What are your hobbies?
Okay, so maybe not the toughest question, and this should probably be the easiest one for you to answer. Well, in my case, it was the question that I stumbled over more than any other question during my second interview for a commercial real estate investment company in Arizona. Did I get the job? ...
Nope. But why did I have such a difficult time with this simple question? Over the past year, I have been spending the majority of my time neglecting my hobbies such as golfing, spontaneous road trips, visiting family, cycling. All the things I used to do but have set aside to do everything I could that would amp my resume.
But the thing is, employers want well rounded individuals to work for them. Not only do they want you to have good writing, communication, internship, leadership, academic achievement, and community involvement, they want you to have hobbies.
Employers look at hobbies in a few different ways:
1. It gives them a hint to what kind of person you are. i.e. If you like to skydive on the weekends, it shows that you are spontaneous and adventurous. Or it might show that you are more likely to die.
2. It creates a bond with the employer. When interviewing applicants, it can seem that there is no differentiation between candidates, and something that sticks out such as running marathons may be a commonality between the two. The interviewer might even be looking for someone to train with! Running marathons also shows that you can endure long strenuous activity and are highly motivated.
(The most important reason to have hobbies is so you don't say "Uuhhh..." when they ask you that question!)
No comments:
Post a Comment