April 17, 2020

During your interview, you’ll likely be asked about your future. This is because your potential employer wants to find the right person for the job, and doesn’t want to replace you in a year because you left for something else. To help uncover your career motives, you might be asked the following questions about the job: 

  • Why do you want to work here? 
  • Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?  

When you’re asked questions like these, it’s because an interviewer is trying to understand your longevity with the company and whether you’ll be a good hiring decision.  

How to talk about your career goals  

As you prepare your answers to common interview questions, it’s a good idea to add an answer about career plans to the list. There’s a right way (and a wrong way) to answer this question. Your answer should include the following: 

  • Your short-term plans. In the next year or so, where do you hope to be in your career? A good answer is to be in the position or with the company to which you’ve just applied.  
  • Your long-term plans. In the next 5-10 years, where are you striving to land in your career? Most employers are hoping for career longevity, so your answer should show your hope for growth, but also developed within the company you’ve applied to. You could say you hope to be at a higher-level position along the track for this job, or that you’d enjoy being a supervisor or leader to others on the team.  

What not to say 

Your answer should stay positive and focused on the company. It should not involve the following: 

  • Salary—your goal should be a position you want, not a position that pays the right amount. When you mention salary, you may come across as shallow and not passionate about your work.  
  • Too many specifics—no one knows exactly what the future holds, so including too many details about what you want could alienate you from the job to which you’ve applied, especially if they don’t offer some or all of what you’re describing.  

Keep your answer positive and framed on the company 

Your potential employer ultimately wants to hear how you plan to make a difference, so it’s good to keep that in mind when describing your future career goals. How do you plan to grow in your career and how will that help the company? 

In search of something new? 

If your career goals include a new job, let Inter-Connect help. We work with qualified candidates for light industrial and office/administrative work, and we’re looking for you! To learn more, check out our job openings or contact us today! 

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