One of the most common questions in the interview is, “What do you do for fun.” The hiring recruiters ask this question to know more about your personality. The answer can also let them know what you do in your spare time or how you find mental peace.
Some job hunters think this is the most straightforward question in the job interview. But the answer to this question can decide whether you will get the job or not. This also lets the recruiter know how the candidate likes to spend their time after working hours. Sometimes, candidates become too honest, which results in them making mistakes.
So in this article, we will discuss more how to answer this question by providing some examples. Later on, we will also discuss what mistakes you should avoid.
Why Interviewers Ask “What Do You Like to Do For Fun”?
The majority of hiring recruiters ask some behavioral-type questions to know much more information about the candidates. Generally, they know you by your resume, and when they call you in the interview, they want to know everything about you so that they can get a better idea about hiring you or rejecting you.
This question can be asked in different ways, for example, what do you do in your free time, how do you relieve your stress, what exactly do you do after your working hours, or what are your hobbies?
You might have felt that this question is simple, but the main reason behind asking this question is profound. Every human has certain hobbies to burn out or release stress, resulting in mental peace and health. Generally, these hobbies can give an idea to the recruiter about how you can handle your professional and personal life and how you can maintain a balance. It helps the recruiter to know about your character and personality.
If you don’t have any hobbies or always stick to your work, then there are high chances that they will not favor you as compared to any other individual with the same skills but some other hobbies. These hobbies show that you are interested in connecting with the team members and coordinating with the team, thus resulting in a positive environment in the workplace. Furthermore, the hiring recruiter always tries to find out if this individual can mix with the people or not; having such hobbies is a good indicator of it.
What Points Should You Consider While Answering ” What Do You Like to Do For Fun” Question?
Now, we will always recommend you to be well prepared before going for an interview. This type of question is the most common question asked in interviews and highly impacts the recruiters’ in making a final decision. While answering such a question, you should keep the following listed points in mind:
- Whenever you answer any question in your interview, make sure it’s on the positive side. Always talk about something that will create a positive impression, like you are a good team player, go outside and play cricket or football, etc. This shows that you are a team player and can communicate with people. This is the most innovative way of impressing the hiring recruiter.
- Before heading for the interview, make sure you have prepared your answer. To draft your answer, you can list all your hobbies, including reading books, comedy clubs, playing video games, etc. There’s no boundary to having a hobby for anyone, so whatever you do in your leisure time, mention it in your answer.
- To make your answer much better and more impactful, you can always decide which hobbies can be much more relatable do the job profile. For example, suppose you are a software engineer; instead of using I attend comedy club shows every Sunday, you like to solve crossword puzzles. But if you are interviewing for a script writer for a comedy show, following a comedy club show can be much more relatable than solving a crossword puzzle. So to make your answer much more impactful, you can always relate that hobby to your job.
- Always try to make your answer unique instead of searching the Internet for the most generic answer. Every person has some unique things to present, or something you do in your life, so mention that in your response. Whatever the abilities you’ve built or you have some exciting hobbies, make sure you present them in a way that creates a better impact on the recruiter’s mind.
- Whatever your answer, be confident and make proper eye contact with the hiring recruiter. The hiring recruiters meet with hundreds of job hunters daily, so whenever you meet them, ensure you are honest and avoid using false information. Make sure that you do not divert your mind and that your face doesn’t look like you are hiding something.
- Sometimes the job hunters tell the recruiter about the extreme or dangerous activities they are involved in. We will always recommend avoiding such hobbies because they will negatively impact your professional life. Activities such as drinking and partying with friends can also be considered a negative point because no hiring recruiter thinks a person who takes risky decisions or puts their own life at risk.
- Whenever you answer your question, ensure you don’t become too friendly. You should always avoid giving your answers without thinking. So when answering, make sure that your tone is professional and you use good words to express your answer. Sometimes the job hunters blabber when given a very instant question, so it is recommended to go well prepared.
There is no proper way to answer this question, as every person has a different hobby. Every individual has a different set of hobbies or a hobby. It doesn’t mean that you will tell them every detail of how you are doing it or what you do, but instead of going much more into it, you can provide a very general statement.
Anything you do for fun or to relieve stress can be a great hobby to add to this answer. For example, I like to have fun with my friends as we generally meet in cafes or we go for a ride. Now, suppose you want to go into much more detail. In that case, make sure you are not repeating the same sentences to increase the time, or you are taking a considerable time to answer one of the most straightforward questions.
Bonus Read: 14 Best Hobbies and Interests to Put on a Resume | The Complete List
Sample Answers to “What Do You Like to Do For Fun?”
Getting ready for the actual performance, you need to become mentally strong and confident enough that what you answer to the recruiter should be acceptable to them. It should make the conversation lively and pleasing. And to help you with that, we have come up with some example that could help you make your answer interesting. Scroll down to read below:
Example 1
I like to spend time with my friends and family, and every Sunday we go for a long ride or visit different historical places in the country.
This answer makes your image as a positive, family-oriented person who wants to experience new things in your life. It also shows that your family is vital in making you feel relaxed and happy.
Example 2
I like to cook new recipes in my free time. I always refer to YouTube for new ideas to make my recipe more enjoyable. I also visit my friends’ homes, sometimes on weekends, where we play video games.
This answer shows that you are a good learner and don’t hesitate to try something new. Furthermore, it gives an idea that you are a team player.
Example 3
Every Sunday, I spent almost half of my day cleaning my home and organizing it. It may sound weird, but it is one of my most fun activities. I don’t get much time from Monday to Saturday because of my working hours, and after exiting the office, I generally enjoy my time with the family. But I appreciate the weekend by performing my cleaning activities and going shopping with my family.
This shows that you are family-oriented and have organizational skills. This impacts the recruiter’s mind because they always need a person who is much more organized and has management skills.
Example 4
I enjoy reading books, and I do that even on the metro or on a bus. During my spare time, I usually read novels. These are generally psychological or science fiction novels.
The Other Activities That You Can Add to Your Answers Are Listed Down Below:
- Painting
- Swimming
- Theater
- Writing
- Biking or cycling
- Reading
- Traveling
- Water skiing
- Playing video games
- Play Music
- Campaign or traveling
- Playing with pets
- Dancing
- Watching films or supporting the favorite team
- Studying a language
- Yoga
What Not to Say in Answer?
You should not mention several other activities in the response while answering this question. Any activity that is dangerous to one’s health, for example consuming tobacco, drugs, or alcohol, should be avoided.
The job hunter should not use any political aspect of their personal life, as it’s a controversial statement to mention in the answer even when it’s not required. Judging your previous organization, hunting, illegal activities, etc., should not be a part of your answer. This shows that you are much more prone to do illegal activities and can spark controversy, for example, selling the confidential information of the company, etc.
Conclusion
There are several types of behavioral questions that are asked in the interview. This question may be related to your hobbies to gain a better perspective or insights into your personality and interest. The main reason behind this question is profound, and your answer should provide all the details about your hobbies.
It is generally asked in the interview because the interviewer has never interacted with you before at this moment, due to which they are interested in knowing you. Whenever you answer such questions, keep your audience in mind because you cannot communicate with the recruiter like you communicate with your friends. Make sure that you keep the company’s culture in mind and answer your question in such a way that gives them a sense of teamwork, problem-solving, and team spirit vibes.
