You can always expect this one question to appear during a job interview, whether it is your first touchpoint with a recruiter or the final round in the interview process with an executive leader; hiring managers want to know, “Why Do You Want This Job?”. Although some might claim that the question is vague and overused, preparing a confident and well-thought-out response may significantly increase your chances of impressing your interviewer and proving that you’re a good fit.
MatchBuilt executive search has continued to support job seekers and professionals in interview preparation. We are here to provide specific examples for your interviewing journey and want to aid you in perfecting the delivery of all types of interview questions. Common mistakes in interviewing are made from a lack of preparation; you are in the right place!
You may have various reasons why you would want a specific job over another, or maybe you just really need a job! After reading our example answers to the “Why Do You Want This Job?” interview question, you will be prepared to share a confident, creative and impactful response to the interviewer or hiring manager.
How do you respond when the interviewer asks, “Why Do You Want This Job?”
Combine your current skills and passions with your understanding of the company or role to formulate a comprehensive response to “Why Do You Want This Job?”
You can clearly understand a role by creating connections between your past experience, skills, and passions and a company’s current requirements and needs. This is the best way to demonstrate your comprehension skills. Weaving together bits and pieces that you pick up on during your research of the company and conversations during interviews will have an interview ecstatic and confident in your abilities.
15 “Why Do You Want This Job?” Sample Answers
Before we dive into sample responses, the first thing we must acknowledge is that interviewing is a skill that takes preparation, practice, and confidence. If you are not engaging in preparation before an interview, it is a good idea to start now. MatchBuilt has plenty of guides, resources, and expert advice to help you grow your interviewing skills. Before attending any interview, practice these few simple steps:
- Read through the job description, specifically the bullet points outlining projects, responsibilities, and skill requirements
- Research the mission and values of the organization (often listed on the Company Website or Careers Page)
- Reflect on your passions, skillset, and future professional goals
The best answers will incorporate all three of those pieces above.
Sample Answer 1: The Job Aligns With Your Career Ambitions
One great response to “Why Do You Want This Job” is sharing that the responsibilities or level of the role match where you are at in your professional journey. Mentioning your long-term career goals can give the interviewer or hiring manager a better window into your experience.
This is a great way to bring up how many years of experience you have in your previous experience.
“In my current job as a Team Lead, I have built strong connections with my direct reports and have effectively served as a colleague and person of support to them. I would love to continue to be a Team Lead at your company because I hope to continue building my skills in people development, and I understand from our conversations that the role is heavily focused on relationship building.”
Sample Answer 2: You Have a Particular Skill Match
This response requires a previous understanding of the current skillset on the team. You can prepare for this question by directly asking the hiring team, “What skills are the current team missing that you are looking for in a new employee?” This can apply to technical or soft skills on the current team.
“After learning more about the position and the current team, I am excited to hear that my skills in Proposal Writing would bridge a gap in the company process. As the first potential team member with proposal writing experience, I’d be able to immediately jump into pulling together documentation and synthesizing information from current subject matter experts.”
Sample Answer 3: You Wouldn’t Require Training
Sometimes a company is just looking for someone who has checked every box because they don’t have the resources to train someone or ramp them up over a month. The best person will be prepared to hit the ground running. Be sure to highlight all the skills you match based on the job posting and what the hiring team has shared with you regarding requirements.
“My experience as a Site Supervisor for the last seven years in multi-side residential construction and deep industry knowledge of OSHA requirements would allow me to safely step into this position with full confidence. I have already completed the required hours for OSHA Site Supervisor Training. My certifications, knowledge, and safety-first attitude would save the company time and resources in training.”
Sample Answer 4: Fits With Your Desired Career Path
Looking for promotion in title or responsibility in a new job? Take note of job titles while you are interviewing for a new role. If you are looking for a new role that would serve as a promotion, look for a title above your previous job or a position that sits higher up in the company’s organizational chart.
“After growing my skills as a Senior Project Engineer for the last three years, I am very excited about the Project Manager opportunity at your company. I am a fast learner and love to develop new skills, and this position would grant me the opportunity to take an essential next step in my career.”
Demonstrating that you are ready for new challenges may draw the interviewer’s attention to your ambition. Most of the time, hiring managers are looking for someone who is willing to grow and demonstrates the potential to succeed in the future.
Sample Answer 5: You’re Excited About Learning a New Skill
Emphasize a new skill or technology platform that the company uses in the position you are interviewing for that you want to learn!
“If I could join the company as a Civil Engineering Intern, I would be exposed to new technology, including AutoCAD. My previous job did not train me in this program, and I am dedicated to learning more about design software to accelerate my career.”
Be mindful if the company shared multiple times that you need to be proficient in a certain skill; this is not the time to share if you have no experience with it. Think about what you couldn’t practice in your last job and apply that to this answer.
Sample Answer 6: You Possess a Skill in High Demand That the Job Requires
Brainstorm shortcomings or hot topics in the industry you work in. Do you have any of these skills that you can emphasize in your interviews? There are always extra points given for mentioning technology skills!
“I am excited by the data-driven responsibilities and metrics-heavy culture that this role operates on. With data visualization and storytelling in high demand in this industry, I am a qualified candidate who can get the job done and teach others on the team about new technology and developments. The future of digital marketing will be led by data, and I am prepared to dive into it.”
A variation of “Why Do You Want This Job?” is “Why Should We Hire You?”. Here is a good example that showcases how you can explain to a future employer that you will benefit them by joining the team and will be grateful to do so.
