Whats Your 5-Year Goal The Most Common Interview Questions, #2

Whats Your 5-Year Goal The Most Common Interview Questions, #2 ShareShare How do you answer this common interview question? This post is the second in a series of excerpts from my book, Get That Job! The Quick and Complete Guide to a Winning Job Interview. Whats behind this interview question? Why do interviewers ask you this? For one thing, they want to know whether the job aligns with your goals, and thus whether youll stick around. They may also be hoping you have some ambition. Ambitious people often make better employees. Theyre more motivated, and they may work harder and smarter. They make a point of growing their abilities. On the other hand, those who come in with their eye on a higher position and view the current role only as a stepping stone may be impatient and lack commitment to the tasks at hand. So give an answer that combines a desire to grow, on the one hand, with realism, patience and commitment on the other. Before the interview, see if you can find information about paths to advancement from within the position. If the only position you can advance to is that of the person youre interviewing with, proceed with care! He probably wont like the idea that you have your eye on his job, so just talk about growing and taking on more responsibility. In most cases you wont have much information, in which case its safest to start with a general answer followed by a question, like this: Over the next few years I see myself building my skills, taking on more responsibility and moving up, if its appropriate. Can you tell me about how others have advanced from this role? Although the question often includes the phrase five years, you dont have to be that precise in your answer. More open-ended terms like over the next several years may be best. What other interview questions are you wondering about? Keep reading this blog as we examine some of the most common interview questions, what theyre about, and how to answer them in a way thats authentic, strategic and gets you the offer. Next up: Why Did You Leave That Job? And remember theres a lot more help in my book! Whats Your 5-Year Goal The Most Common Interview Questions, #2 ShareShare How do you answer this common interview question? This post is the second in a series of excerpts from my book, Get That Job! The Quick and Complete Guide to a Winning Job Interview. Whats behind this interview question? Why do interviewers ask you this? For one thing, they want to know whether the job aligns with your goals, and thus whether youll stick around. They may also be hoping you have some ambition. Ambitious people often make better employees. Theyre more motivated, and they may work harder and smarter. They make a point of growing their abilities. On the other hand, those who come in with their eye on a higher position and view the current role only as a stepping stone may be impatient and lack commitment to the tasks at hand. So give an answer that combines a desire to grow, on the one hand, with realism, patience and commitment on the other. Before the interview, see if you can find information about paths to advancement from within the position. If the only position you can advance to is that of the person youre interviewing with, proceed with care! He probably wont like the idea that you have your eye on his job, so just talk about growing and taking on more responsibility. In most cases you wont have much information, in which case its safest to start with a general answer followed by a question, like this: Over the next few years I see myself building my skills, taking on more responsibility and moving up, if its appropriate. Can you tell me about how others have advanced from this role? Although the question often includes the phrase five years, you dont have to be that precise in your answer. More open-ended terms like over the next several years may be best. What other interview questions are you wondering about? Keep reading this blog as we examine some of the most common interview questions, what theyre about, and how to answer them in a way thats authentic, strategic and gets you the offer. Next up: Why Did You Leave That Job? And remember theres a lot more help in my book! Whats Your 5-Year Goal The Most Common Interview Questions, #2 ShareShare How do you answer this common interview question? This post is the second in a series of excerpts from my book, Get That Job! The Quick and Complete Guide to a Winning Job Interview. Whats behind this interview question? Why do interviewers ask you this? For one thing, they want to know whether the job aligns with your goals, and thus whether youll stick around. They may also be hoping you have some ambition. Ambitious people often make better employees. Theyre more motivated, and they may work harder and smarter. They make a point of growing their abilities. On the other hand, those who come in with their eye on a higher position and view the current role only as a stepping stone may be impatient and lack commitment to the tasks at hand. So give an answer that combines a desire to grow, on the one hand, with realism, patience and commitment on the other. Before the interview, see if you can find information about paths to advancement from within the position. If the only position you can advance to is that of the person youre interviewing with, proceed with care! He probably wont like the idea that you have your eye on his job, so just talk about growing and taking on more responsibility. In most cases you wont have much information, in which case its safest to start with a general answer followed by a question, like this: Over the next few years I see myself building my skills, taking on more responsibility and moving up, if its appropriate. Can you tell me about how others have advanced from this role? Although the question often includes the phrase five years, you dont have to be that precise in your answer. More open-ended terms like over the next several years may be best. What other interview questions are you wondering about? Keep reading this blog as we examine some of the most common interview questions, what theyre about, and how to answer them in a way thats authentic, strategic and gets you the offer. Next up: Why Did You Leave That Job? And remember theres a lot more help in my book!