How to Answer the Infamous “Why Do You Want to Work Here” Interview Question

Why do you want to work here? This is one of the most asked interview questions, but a lot of people seem to not know how to answer it. Here are three different approaches you might consider.

Show Your Passion

Employers are passionate about what they do, and they love candidates who share that excitement. If the company’s mission aligns with your values, or you’re a loyal user of their products, this can be the most natural direction to take. Also, express your eagerness for added responsibility.

Craft your answer in a way that directly shows not only that your passion exists, but why. You could say something along the lines of, “All my life, I’ve believed in X mission, and your company’s Giving Back program shows that you feel the same.” Or maybe, “I’ve been using product Y since its first release. It helps me solve Z problem, and I can’t wait to be a part of developing the latest iteration.”

Focus on the Responsibilities

Maybe it’s the job duties themselves that really get you fired up. Employers are looking for candidates who are eager to dive in and work hard, so why not show off your love of the work? You could say something like, “I’ve always enjoyed helping others learn something new, and I feel like this Trainer position would really be fulfilling.” Or “I’ve never understood why so many people hate numbers. Since I was a kid, I’ve felt like analyzing data is basically solving a really cool puzzle.”

Explain How You Could Be Successful

This is a great way to frame your response if you’re interviewing for a position in a different field or at a higher level of responsibility than your previous work. Connect your background and skills directly to the position. Skills based hiring and interviews have become a trend in staffing and focus directly on your abilities tied to responsibilities.

Your response might be, “I’ve always emerged as a leader among my coworkers. I’m now ready to bring those skills and experiences to a management role.” Or you could say, “I’ve always had a knack for slashing budgets by finding inefficiencies in my department. In a quality control position, I’ll be able to take a look at the whole process and identify ways to make things run more smoothly.”

“Why do you want to work here?” shows up in nearly every job interview. Prepare for your job interview ahead of time by choosing one of these three directions for your answer and coming up with things you can say to support your position.

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