Use our sample answers to learn how to respond to the question, “Why Do You Want This Job?” Despite the numerous versions we employ throughout this post, the question remains the same. You’ll need to make your response unique to you while drawing on your knowledge of the organisation and the particular job opening or graduate programme you applied for.
What can you add to the company? and “Why do you think you would be successful in this job? If you are, you’ll probably perform better and work for the company longer.
‘Why do you want this job?’ answer: an example
“Because I genuinely appreciate the attention to detail you put into the service you offer, and I would be thrilled to be a part of it.” I can see from your evaluations that the majority of consumers were satisfied or that any difficulties were promptly resolved because your website is straightforward to navigate, indicating that you care about what’s best for your clients. I value working for an organisation that has high standards and prioritises its clients. I’ve sold T-shirts online, so I know that my own customers demand politeness and timely responses to their questions, in addition to the high calibre of the fabric and the attractiveness of the design.
The variety of courses you provide your graduates with would enable me to further enhance these skills.
Why is this a good answer?
Here’s an example of a response:
knowledge about the business’s selling point and future plans
Some of the abilities or strengths listed in the job description that are required for the position, and acknowledgement that you possess them, but not in great detail because the recruiter can ask you more about them later on in the interview to get a better understanding of your personality and interests and how they relate to the position.
The interviewer wants to know if you’ve taken the time to learn about the company’s mission, how that would interest you, and what you want to gain from the position. The next step is to demonstrate how your professional goals align with the demands of the company.
How to prepare for the interview question ‘Why have you applied for this job?’
Regardless of how it is stated, the issue of why you want the job is almost always addressed in job interviews, thus spending time practising before your interview is especially likely to pay off.
1. Refer back to your application
Why are you applying for this position? will have already been included in either your covering letter or online application form. To remind yourself of your motivations, start with this.
When responding to the interview question, you might also go into more detail about some of the similar experiences you stated in your application. If your interview response is consistent with what you said in your application, it will assist the employer affirm that you are a qualified candidate since they chose to interview you based on what you wrote. Consider the interview as a chance to elaborate on your application-related justifications without being constrained by a word limit.
2. Do further research before your interview
Expand on the study you completed for your application. Examine the website, social networking sites, and any current press reports for the employer. Consider any prior employment you may have had with the same company or in a comparable position, as well as any coworkers you may have met at career fairs or through your university’s alumni network.
List the employer’s priorities, operational procedures, cultural tenets, and advantages.
What does the position entail? Which courses are offered? What skills are necessary for it? How do you anticipate the position you’re applying for evolving? What would you pick up working there? If you are learning from your career, it is more engaging.
3. Consider what interests you about this role
Based on your research, which components of the possibility most intrigue you? Why did you choose the graduate programme in a particular field over the other programmes offered by the same employer? Have you discussed your application with anyone at the business? Did your past employment, extracurricular activities, or personal projects suggest that you might be a good fit for the job?
Next, write a list of your skills and think about how they can be useful for the position:
- your abilities in teamwork, communication, detail-oriented thinking, and creativity
- your virtues and qualities like courage, serenity, and honesty are your assets (the things you like doing that motivate you). Examples include paying attention, planning, and being trustworthy.
- While some of these may overlap with skills, others may do so with traits and principles.
Select your skills and passions that most closely match the requirements of the employer and the job at hand when you prepare your response. For instance, providing a wonderful client experience may go well with your attention to detail. You may also make a connection between your personality and the company’s culture and ideals, or between your own career goals and the company’s direction.
Why is this answer unlikely to get you the graduate job you want?
The recruiter can assume that you applied for the job without thoroughly researching it if you use the words “seem” or “appears.” Additionally, it won’t benefit you to be evasive. What key competencies would you bring to the position? Why do you think this is the best job for you, and more importantly from the interviewer’s point of view, why do you think you are the best applicant for the company?
Even when you tell them they seem like “the best,” saying “of all the positions I’ve applied to” can give the appearance that you are just going through the motions and don’t notice anything exceptional about this particular employer; they might suspect you of flattery gone wrong. Furthermore, it might sound impolite to say, “If you look at my application.”
