we have provided guidelines on how you can answer questions on extracurricular activities which include the questions like “What extracurricular activities are you interested in?” or “ Tell me about the extracurricular activities you were involved in your workplace/college”.
Page Highlights:
- Why Interviewers Ask About Extracurricular Activities.
- How to answer Extracurricular activities Question
- Sample Answers

Why Interviewers Ask About Extracurricular Activities
- Understand Your Personality:
Extracurricular activities help hiring managers learn about your interests, values, and how you spend your time outside work or school. - Assess Skills and Abilities:
They look for skills like teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving that can benefit the company. - Evaluate Leadership Potential:
Your involvement in activities often shows leadership qualities, which are highly valued at work. - Check for Well-Roundedness:
Employers want to see if you can balance and manage multiple responsibilities effectively.
How to answer Extracurricular activities Question
- Be Specific:
Share details about your role, responsibilities, and achievements in the activity. - Highlight Skills:
Connect your experiences to skills like leadership, teamwork, or problem-solving. - Show Impact:
Explain how the activity helped you grow personally or professionally. - Keep It Relevant:
Focus on activities that align with the job or demonstrate transferable skills.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Overloading:
Joining too many activities can cause burnout. It’s important to find a balance. - Ignoring Interests:
Picking activities just to boost your resume can make you lose interest. - Neglecting Academics:
Extracurriculars should support, not take over, your schoolwork. - Lack of Reflection:
If you can’t explain how these activities helped you grow, it might not impress during interviews or applications.
List of Extracurricular Activities to Mention
Here’s a categorized list of extracurricular activities to consider:
Academic-Related Activities
Debate Club
Science Olympiad
Math Team
Robotics Club
Arts and Creativity
Drama Club
Choir or Band
Painting or Photography Club
Creative Writing
Sports and Physical Activities
Soccer, Basketball, or Volleyball
Swimming or Track and Field
Yoga or Martial Arts
Dance Team
Community Service and Leadership
Volunteering at Local NGOs
Student Government
Environmental Clubs
Fundraising Events
Technical and Skill-Based Activities
Coding or Programming Clubs
Graphic Design or Web Development
Entrepreneurship Clubs
Public Speaking Workshops
Different Types of Extracurricular Activity Questions
- Can you tell me about an extracurricular activity you’ve participated in?
- What extracurricular activities have you been involved in, and why did you choose them?
- How have your extracurricular activities helped you develop teamwork or leadership skills?
- How do you balance extracurricular activities with your academics or work?
- What extracurricular activity are you most passionate about, and why?
- If you had more free time, what new extracurricular activity would you try, and why?
Sample Answers for Extracurricular Activities Question
Refer to the sample answers mentioned below:
Answer 1 :
I am quite enthusiastic in my free time and I like to feel I am developing personally and professionally. I like retaining fit so I visit the gym three times a week. I am not a fitness freak but keeping fit helps me to hold an optimistic attitude and it helps me to concentrate on my work completely. I love reading books and have always been a voracious reader which helps me in improving my communication skills, vocabulary, and writing skills which helps me to relax.
Answer 2:
I am an enthusiastic photographer. Recently I completed a course on graphic designing which gave me exposure to learning about new technologies used. I even have a page on social media where I regularly post content. I have worked as a freelancer for 1 year. I am sure learning such software will allow me to get adequate growth in my career.
Answer 3:
I was an active member of some social clubs like Rotaract clubs and I have represented my college at the district level which helped me to meet new people and gain skills like public speaking, leadership, discipline, teamwork and also time management.
Answer 4:
I enjoy painting and creating new things. After college, I always set aside at least 2 hours to paint, which helps me relax and increases my visualisation skills while also enhancing my memory.
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