Over the last twenty years of working, I have interviewed a great number of candidates at various levels of employment; both entry level junior roles and middle management candidates. Most candidates prepare very well for technical and behavioral questions and simply do well in them. However, there is one obvious question that get the least attention from candidates. This question is “Why do you want to work here?” Candidates will come prepared to share, their greatest strength, a moment when they shined, and an innovation they developed but don’t prepare adequately for the question, why do you want to work here. It may seem like it’s a simple question that can be answered off the cuff, but I can assure you, it’s not that simple.
In order to prepare for this question, ask yourself why employers ask this question. Employers want to know whether you know what they do, and how passionate you are about what they do, whether it takes the shape of a product, a service, a mission, or a brand. You need connect your passion to the company’s core values, which you should research on and know before you even submit your application. Showing you are passionate about the organisation’s activities is particularly important if you are being interviewed for a job in non-governmental organisations where the mission should match your personal values. In faith-based organisations, for example, they would some level of religious beliefs.
The way you communicate this enthusiasm to the panelist is very cardinal. In a write up on how to handle interviews, a leading consultant on Leadership Sabina Nawaz offered useful tips and stated that “When you are passionate about something, it tends to spill over into other aspects of your life.” Identify those examples in your own life and share them during your interview.
Employers also like to hear from you on how you rate their products, successes and so on. If the company won an award recently or rated in the top 5 category in their line of business, show them how your passion will fit in the organization to help them sustain those accolades. As you develop your answer, understand that the more specific you are, the more powerful your answer will resonate. Conversely, the vaguer you are, the more generic or even canned the response will seem.
In conclusion, remember that there are certain things which you cannot say in response to this question. Please do not say you want the job because: you like the salary, you like the perks or benefits, the title is big and prestigious, or you just want to change jobs, NO.
All the best in your next interview