Answering: Why do you want to work here? » 13 Proven Job Interview Tips ᕙ(`▿´)ᕗ

I. Introduction

Even if you’ve interviewed for hundreds of jobs throughout your life, almost everyone dreads the most common interview questions, especially, “why do you want to work here?”. Recruiters use this question to help weed out candidates more than you might think.

A well-prepared and honest answer is the best way to answer this question. Winging it can make you seem ill-prepared and potentially like you haven’t thought about why you want to be at that company.

Before your next interview, learning how to answer this question, what not to say, and the different ways a recruiter can ask it can help you ace your interview and land you the job.

Here’s a complete guide on the question and tips to help you answer this question like a pro.

II. The Significance of “Why Do You Want to Work Here?”

The question may seem odd to you, but interviewers ask these candidates this question for several reasons. The main reason is that they’re trying to see how you would fit into their company culture.

How you answer this question gives them insight into not only you as a professional but your personality and whether you’ll blend seamlessly into a new team or not. From your answer, the interviewer can tell if you believe in and are eager to represent their values.

➤ Variations of “Why Do You Want to Work Here?”

Remember that not all interviewers will ask this question the same way. Learning some of the different ways they can ask you can ensure they don’t throw you off in an interview and are prepared to answer the question no matter how they word it.

Usually, if they don’t outright ask you, “why do you want to work here?” they’ll rephrase it to include the title of the position or type of role you’re interviewing for.

For the following examples, let’s assume you’re a teacher applying at ABC School. Some examples of other ways they can phrase the question include: 

• Why do you want to work for ABC School?
• Why do you want to be a teacher for us?
• Why do you want to be a teacher at ABC School?
• Why do you want to work here as a teacher for us?
• What excites you about working for ABC School?

There are several other ways they may word the question, but generally, these are the top five variations if they don’t phrase it as, “why do you want to work here?”. You can easily switch the position and company to whatever you’re applying for to understand what ways they might ask you.

III. Errors and Mistakes to Avoid When Responding to This Question

Unfortunately, this is one of the easiest interview questions to “mess up.” If you don’t know how to answer it, you more than likely won’t get a callback. These are some things you should not say in response to the question: 

• Wanting the job solely for the pay 
• Stating you just need a job 
• Talking about how this role is going to lead you to bigger or better opportunities 
• That you need money now
• That you’re only interested in having them pay for college or further education

While all these reasons might be genuine for you, you should never say them to an interviewer. Companies aren’t ignorant of people looking for great benefits, pay, further education, or people who just need a job, but they don’t want to hear about it.

If you say any of these responses during your interview, the interviewer isn’t going to think you genuinely want the position. These responses will cause them to move on to other candidates who show more interest.

Saying you appreciate that they’ll pay for further education isn’t inherently a poor thing to say, but if that interests you, there are better ways to incorporate that into why you want to work there.

For example, better sample answers to why do you want to work here could include a response like, “I love that your company values furthering education.” But this shouldn’t be the only thing you say about why you want to work there.

➤ Examples of What Not To Say

Here are a few other responses that you shouldn’t say when asked, “why do you want to join this company”:

IV. Tips for How to Answer “Why Do You Want to Work Here?”

While not all interviewers will ask you this question, it’s best to go into the interview assuming you’ll need to answer it. Knowing your reasons for working at the company should go beyond needing financial means. You should always research the company you’re applying for before the interview.

Plan what you’ll say to this question and practice a few times. Here are some ways you can answer “why do you want to work here?” 

➤ Research the Company’s Values and Mission

How can you expect to answer why you want to work for a specific company if you don’t know enough about them? You can’t! Most people fail their interviews because they don’t know enough about the company.

You don’t need to memorize all their values or mission statements. You can pick one or two aspects that you resonate with and go with those. If you seem like you’ve researched the company solely to memorize their values, it can come off as ingenuine and like you’re just trying to get the job only because you need a job.

Do you love the sense of community they inspire? What about if they foster an outstanding work-life balance? Whatever the values they have that speak to you, you’ll want to work with those in your response to this question.

➤ Plan What You’ll Say

As one of the most frequently asked interview questions, having a plan on how you’ll answer can make the difference between getting a second interview, the job, or a polite rejection. After you’ve learned about the company and found points you relate to, aka, reasons why you want to work there, you can start planning what you’ll say in response.