Sample Answer 7: The Company Mission Aligns With Your Passions
Every company has a mission, and if it isn’t clear from an explanation of what the company does, check its Website or Careers Page. Identify where the Company’s mission aligns with your values, and point this out to the interviewer or hiring manager so they understand how you would uphold company values, tradition, and culture. Mission alignment often makes a perfect fit.
“I would love to be a team member at this Company because of their dedication to building more homes with sustainable materials. I enjoy reading about and discussing developments in materials that are revolutionizing construction. There is so much progress to be made, and I am grateful that I came across a company that aligns with my passions and hopes for the future of construction.”
Sample Answer 8: You’ve Done it Before
Have you directly helped a company to evolve? This could make you a good candidate. The rate at which a company grows will depend on how long it has been around, its employee base size, and its resource access. If you have experience taking a Company from A to B and it aligns with the company’s growth trajectory, share more information about how you could do this for them if you were hired.
“I am an innovator. In my previous position, I built a 50-person customer support team from the ground up. I am aware of the current state of the support function at your organization, and I would be able to transfer my experience to scale your team. I understand the pain points and potential challenges your team may face in taking this next step and would be a subject matter expert on the topic of creating a new department.”
Sample Answer 9: Your Candidacy is a Cultural Addition To the Existing Team
Diversity and variety in the workforce yield higher-quality outputs. Share a trait that you have that you haven’t quite picked up on yet from the other interviewers or the company culture. Identify a personality trait or competency you have that sets you apart.
“From my interviewing experience, I learned that this team loves to share ideas and engage in brainstorms often when I met with them in a panel interview. I am a great listener and could provide a level-headed listening ear during team meetings, so no follow-ups or action items are lost in the conversation.”
Sample Answer 10: The Job Provides a Preferred Work-life Balance
Share your enthusiasm for the balanced company culture or benefits the team has shared with you.
“I am really impressed by the overall focus on well-being that this company offers. If I were to join the team remotely, I’d have more time after working hours to reset, spend time with my family, and save money and time on a commute.”
Speaking about your previous burnout could make a recruiter wonder if you are ready for a new opportunity, so here is one way to address that in your “Why Do You Want This Job?” response, by just addressing what the new employer has to offer.
Sample Answer 11: You Enjoy the Responsibilities of the Job
This one is simple, if you love what you do, say it! Share what brings you happiness or enjoyment in your work tasks. The ideal candidate will bring positive energy to the team and their work.
“I find joy in completing projects and collaborating with others on designs. There is something about the energy that goes into a brainstorming session that I love. As a Project Management Lead, I would be able to facilitate an enjoyable environment for all. The best things about work are centered around collaboration.”
Sample Answer 12: You Are Looking For Longevity
Interviewers are evaluating for retention, so it makes the most sense for them to hire someone who is looking to stay a while. It could benefit you to mention that you have also stayed at your previous companies for a few years each. This will give the interviewer a good reason to believe that you will stick around for a while. Here is a great answer you can use that doesn’t require you to have a long tenure at previous employers.
“At this point in my career, I am looking for a company that I can call home and grow and develop with. I find it more thorough and effective to dedicate more time to an organization, and it will allow me to build stronger connections.”
Sample Answer 13: You’re Dedicated To the Industry
Do you have a personal connection or anecdote about why you have worked in your industry? Sharing your “Why” can help you build a bond with your interviewer and emphasize that you are a passionate candidate.
“I come from a long line of contractors in my family, and they have fueled my interest in homebuilding ever since I was young. I remember when my dad sat with me as we drew up plans for a cabin I had to build for a school project, and I was excited about my first plan. I am eager to work with others who share the same excitement and love for the industry with me at your company.”
Sample Answer 14: You Are Enthusiastic About the Company’s Growth Prospects
Research recent developments in the company and bring them up when answering, “Why Do You Want This Job?”. There is typically a Press or News page on the homepage of any organization to read up on company updates, or a quick google search of the company name could show similar content. If you have the chance, ask the interviewer or hiring manager about the company’s future vision or long-term goals and reiterate your interest in their growth trajectory.
“I have been following the developments of your company for the last few years and was really excited to see your recent announcement about your expansion into the West Coast. The customer base and impact of the company will increase, and I would like to be involved in navigating that new territory.”
Sample Answer 15: You Just Really Need the Job (But They Don’t Need To Know That)
A job does not always have to check every box, so here is a great way to thoughtfully share your own answer to “Why Do You Want This Job” if you’re stuck and need to answer quickly.
“After learning more about the Director of Construction role, I am delighted by how similar the responsibilities are to my previous role, including how I’d be owning weekly and monthly tracking and potentially managing architects as I do now. Along with my current knowledge, the team has presented growth areas within the job responsibilities to accelerate my leadership development.”
A wrong answer for a time when you are stuck would be something like, “I need money” or “I don’t know.” These bad answers can be avoided by following our examples.
Why Do You Want This Job Infographic
Before We Go…
Remember to always combine your current skills and passions with understanding the company or role to formulate a comprehensive response to “Why Do You Want This Job?”. You can create a well-rounded answer to one of the most common interview questions by understanding the job description, researching the mission and values of the company, preparing examples about your experience, building confident communication skills, and ultimately bringing your true self to interviews. After reviewing our guidelines and preparing, you’ll be on the path to receiving a new job offer!
At MatchBuilt, we’ve explored other common interview questions, such as “Why do you want to work here?“, “Tell me about yourself,” “What is your biggest achievement?“, “What areas need improvement?” and “Why should we hire you?” and we invite you to review them as well.
