Do you know the toughest question to answer in an interview? It is not about the job but this particular question – What do you like to do for fun? Many people fear getting judged by the interviewers when they answer this question. So they mess up. But don’t be anxious. Just calm down and answer honestly but smartly. You have to make a good impression on the interviewers with your answers.
Do you know why hiring managers ask this question? They want to know about your personality and how you could fit into their company environment. So you can frame your answers by discussing about the activities you like to do in your leisure hours. Find out how you can answer this question with confidence.
Why is it a popular interview question?
What do you like to do for fun? is a popular question during an interview. It also is framed in different ways. For instance, some of the different sentences are – What do you like to do in your spare time? What are your hobbies? What do you do in your leisure hours? and more.
Employers ask this question to a potential candidate for the job to know more about them. They are interested to know more about your character other than the professional side. They can learn about your personality by asking about your passions, hobbies and what you do outside of the office. It helps them to determine who you truly are and the qualities you possess the do the job.
Further, if they know about your hobbies, it helps them to offer you a position that suits you. They can also determine if your skills add value to that position and aid you in performing the job perfectly. The interviewer looks to find depth in your character by the way you talk about your hobbies. They can find out if you are passionate about work and honest about yourself.
The interviewer can also know if you have good hobbies outside of your work to prevent burnout and stress. Plus, if you share similar interests with the other people at work, it helps the interviewer to understand that you can be a good part of a team. If selected, you can also spend your free time with your teammates participating in the similar hobbies.
How to answer “What you like to do for fun”?
You can follow some tips to frame your answers to the question what do you like to do for fun.
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List down your hobbies
You can think about what you do in your free time. For instance, do you like to read, write, swim, play sports or anything else? Then write it down in a list. You have to enjoy doing it. For instance, you can also list down any volunteer work you do in a pet adoption center or a nursery.
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Know which hobbies make you the best candidate
After listing your hobbies, it is time to decide what hobby to talk about in the interview. You can review the job description to find the key responsibilities that match your hobby. It has to be the one that the interviewer likes, making them consider you the best candidate for the job. Choose one or two of the hobbies for your interview. For example, if the job responsibilities have attributes like being hard-working and dedicated, you can talk about your sports hobbies and volunteering work. So your hobbies match the job skills required.
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Choose unique hobbies
If you are talking about the fun things you do in your leisure time, make it as unique as possible. So you can distinguish yourself from other candidates. Think about your unique interests and skills to impress the interviewer. The hiring managers will remember you after the interview and may call you again. Some unusual hobbies are archery, swimming, acting and more.
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Look for ways to match your hobbies and the job
It is not only important to share about your hobbies, but you also have to look for ways to match them with the job requirement. Talk more about the skills that get you the job. Relate your hobby directly to the job responsibilities and skills and why it makes you a valuable addition to the company. You can also explain how your hobbies have taught you life lessons or helped you enhance your talents and skills.
Final thoughts
Hope the tips in the article will help you answer the question, what do you like to do for fun? Use simple words to talk about your hobbies and be honest. You will surely get the job.
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