“Why do you want to work here?”
Does your mind go blank when you hear this question during an interview?
If the answer is yes, don’t worry. Hiring managers aren’t trying to trick you with this question. Usually, they’re just trying to assess whether you’d fit the team and company well.
Answer this question confidently, and you’ll set yourself apart from other candidates. To impress employers with your answer, follow these four simple steps below:
1. Express passion for the company’s mission
When building a resume for a job, it’s likely you did some research to find out a little bit more about the role. If not, now is the perfect time to do that research. Knowing more about the company you’re applying to will help you tailor your answers and ace your interview.
Try to pinpoint the company’s mission, vision, product, service, or brand, then find opportunities to convey your enthusiasm for them. Demonstrating that you’re excited about where the company is headed can signal to employers that you’ll be a dedicated and long-term employee.
You’re probably familiar with the old adage, “show, don’t tell” – it applies here. The most effective way to show employers you’re genuinely invested in their mission is to showcase your related interests.
For example, if a company is providing grooming services to dogs and cats, you could share the following:
- how you developed your passion for these pets
- your time volunteering at a pet shelter
The closer you can connect your interests to the company’s core values, it’ll be easier to share why you are passionate about the position.
2. Mention why you’d be a good cultural fit
In an interview, hiring managers are always trying to gauge whether you’d be a good cultural fit for the company. This means they want to see that your personality, beliefs, and working style align with how the company is run.
For example, if the company has a remote work policy, you can demonstrate that you’d be a good cultural fit by targeting remote work in your remote job resume and elaborating on how you work well independently in the interview. For remote-only roles, employers are looking for reliable and trustworthy self-starters who are tech-savvy, so focus on showing them these traits and backing them up with some tangible results you’ve achieved in the past..
You might wonder: how can I know what the company culture’s like without working there?
Here are some ways you can get a feel for a company culture ahead of an interview:
- Check the company website for any information about their values or how they work.
- Look for the company’s social media accounts – increasing numbers of companies are posting content about their work culture and events.
- Check websites like Glassdoor for current and past employee reviews.
- Reach out to existing employees (via LinkedIn or email) with any specific questions you aren’t able to answer on your own.
Your cover letter is also a great place to highlight what makes you a good cultural fit, so when you’re writing your cover letter be sure to address this question.
3. Show how your career goals and the goals of the company align
Start by identifying your short and long-term career goals. Short-term goals include getting a promotion or certification, while long-term goals include visions such as running a successful business. Employers are more interested in hiring candidates whose goals align with the company’s, because these candidates tend to be more driven and stick around longer.
If possible, you should demonstrate how achieving your own career goals will also benefit the company. For example, if your professional goal is to help the company create an effective new DEI initiative and the company is actively looking to expand its DEI program, your goals are perfectly aligned.
Share how the role will provide the opportunity for you to learn more about the industry and develop your skills, and how that professional development will in turn help the company achieve its goals.
How not to answer “Why do you want to work here?”
There’s a certain etiquette involved in the hiring process, and to make a good impression you want to make sure you don’t say anything that will raise red flags for hiring managers. While they know you want a paycheck and benefits, it’s generally frowned upon to directly mention these things as reasons for wanting the job.
Stick to professionally motivated reasons and avoid these topics in your answer:
- Salary or bonuses
- Location
- Remote work flexibility
- Perks or benefits
Your answer should indicate how you plan to advance your career in the new position, not what you stand to gain from it. If employers don’t think you take the position seriously, they won’t be likely to hire you.
“Why do you want to work here?” example interview answers
Answer 1
“I am absolutely thrilled to be here today, and the reason is simple – I have always admired [company’s name] for being an industry leader in digital marketing. For the past seven years, I have been passionate about the field, and I have always looked up to this company as an example of excellence. I feel like I have a unique perspective and experience in the B2B sector that could make a real difference to your partnership programs. I am excited about the opportunity to be a part of a team that is driving the company forward, and I believe that my passion and drive will make me an invaluable asset to the company’s success.”
This answer effectively connects the candidate’s passion with the company’s mission.
Answer 2
“I feel the game development industry could really improve upon the crunch culture. While I realize the necessity of hard work (and sometimes even overtime), I loved what your CEO said recently in her interview about how one of the company’s core values is maintaining the mental health and creativity of its employees as its main source of productivity.”
This candidate connected the company’s culture with their personal opinions and values. Mentioning the interview with the CEO is a plus point, as it shows that they’re up-to-date with the latest industry developments and have done their research.
Answer 3
“I first heard about Eco-Logic three years ago when your PR department launched the Earth Day awareness campaign that dealt with cleaning up beaches along the Pacific Coast.
For years, I’ve been volunteering with eco organizations and I love the impact your company is making. So, I think I would really be in the right place if I could apply my engineering skills to cleaning up the environment.”
This candidate highlighted the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability and connected it to his passion and skill set: volunteering and engineering.
Answer 4
“I’ve been aware of Bridgemore ever since I was a grad student. The company’s projects were a real inspiration to me as an architecture major. I incorporated some of your designs as examples of modern architectural experiments in my graduate thesis.
When I was put in charge of my first urban project, I always referenced the design principles laid out by your founder since he was such a big influence on modern building engineering. I really respect that you’ve stayed true to those design principles for over 30 years now.”
In this answer, the candidate referenced the designed principles laid by the company’s founder and related them to their project as a graduate student, demonstrating relevant personal experience and admiration. An answer like this is sure to leave hiring managers with a good impression.
