Best responses to ‘Why Do You Want This Job?’ in an Interview
An assured question in every job interview is “Why do you want this job?” Your reasons might be paying mortgage, wanting a promotion or being disinterested about your current job. Now while all of these are plausible, the interviewer needs more convincing answers to hire you.
Therefore, consider this question as your sales pitch. You need to craft an answer combining what the interviewer is looking for in a candidate and what they want to hear. Besides the answer itself, you need to sound enthusiastic, without seeming like you’re feigning it.
So for the perfect response to that question, here’s how you should begin
your answer:
Step 1:
‘This is a great company /organisation because…….’ Flattery in a healthy amount is welcome, so start off by saying why you like the company and build on that.
Step 2:
Explain the challenges that come with the position you’re applying for. What does it take to do that job well?
Step 3:
Describe your skills and experiences relevant for the role, the challenges that you like confronting and provide some examples.
Step 4:
Deliberate on why they might not hire you and then disprove it.
Keeping the above in mind, a person who wants to apply for a shop employee at a supermarket chain might say:
I think the *name of the supermarket chain* is a great establishment, I love how they cater to everyone’s needs. That’s the kind of establishment I want to be working in. I’m aware that you require staff that can work in shifts, are approachable to the customers and maintain the shelves well. I’ve always loved helping out people and I am someone who is very particular about neatness. Even with the retail chain I was working with earlier, I made sure that people left happy and satisfied, and that the surroundings were always spick-and-span. Even though it’s been a year since I’ve worked in retail, I don’t think that sort of enthusiasm to satisfy the customer ever dwindles.
Keep in mind- It’s more about how they’re great to work with, and not why you need the job. As mentioned earlier, this is your sales pitch and hence yours to nail!
This is a handwritten article by Team InterviewBuddy. InterviewBuddy offers online face-to-face practice interviews with senior industry experts across the board.
