How to Answer “Why Do You Want to Work Here?”
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Editor & Writer
Writer
Editor & Writer
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- Hiring managers want to know you're informed and enthusiastic about working for the company.
- Your answer to the key question should be brief, well-researched, and personal.
- Prepare ahead of time with talking points about the company's ethos or latest project.
Almost every job interview will come with a few big questions you really need to nail to make a good impression. One of them is "Why do you want to work here?"
Recruiters or hiring managers usually ask the question to understand three things about you:
- If you're informed and enthusiastic about the organization
- If you can fit into the company's culture
- If you understand the position and its responsibilities
How to answer "Why do you want to work here?"
The key is to explain why you want to work for this particular employer, why you want this specific job, and why it will make you successful and happy.
Your answer will go a long way in showing you won't immediately start looking for another job if they hire you. That means the company can also feel good about investing in you longterm.
Learn how to answer this tough but common interview question with the following general tips, talking points, and examples.
General Tips
Before you start, it's good to understand what works well. Consider these general tips first:
- Keep your answer brief. It doesn't need to be overly long or detailed. Simply mentioning a few key points about why you want to work there will suffice.
- Research the company. Don't memorize facts and figures from the website. Find a genuine connection that gets you excited to work for the company, such as their ethos, prestige, or latest project.
- Make it personal. Focus on the interests that motivated you to apply in the first place. Think about your career goals, why the position suits your plans, and how you can benefit the company.
Talking Points
Don't know what you want to bring up in your answer? Use these talking points to get you thinking:
- The company's reputation or history and why you want to be part of it
- Reasons you admire the organization's work in the industry and how it aligns with your interests/goals
- What you enjoy about the company's work culture and how it will help make you successful and happy
- How you can see yourself learning and growing within the organization
- Why you're eager to take on specific tasks that interest you
Lead-Ins
Starting strong will show the interviewer you're eager and enthusiastic about the position. Here are a few lead-ins to help set up your answer:
- "I see this as an opportunity to contribute to an [exciting/forward-thinking/fast-moving company/industry], and I feel I can do so because..."
- "I know I can succeed in this role at your company because…"
- "I feel that my work style suits the company and its culture because…"
- "I'm excited about this job opportunity because it would allow me to…"
- "I love what I've heard about the company culture because…"
Why Do You Want to Work Here Sample Answers
Let's put the tips, talking points, and lead-ins into practice. These are a few examples of how to answer interview questions about why you want to work at a particular organization:
Example 1
"I'm excited about this job opportunity because I've always wanted to do hands-on work in app development. That's been my career objective since my first year in college, and I'm thrilled to have the chance to finally get into the field. I also have to say that I'm impressed by your commitment to environmental sustainability because that's something I care deeply about. I really appreciate the fact that you 'walk the walk,' giving employees access to a car share service and powering your office with renewable energy sources."
Example 2
"I see this as an opportunity to contribute to a forward-thinking company with an amazing reputation and a long list of noteworthy clients and great customer satisfaction. I also want to be part of your firm because your partners are regular presenters at national conferences, which I feel shows this company is a leader rather than a follower. Finally, I want the opportunity to use my skills in cybersecurity to make sensitive data at your firm as secure as possible so it can continue its run of excellence."
Example 3
"I feel that my work style suits the company and its culture because I'm a team player, and I want to work with other people who are energized by strong team dynamics. I was also really excited to learn during my research that I'd have the chance to work directly with the marketing team. That's an area that I was hoping to have more exposure to in order to grow my skills. I'd be thrilled to have that opportunity."
Conclusion
Now you're all set to give the best possible answer to this tough but answerable question. Remember: The most important thing is to show you're eager and enthusiastic about the job and the employer. Being genuine about your reasons will go a long way.
Advice for this article comes from the following career experts:
- Deb Geller, business educator and higher education consultant
- Daniel Close, head of data at Spring
- David Reed, co-founder of LLCStars
- Alan Edwards, founder of Undercover Recruiter
- David Patterson-Cole, CEO of Moonchaser