Interview Questions & Answer: How to answer What are your outside interests or hobbies?

List of Interests & Hobbies for Resume (Professional & Personal)

“What are your interests in life” as innocent it may sound, but this interview question can kill your chances of getting hired. You may have a list of interests, that may sound cool to your friends in personal life but the question is should you talk about those interests and hobbies on your resume and in a job interview. 

Importance of list of interests and hobbies on resume

Skills and list of interests on resume play a very important part. They talk about your personality in whole. If you use them well, you stand a great chance of making a positive impression on the interviewer.

So what are the best hobbies and interests to put on a cv?

A lot of candidates struggle with this question anticipating if their hobby or interest will sound childish or unsuitable for a job intevriew or a professional resume. 

An interview or even a professional resume is not the place to talk about your persoanl interests or hobbies. 

So what are your professional interests and goals? If you do not have one, it’s time to figure out. Your interviewers are not interested in knowing what you like doing in your personal life. They want to know what you want to do about your career, your job, learnings, passion, and how all of that is going to benefit the organization.

We have got a few positive hobbies and interests ideas for you. That you may want to put on your resume or talk about in the job interview if asked. 

List of interests (Personal)

1. Swimming
2. Dancing
3. Singing
4. Listing Music, etc.

Professional Interests Examples (Attractive hobbies for resume)

Professional interests are your those hobbies and activities that somehow enhance your professional skills, make you more employable and boost your career related skills. So if you are looking for a list of hobbies and interests for cv, You may want to consider using these(listed below) types of hobbies for your resume.

1.  Learning new skills
2. A sport (that involves team)
3. Reading business and industry related books to sharpen your knowledge
4. Participating in social and business events – Networking
5. Research
6. Writing
7. Public speaking, etc.

Consider above mentioned list of interests for resume and you’ll have a better chance than your competition.

If you are asked about your hobbies and interests in the interview, I’d suggest you speak about one of the skills listed above. You might want to talk about a personal hobby, but you should not.

For eg., if you are a sales professional, your hobbies and interests list should include networking, meeting people, attending events, reading business and industry magazines and books, etc. 

So if you are in the middle of a job interview, and you hear something like this “What are your outside interests?” Or in other words “What are your hobbies and interest?” or “What do you like to do in your free time?” Or “What are your interest in life?” you better be prepared to match your hobbies and interests with your position, and profession.

The purpose of the question: We all have something called passion. Something we like to do for our own pleasure. A hobby that makes you feel content. The interviewer is trying to find out if your hobby or passion will affect your productivity. 

For example, if you are a sales professional, the management wants you to be on the field, meeting people, making calls, generating more revenue for the organization. And if you mention that are passionate about dancing, and you wish to pursue a career into dancing. That simply means you might not be able to give your hundred percent for sales to the organization. And sooner or later, you might switch your career. 

If he suspects that your heavy extracurricular load will interfere with your commitment to your work duties. He may not consider you for the position.

How to answer “what are your hobbies and interests”: Try to understand the job requirement and match a couple of hobbies and interests accordingly. 

The question “What are your hobbies” is also an opportunity to shatter any limitations that could affect your chances in the job interview.  For Example, mostly for sales positions, companies prefer young and energetic candidates, and if you are a middle-aged candidate you should consider talking about hobbies and activities that demonstrate your physical stamina. 

If you are appearing for a senior management position, you may want to talk about something that shows your leadership skills.

But remember, always match your interests and hobbies with the companies requirement. The hiring manager is not going to hire you for what you like or do, but for what you can do for the company. no matter how admirable those activities may be.

Sample Anwer: What are your hobbies: 

Sample Answer (only If you love reading)

I am passionate about learning. I love reading. If something new happens in my industry, I want to know about it. I read about the latest technology, advancements, breakthroughs,  and industry leaders. 

It keeps me updated and motivated. I also enjoy reading fiction. It helps me use my imaginative skills. 

I am also a member of several professional groups. Where people meet for networking, sharing knowledge, know-how, and technologies. I’m a regular attendee to these events and I have also been invited as a speaker a few times. 

My hobby has helped me develop a strong network, interpersonal skills, analytical thinking, and open-mindedness. 

So before you finalize your list of interests, few things to keep in mind

1. Never lie about having a hobby that you do not enjoy.
2. Never talk about a hobby or passion that is not in the line with your profession
3. Never forget you are in the middle of an interview.