Andhra Pradesh   

Hobbies can get you jobs

Sumit Bhattacharjee

So too can other hobbies like reading, provided you take them seriously. New-age head- hunters don't just dismiss them as `extra curricular activities'

A couple of weeks ago Srinivas, a young engineering graduate from a reputed college in Vizag fumbled in the last phase of the three-step interview process conducted by Wipro. He was asked what his hobbies were and he tried to bulldoze his way by lying. He answered that he loved reading books. The interviewer probed him on this and he faltered.

On the other hand Yogesh who was in the college cricket team answered confidently and exhibited his passion for the game of cricket and how it helped him to shape as a team man. He was the natural choice though his academic results were much below Srinivas.

"Hobbies play a vital role in shaping an individual. As per the Vedas every single individual is born with a single quality that makes him or her different from the other. The important factor is discovering that latent quality and grooming it. But today the pressure to excel in academics leaves practically no time to indulge in activities where the latent quality could come to fore," says A.S. Prasad of CTC Communication.

Research points out that people who are physically active in their youth are more adept at taking up challenges thus enhancing their chances of becoming successful in life.

"Checking out new avenues also increases awareness about their abilities ." Participating in team games like cricket, football, hockey and handball increases leadership capacity, interpersonal and communication skills and ability to operate under pressure. This later becomes an asset in the professional life.

Hobbies at time can be used to get over weaknesses also. Today, communication skills have become the key to success. Shy people, especially the ones who have stage fear, interview and language phobia can take up public speaking as a hobby by joining an institute or club.

Building up hobbies increases the scope of interaction with others and strengthens the network, which at times paves the way for ones future growth.

So, during this summer after the exams, the priority would be to develop some active hobbies for a better future.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Five Maoists killed in encounter near A.P. border
Hyundai to set up R&D centre in Hyderabad
Throwing light on right to information
Campus colour, splashed
Making sense of medicines
Hobbies can get you jobs
Briefly

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu