How To Answer “Why Do You Want To Work Here?”
You’ve been asked to interview for a job, and you’re excited. However, there's one question that always comes up during the interview process: “Why do you want to work here?” It’s an essential question because it shows how well you know yourself, your goals and your motivations.
Why do companies ask this question?
Companies want to hire people who are excited about their company, but they also want to make sure those people will be able to do well at their jobs. The interview process is an opportunity for both sides of this equation: It lets candidates prove they can do the job while giving employers a chance to show candidates how awesome they are!
Here are some reasons interviewers will ask the question, "Why do you want to work here?"
To learn about your motivation
To see if you’re a good fit for the company culture
To see how passionate you are about their company and how committed you are to working there
To see if your goals are aligned with the company’s
To learn about your experience, skills, and success
While these are the most common reasons, different interviewers have different reasons. If you’re interviewing at a startup, for example, they may want to know how you fit in with their culture and team and help them grow.
If you’re interviewing for a job at an established company, they may want to know why you’ve chosen them over other companies that are more well known. If you are interviewing for a C-Suite role, companies may want to know how you can leverage their resources and workforce to create value.
Regardless of the reason, though, if you are asked why you want to work at a certain company, it’s important to have an answer prepared.
How to prepare your answer
Before you even think about preparing your answer, it's important to do some research on the company and the role. You should also find out as much information about their history as possible. It will help you understand how they operate, where they came from and what makes them special.
This can help you figure out how you can contribute positively to their success and make yourself stand out from the crowd. Ask yourself:
What are my strengths? How can I use them to help this company move forward?
What skills do I have that align with what they're looking for in a candidate?
Do I have experience with similar projects or roles at previous companies that would be helpful here?
Asking yourself these questions will lay a strong foundation for a proper answer. Once you have reviewed the research, identify what contributions you can make based on your knowledge, experience, and past successes and how they can add value to the company moving forward.
What not to say
When answering “why do you want to work here?” it's important to keep in mind that this question is not an open-ended one. In other words, you can't just answer any random thing that comes into your head.
Instead, you need to choose a compelling answer that shows the interviewer how your skills and interests would make you an asset to their organization. As such, it's best not to say anything like:
Honestly, I just need a job, and this one looked interesting. This isn't going to impress anyone. It also doesn't tell them anything about YOUR needs or interests as they relate back to the company's mission or goals!
I have heard the company has great benefits. This isn't a bad answer, but it's not the best one either. The interviewer wants to know what YOU think about their company and how YOUR skills would fit in with its mission.
I don’t know anything about this company. This shows that you haven't done any homework, and presents as arrogant and ignorant. You need to know something about the company and its mission. It doesn't have to be extensive, but it should be enough so that if the interviewer asks you a question about them, you can respond intelligently.
The job description looks great. This could pass as an answer, but it lacks the enthusiasm that most interviewers look out for. You should be enthusiastic about the company's mission and how your skills can help them achieve it.
Delivering a smooth response
When answering this question, you want your response to be natural, but also check all the correct boxes. You have to be enthusiastic, but not over the top. You need to show that you understand the company and its mission, but don't go into too much detail. You also want to make sure that your response is short so you don't come across as flustered or unprepared.
Here are some smooth lead-ins to set yourself up for success:
I am enthusiastic about this job because it would allow me to use my skills and experience to help the company reach its goal of (state goal).
Your company’s values and mission statement are both very inspiring to me.
I am impressed by the awards your company has won and its position in this industry. I would be honored to work for one of the leaders in my field, confident that I could make an immediate contribution here.
After reading about your company, I was impressed with how you make a difference in the local community. This made me even more excited at the prospect of being part of something meaningful.
These are just examples, and you should replace them with your own ideas that resonate with the role you are applying for. The important thing is that you show how your skills and experience can help the company reach its goals.
While you prepare for this question, it's important that you keep in mind all the aspects of a successful interview. This means:
Dressing professionally and looking your best
Arriving on time
Be friendly and polite.
Be ready to ask questions
Maintain eye contact - Good communication skills
Conclusion
In the end, you want to be able to express your excitement and desire to join the company while also conveying that you have done your homework on the company. While you won't necessarily be able to list off their five-year growth forecast, you can make sure that you have a solid understanding of the company and why they would work with someone in your field.
And when it comes to why you specifically want to work for them, make sure that you don't sound like every other job seeker that is responding to the ad—and instead show that you know something about their company that caught your attention, and you'd like to be part of it.
Takeaway: As you prepare to answer this question, think about how you can communicate a love for the company, an understanding of what makes it unique, and a genuine interest in being a part of it.
