Are you prepared to answer, “Why do you want to work here?”

Why do you want to work here? It’s a standard interview question, but it's easy to make the mistake of providing an overly simple answer and miss an opportunity to impress the interviewer.

For instance, responding with, “I want to work on a new challenge” or “Your organisation seems like a good one to work for” is generic and insincere. The hiring manager has heard such answers many times before and they could be given to any employer for any job in answer to being asked why you want to work for us. 

There are several variations of this question, such as “Why are you interested in this role?”, “What attracted you to this role?” or “Why do you want this job in this company?” Regardless of the wording used, the interviewer wants to know why you want to work in this particular job at this particular organisation at this particular point in your career. Hiring managers ask this interview question to understand your knowledge of the company and the job. In short, they want to know why your job search has led you to this interview.

So, make sure your job interview answer reassures hiring managers that you are passionate, engaged and enthusiastic to do great things for their organisation. When you answer the question, show why you genuinely want to work there. Hiring new people takes time and money, so when your interviewer asks you, “Why are you interested in this role?”, take this opportunity to share your motivations and prove that you are the right candidate.

How to answer, “Why do you want to work here?”

Avoid saying "I just need a job". Use information gained from the initial description to explain why you want the job, showing that your personal and professional goals align with the organisations and how your years of experience will be uniquely valuable to the company.

To help you prepare, here’s our advice on how to successfully answer the “Why do you want to work here?” job interview question:

1. Show your passion for the role and organisation

To answer the question “What attracted you to apply for this role?” you should first think about why you want to work for this company in this particular role. If needed, research the company to determine exactly why you want to work there. Remember, employees who are passionate about the company they work for are usually the people who add the most value and stand out from the crowd. They aim to achieve the highest success for the organisation as well as for themselves. That’s why a hiring manager wants to see genuine interest in their company and the job. 

So, in your “Why do you want this job?” answer make sure you mention:

•    How the values of the organisation align with yours
•    The services or products they produce that excite you the most
•    The duties from the job description that excite you the most
•    The recent achievements of the organisation that impressed you
 
Whether you have been following the brand for a long time or had not heard of the company until you came across this job opportunity, it’s important to share your passion and enthusiasm to the hiring manager within your answer.

When the interviewer is listening to your response, they want to feel confident that you are genuinely interested in the role. Show this in your answer by highlighting what attracted you to apply in the first place.

2. Show your ambition 

Your potential employer also wants to hire someone who will not only add value to the team today but also in the long-term. They will look for someone with ambition who wants to continuously develop and achieve success in the job.

When answering this part of the question, make sure you explain:

•    Your career ambitions 
•    How this role is aligned to these ambitions 
•    How you see a long-term future with the organisation
•    Why you want to progress your career in this particular organisation

However, avoid giving the employer the impression that this is just one step on your career ladder and you’ll move on to another employer once you’ve achieved your next short-term career goal. Instead, in your answer find a balance between showing your ambition while avoiding implying that you’re using the role as a springboard to something else.  

3. Show your appreciation for the opportunity 

Then, finish your “What attracted you to apply for this role?” answer by providing a summary of your suitability and expressing how glad you were to be invited in for an interview. This is where you are putting it all together, so be genuine and excited by the opportunity so that you leave a positive impression with the interviewer. 

Example “Why do you want this job?” answer 

Now it's time to put your thoughts into practice. Here are two sample answers for how to answer "why do you want the job?" using the above structure.

Example 1

“When I initially read the job description for the role, one of the things that particularly appealed to me was that it has a strong social media focus, which is perfectly suited to my strengths. While social media marketing is my strongest skill, I am aware that as a profession it is always evolving and I will need to continuously develop my expertise. Working for a forward-thinking market leader such as XXXXX, with a sophisticated and strong social media strategy, will allow me to keep my finger on the pulse and progress to my full potential using the learning and career opportunities available.

“To sum up, this role and company is well suited to my interests, skillset and ambitions, and I am excited to be interviewing for this opportunity.”

Example 2

Here is a more generic response that you should tailor to the job, based on the job description and what you learnt of the company values during the interview:

“When I came across this job opening, I was immediately drawn to it for several reasons. Firstly, the values of this organisation resonate strongly with me, as I believe in the importance of [innovation, sustainability, data-driven decisions, teamwork, efficiency, etc]. This alignment with my own professional and personal beliefs makes me excited to support these core values and use them to deliver exceptional products and services to our customers, while seamlessly fitting into a company culture with aligned priorities.

“Furthermore, the services and products offered by this company excite me immensely. I've been following the advancements and achievements in the industry, and I'm particularly impressed by how this company has consistently delivered high-quality solutions that have a meaningful impact on customers' lives. It's these innovations that make me eager to contribute to the team and help drive further success.

“The specific duties you've outlined align perfectly with my skills and interests. I find the idea of tackling the challenges mentioned in the description motivating, and I believe that my expertise, skills, and experience will enable me to excel in this role. I would love to use this experience to grow professionally, gaining knowledge for my own long-term career aspirations while contributing to this company's mission.”

A well thought-out approach

“Why do you believe you are the best candidate for this position?” is an interview question that shouldn’t throw you. It is a question you know you are going to be asked in your next interview, so understanding exactly how to answer this question makes sense. 

Of course, your “Why do you want to work for this company?” best answer requires research and careful planning. But by taking the time to prepare a personal, detailed and well thought-out answer that includes the above elements, you’ll impress hiring managers and help them see your potential.