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If they ask about hobbies, I always say what would be my best guess as to their hobbies. If it's going to descend to dumb and irrelevant questions, then I might as well go with what will earn the most points.
I've gotten the hobbies question quite a few times. It seems like its a common interview question.
I've read that you're not supposed to specifically state your real hobbies, but to toss out a fake answer which is somewhat relevant to one of your job duties, like learning new software or whatever. Like a previous poster said, if you tell them you like to watch TV and play video games in your spare time, they'll think you're just lazy.
To some HR folks, your life is supposed to revolve around work. I would avoid saying travel.
So many times when I go on interviews, whether it be phone or in-person, they want to know what my hobbies are. I have no problem with this except that my hobby is travel. Literally, JUST travel and I travel A LOT (I pretty much use up all my vacation days every year … luckily my job is cool about it … WITH the caveat that I take my laptop with me and can be accessible if need be).
That said, I am looking for a new job and am alright with cutting the travel down to a smaller amount so that I can get acclimated to the job. But when they ask me what my hobbies are and I say travel, does that give a bad impression that I will be too focused on taking time off work? I personally think travel is amazing and essential for everyone … we have so much here … see what other places in the world have (literally nothing in some places .. ie. Africa etc) and it's mind-blowing. I personally think travel makes us better, more humble people … but if someone said their hobby is travel, how would you, as someone hiring a new candidate take that?
Could this be a bad thing?
In the United States I would not say, travel.
I'd go or the other standard non-judgmental hobbies.
Travel is still considered negative in America although people do not specifically use the term "negative."
Things have changed since the 90s when airport personnel were suspicious of me b/c I traveled for several months through foreign countries with a backpack.
They could not understand it.
In the US, the average American get 10 days off (the "2-week" vacation) plus some extra days off for Labor day, Memorial day, etc.
You want to sound "dedicated to the job and the cause." I would omit travel.
I would be fine if a candidate said they loved travel but then again I also love to travel. I've had candidates give me that answer and we've had some nice talks about destinations
The question about hobbies is typically an 'ice breaker' one; it's considered a safe one and doesn't technically violate any laws.
Maybe go with saying you enjoy traveling and then expand on why you like to travel...learn about new cultures, do photography, visit museums or whatever else you do when you travel?
Uh, you DO know you could just lie and name another hobby, right?
Afraid travel could be twisted into a negative? -- and that would take a lot of twisting.
Just give them an answer....any answer -- that can't be twisted that way.
If someone isn't going to hire you because you like to travel and take your earned vacation time, then you don't want to work for them anyway. Makes the job decision process so much easier. The older I get, the more fed up with the corporate BS/games I am. I'm so glad I didn't move to a large city to climb the corporate ladder, join the rat race, get into competition with thousands competing for that 1 job, etc.
I suspect one problem with that question is that peoples' hobbies often relate to their politics or religion, both of which are taboo topics for job interviews. If the job is in politics or religion, I guess it would be less problematic, but the answer still might reveal a difference from the politics or religion of the interviewers.
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I would omit travel.
