It’s the question that rears its head in every interview, maybe not always in its clichéd form – What are you looking for? How do you define success? What are your long-term career goals?
The question isn’t there to catch you out; the interviewer wants to understand your long-term goals, what drives you and how this role fits into your grand plan. Think about it, those who have long-term goals demonstrate motivation and a proactive nature, key attributes you want in a new team member.
So how do you prepare yourself for this question in a way that you can share your ambitions and goals but not give your interviewer anything to worry about?
Show longevity
Your potential employer is investing a lot of time, money and energy in you, so they want to make sure that they have a return on their investment. Highlight the importance of a long-term career path within the organisation (especially if you have short-term tenures on your CV). To go that step further you can break down your answer to a year by year goal.
Show your enthusiasm
Demonstrate that you’re excited to take on a new role and motivated for the new challenge ahead. Highlight what skills and experience you can bring to the role to get the interviewer thinking you are an opportunity that they cannot miss.
Your professional goals
State your goals in terms of results, if you’re looking for a new Account Service role, you want to further develop your skill set within an agency who can offer a new approach to advertising, you want to show how your involvement helped with the success of these marketing campaigns.
The truth
No one likes a liar. Be as candid as possible with your answer. It’s okay to say that you’re uncertain what the future holds but this experience can aid you in making a decision.
If you need further guidance on interviewing, then get in touch with your helpful iknowho consultants and check out some of our top interviewing tips.
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References:
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/where-do-you-see-yourself-5-years-from-now-2061153
https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-answer-where-do-you-see-yourself-in-5-years
https://biginterview.com/blog/2013/02/where-do-you-see-yourself-five-years.html