It's that time again, time for the Toughest Interview Question of the Week. This is the place where we take a look at a tough interview question and try to figure out how to best answer it. If you have been looking for a job, you know how important it is to come to an interview prepared for anything they might throw at you.
So, here is the Toughest Interview Question of the Week:
Question:
What are your outside interests or hobbies
Why it's a trap:
Of course you want to come across as someone who is well-rounded, not a robot. And, almost everyone has hobbies. The problem here is that you don't want to list so many outside interests that the employer will wonder if they will get in the way of your ability to devote enough time to your career. Additionally, you don't want to tell them something so memorable that anytime they see you, the immediately associate you with the hobby.
The best answer:
You will want to answer as honestly as possible, but if the only hobbies you have are drinking beer and watching sports, then maybe you need to get out a little more.
The best way to deal with this question is to take a look at the corporate culture and think about which of your interests would fit in best. If you are looking for a job with a major sports team, watching sports and drinking beer might be great hobbies, while a job with a more outdoorsy or artistic culture might not feel as positive about it.
As with all interview questions, you certainly don't want to lie or just make something up. If you have a hobby that you are sure will directly relate to the corporate culture, then great. If not, this might be a good time to bring up your volunteer work or pet charity.
The goal is to share with the interviewer a little bit about who you are as a person and give them a feel for what you are all about. For example, telling them about how you volunteer a few nights a month to offer financial planning classes at an area battered womens' shelter, you can remind the interviewer of your skills and let them see that you are someone who cares about your profession and your industry.
What do you think about this question and answer? Let me know in the comments.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for FinancialJobBank. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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