A great way to plan what you’ll say is to write down points you want to make. You can do this by hand, using the notepad on your phone or computer. You don’t necessarily need to write out complete sentences unless this helps you, just bullet points to keep you on track.

Before you start writing points down, you can best rephrase the question in your head to “why would they want to hire me?”. This rephrasing will help you better prepare your answer.

You’ll want to make your response direct and to the point. You don’t need to give the interviewer a lengthy answer that drags on for minutes on end. There’s no rule of how short, or long the response should be, but you should speak for long enough to show the interviewer that you genuinely want to work for the company and why.

1. Emphasize Why You Want to Work There

Whatever your reason for wanting to work there, you’ll want to emphasize this in your response. Be sure to mention how you believe you’ll fit into the company culture, how you work well as a team if that applies to the role, and whether you want to work somewhere where you’ll feel a sense of community or whatever else.

2. Elaborate on How You’ll Benefit the Company

Even though the central part of this question is about why you want to work there, you should elaborate on how working for the company will benefit them. For example, is there a past success that you’ve had that you think you could implement at the new company?

If there are any pressures or issues the company is facing, is there something you bring to the table that can help them? Think about what skills or personality traits you have that could be especially beneficial to the company at that moment.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice

Once you’ve formulated your perfect response, you’ll want to practice speaking it aloud. Being able to say it out loud without sounding like a robot is essential to sounding genuine in your response.

A great way to practice is in the mirror to see how you look while answering the question. If you seem a little uneasy, you might want to practice relaxing your shoulders and looking more confident in your response.

Another great way to practice answering this or any interview questions is to have a friend or family member act as the interviewer. Mock interviews are great tools to help you feel more prepared when you arrive for your interview.

Remember that while you can practice all you want, once you’re in the interview, you may not say your response precisely as you practiced. This is okay! You’ll do a great job as long as you stick to your main points of why you want to work there and how you’ll benefit the company.

V. “Why Do You Want to Work Here?” Best Answer Examples

So, what are some great responses to this interview question? Depending on what role you’re applying for and the company, you’ll have a slightly different answer than someone going for a completely different position.

A fantastic general response to this question, which you can build on based on your own skill set and the company, is:

This response not only answers the question but puts the company’s needs at the forefront of your answer. You’re stating how you appreciate the company’s culture and are stating how you fit into the equation.

➤ Why Did You Apply for This Job – A Terrific Answer for Hospital Jobs

If you’re applying for a role in a hospital, this is an excellent answer to this common interview question:

You can make this response more specific depending on the role for which you’re applying – this is an excellent example of something to say because it mentions the core values hospitals hold and showcases why you’re ready to join the community at the hospital.

➤ Why Do You Think You Want to Work Here – A Great Answer for Nursing Interviews

For those interviewing for a nursing position, your answer may be similar to someone else applying for another job in a hospital. Even if you’re applying for a job in a care facility, you can consider this example when developing your answer:

Interviewers will appreciate this response because while you’re talking about furthering your experience, you’re approaching it as if you plan to stay with that hospital or facility for the duration of your career.

Mentioning that you plan on staying with the company for a long time can convince them you’ll be a great return on investment for them, especially as a new nurse.

➤ Why Do You Want to Work For This Department – An Excellent Answer for New Graduates

As a new graduate of any field, interviewing can be daunting. With less experience than other applicants, being able to answer this question confidently will likely help them see you as a viable candidate amongst the others. Here’s a fantastic example:

Companies love hiring new graduates interested in growing with the company or sticking with it for years.

➤ What Attracts You to Work Here – The Best Answer for Digital Marketing Interviews

For people looking for a new position in digital marketing, this is an excellent example:

You’ll want to showcase that you can work independently but are ready to be a part of a larger creative team. Depending on your preference, you can also speak about how you’re prepared to learn more from other creative minds.

Final Thoughts

These are some of the best and proven tips to answer “why do you want to work here?”. As a question that interviewers use to filter through candidates, having an honest and solid answer is vital before entering the interview room. With some planning and practice, you’ll never feel blindsided when an interviewer asks you this common question.

Have you tried any of these tips? If you have used these tips, send me a message and let me know how you phrased your response and if it worked! I would love to hear your feedback.

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