Have you ever asked yourself how to answer: Why do you want this job? Well look no further, we are going to explain exactly how you can prepare yourself for answering this question in an interview.
The majority of employers will ask you this question so be prepared and have a think beforehand how you would answer it. This is a make-or-break question that could make all the difference in securing your dream role. The interviewers will be listening to see how well you have researched the company and the role. Even if the question doesn’t arise in the interview, you need to get these points across regardless.
There are 3 tried and tested steps that are often recommended by recruitment agencies when tackling this question in an interview situation. You need to address all 3 to successfully answer the question.
How To Answer: Why Do You Want This Job?
1. Align Your Skills And Experience With The Job
First off, review the job spec and the list of skills required for the role. Now think about your skills, you should have all the skills they are looking for if you are applying for the job, which you should talk about throughout the interview. When answering this question you need to sum up how your skills match the skills they require and give an example of using these in past roles.
For example “You’re looking for someone who can manage big software projects and lead a team. When I worked for X, I managed a budget of £15 million and a team of 8 including developers and designers to bring 12 products to market within the set timescales.”
2. Show How You Will Fit Into The Company’s Culture
Research the company and its culture so you know what you need to include in your answer. If the company has sports groups, explain how you would like to be part of one of them and how enthusiastic you are about that sport. Read the company’s news articles to find out about its mission and values. Then when answering this question, explain how its values match yours.
For example the company states on its blog that its mission is to be part of the local community and its values are team work, charity and ethics. So you need to explain how you have experience of involving yourself with the local community. You could answer the question “I have volunteered with a local community group who support local wildlife. We worked as a team to provide information to local residents. I’m very much looking forward to getting involved with the local community through your company. I see myself fitting into your company culture more than anywhere else.”
3. Show Enthusiasm For The Company and The Role
While the question is about you, really it’s about the employer and how they find the best possible person for the role. Obviously they are looking for the candidate that not only has the required skills and will fit into the company and the team, but also the candidate who has the most enthusiasm for the company and the job. However you must remember to be sincere and not over-egg the answer.
For example, you could answer the question: “I’m excited to see there are a lot of opportunities to be able to use my knowledge of X in the industry. It’s also enthusing to read how the company is expanding into X new markets and it would be exciting to be being part of the company as it grows.”
This also shows that you are looking at this role in the long-term which shows you are committed to staying with the company.
Finally remember some of the things you shouldn’t mention when responding to this question. Even if it’s true do not mention salary, benefits or hours of the job.
So now it’s over to you to ask yourself how to answer: Why do you want this job? in an interview you are about to attend. If you haven’t started a job search yet or are still looking for a job in Surrey or London, contact us now to see what vacancies we have available.
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