Why did you hire me? I didn't even know Python, JavaScript or MySQL?

I liked the formatting of your resumé.

Is formatting a resumé, an art? Why could I format it well and others couldn't? I used Microsoft Word, like most people do. I didn't use any special font faces. It didn't have any fancy layouts. Ergo, it follows that, my view of what looks good and what doesn't, worked in my favour - A taste, developed as a result of my hobbies.

A hobby is known as an activity undertaken during one's leisure time. But surely, so many of us watch TV, surf the net, listen to songs or read a newspaper during much of our free time. Can they be considered hobbies? Yet, many of the applicants did mention them in their resumé, during the walk-in recruitment we conducted last week.

A hobby is not an activity you do just because you have some free time. It's what you make yourself free for. No matter what the circumstances, if you want to pursue it, you will find time to do it. You will drown in it. And, you will feel the days worth soar.

It adds a depth to your personality, that no amount of training could. It makes you more engaging; You stand out. 

Some hobbies develop into passions and offer avenues of growth. And it is growth that companies strive for. A company would hire you if you show, in the least, a possibility of such passion. I am yet to see a resumé which has hobbies mentioned at the top. Wouldn't that make a statement?

Though a small set, I was appalled at the lack of hobbies in the lives of the job applicants. Most of them were in their 20s and sincerely believed that a certification course was the best way to highlight their worth. Some seemed lost, others misguided. I wanted to shake them, make them show their passionate side - yet my subtle hints couldn't breach their hesitation.

The first hobby that I could remember having, was to see my grandmother fix broken things at our home. She was very resourceful. Sometimes, she would guide me and let me take care of a fix. Those moments changed me for good and their lessons still are a big part of who I am. It kept me from losing my curiosity.

Later, I dabbled in computers, drawing and photoshop. Yet, it was when I started reading, that I realized the true meaning and purpose of a hobby - To extend your boundaries. Those stories stretched my imagination and led me on vicarious adventures. It changed the way I thought about my life, beliefs and priorities.

A hobby need not offer relaxation. It is more akin to meditation. Reading those Harry Potter books, during the four day breaks before each engineering exam, wasn't exactly an unwinding experience. It had its tense scenes and sad endings. Yet, it distracted me from the stress of the upcoming exam and kept me from self-destructing (I was not an expert at memorizing texts).

Today, I continue to read, try to capture candid expressions and still in search of the best to-do app. What makes you tick? Please share your hobbies and passions. It may encourage others to make good on theirs.

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