Oct 08, 2026 by Offer

Macquarie Interview Questions 2027: Interests Outside Work (How to Answer)

Answer with one or two genuine interests, a brief story showing depth or commitment, and — where natural — a transferable trait. Be real: this question exists to see who you are beyond the resume, and a rehearsed "I read the Financial Times" answer defeats the purpose.

What Macquarie Interview Questions Like This Assess

This is a culture-fit and stamina check. Banking hours are intense, and interviewers want to see that you have outlets, resilience, and a personality — someone the team would want to work with at 2am. They are also listening for authenticity: candidates who name impressive-sounding hobbies they clearly do not practise get exposed in follow-ups.

How to Answer Macquarie Interview Questions: The Interest-Story-Trait Method

Use a light STAR structure — pick one interest and give it texture:

The interest: Name it plainly. Example: "I'm a competitive rower — I've trained with my university crew for three years."
The story: One vivid detail showing commitment. Example: "We train at 5:30am through winter, which taught me to perform when I'd rather be asleep — probably good preparation for banking."
The trait (optional): Link it back subtly. Example: "It's also where I learned that progress is mostly showing up consistently."

Sample answer: "Outside of work I row competitively — three years with the university crew, including 5:30am winter training. It's taught me discipline and how to push through when motivation drops. I also cook my way through a new cuisine every few months, which is less useful professionally but keeps me sane."

A touch of humour is fine. Just keep it genuine and brief — 45 to 60 seconds.

Common Mistakes

Fabricating impressive hobbies: Claiming you "love classical literature" when you cannot name a book you finished is a trap. Follow-up questions will find you out.
Listing too many: Five hobbies sounds scattered. One or two with depth beats a laundry list.
Making it all about banking: Saying "I read M&A news for fun" makes you sound one-dimensional. Show a real human side.

Among Macquarie interview questions, this one is a gift — a chance to be memorable. Candidates who are genuine here stand out from the polished-but-identical crowd. This question is commonly reported by candidates.

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FAQ

Should I mention solo or team activities? Either works. Team activities subtly reinforce collaboration; solo pursuits can show discipline. Pick what is true.

What if I genuinely have no hobbies? Everyone has something — cooking, gaming, hiking, volunteering. Pick the most committed one and give it texture.

Can this question actually hurt my candidacy? Only if you are dishonest or reveal something concerning (e.g., no interests at all, suggesting burnout risk). An honest, human answer only helps.

How long should the answer be? Under a minute. This is a closing question — end on a warm, human note and let the interview finish.

Preparing for Macquarie's interview? Our 2027 Macquarie Online Psychometric Assessment Tutorials has practice questions and answers — $79 one-time, instant download.