Don’t Freeze Up In Your Job Interview: Here’s How To Answer The Dreaded Question, “Why Do You Want To Work Here?”
The following column is the opinion and analysis of the writer, Katharina Buczek.
Oftentimes, the most common job interview questions are also the most difficult to answer. And if you have ever applied for a new position, you have definitely been asked the dreaded question, “Why do you want to work here?”
On the surface, it is seemingly straightforward. But, without any other prompting or context clues from your interviewer, you may be left floundering– trying to figure out what direction to take with your answer.
And one of the worst feelings you can have while navigating an interview is feeling like you are put on the spot without any idea of what to say. That’s why you should prepare to use one of three approaches to this question and keep the strategies in your back pocket every time you enter an interview room.
How To Answer, “Why Do You Want To Work Here?”
The first way you could answer this interview inquiry is by tying your personal passions back to the company.
All employers hope to hire candidates who are passionate about their work– regardless of whether you will be selling a product, service or developing a brand.
So, you can talk a bit about your own passions and even tie them back to your past work experiences. Then, you can discuss how your passions align with a company’s core values, mission, and purpose.
But remember to talk about why you are actually passionate about something. Don’t just state that you are.
Yuri Arcurs/peopleimages.com – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
For instance, if you claim to be passionate about audience development, stress how much you value feedback from the community and like to ensure consumers have a positive experience when engaging with a brand.
Sharing your “why” will make your answer much more impactful while also revealing your other skills and interests to the interviewer.
When interviewing for a new job, a second strategy you can use to answer this question is discussing how much you would enjoy the responsibilities of your new role.
Employers know that when staff members actually enjoy what they do, they tend to work harder and smarter. That’s why you should study all job descriptions prior to interviews and pinpoint one or two responsibilities that really stand out to you.
Then, when asked why you want to work at a company, you will be given the opportunity to showcase your interests and past experiences that will align with the job responsibilities.
If a position requires strong written communication, for example, you can detail how much you enjoyed writing and editing in your last role.
Or, if data analysis is what makes you tick, talk about how your love of numbers helped you advance in the past and express your excitement to continue working with statistics to tell a bigger story and fuel growth strategy.
Finally, one last way you can approach this ultra-popular interview question is by simply stressing why you think you would succeed in the new role.
At this point, the interviewer can learn more about you on a team member level as you get the chance to share your past experiences.
For instance, you can talk about how you were a strong collaborator in your last position or how you were able to save resources and lead to better returns on investment (ROIs) at your last company.
And quite frankly, any of these three approaches– or even combining the three– are great ways to talk about yourself and your prospective position in one breath.
By bridging the gap between your personal passions and a potential company, you are selling the fact that you could really thrive as a team member.
Still, while it is probably obvious, it is worth mentioning that you should never tell an interviewer you want a job simply due to its salary, benefits, perks, title, or job location.
Of course, interviewers already know that these parts of the job are likely attractive to candidates. But if you make it to the interview stage, they will want to hear more about what you can provide as a team member and the potential value you could add to the company.
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