Worth Reading – Icebreaker or iceberg

It’s interesting to think about the ramifications of this question in an interview:

“What do you do in your spare time?”

It turns out that there is an answer that will increase your chances of getting the job. Not one exact answer, but in general, there is a correct way to come across while answering this question:

Overall, firms preferred people with interests that resonated with white, upper-middle-class culture, according to the study.

https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/newsletter/cc/icebreaker-or-iceberg

The article recommends that interviewers stop asking the question to eliminate bias from hiring decisions. That’s a good idea. For job seekers, though, not every employer is going to be so enlightened, but you can use this to your advantage. It reminded me of a conversation I had many years ago with someone who worked in sales, and I have since confirmed many times over with other salespeople I’ve known and worked with. If you want to connect with high-level management, follow college football. Even if you don’t like the game, know enough to have conversations about it. (There’s even some data in the article about the bias towards someone who played sports!)

I work for a firm based in Ohio. Every sales demo I’ve been a part of has included a conversation about Ohio State. Almost all of them were prompted by the salesperson. If, during the meeting, they find out that I work remotely from Baton Rouge, there will be a conversation about LSU and the SEC generally, as well.

It might sound silly, but it works to create a sense of shared interests. That’s step one. If you’re interviewing, you could do worse than find some common interests. I’m not saying you lie about it, because starting a conversation about football when you don’t know the difference between Oregon and Oregon State with someone whose wife worked in Corvallis is a great way to lose any chance of getting hired, after all, but knowing something about the interviewer and what interests them can give you a hint on what hobbies and outside interests you want to focus on to respond to this question.

Yes, it’s a dumb question that creates bias and other problems in the hiring process. On the other hand, when you need a job, you need a job. If mentioning something in response to the “outside of work” question creates an interest or connection with the interviewer, it’s to your advantage to do it.

College football is maybe the most white, upper-middle-class version of that. There are others. (Travel, outdoor activities, etc.) We should live in a world where all employers are working to remove this kind of bias from hiring, but we do not live in that world. The one we live in grants an advantage to the job seeker who can find a common interest with the interviewer. You might as well do some research on the people you’re going to be meeting with and turn this bias to your advantage if you can.

If you’re hiring, please consider the insight above. This question should not be such a make-or-break moment in a professional interview.

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