Why do You Want to Work Here?

A successful company stands on the pillars of a determined, diligent and ambitious workforce. Interviewers understand the importance of curating a competent and motivated workforce as it plays a key role in achieving company goals. So, HR personnel are rigorous while evaluating if a potential candidate is the best fit to enter their organization’s workforce. As a potential candidate, the reasons you communicate to your interviewer for entering their organization’s workforce plays a huge role in their filtration process and influences their final hiring decision.

In this article, we discuss one of the most important and frequently asked questions in an interview: “Why do you want to work here?” We will explain the answers to the following questions:

1. Why is the Interviewer Asking You This?
2. Are There Good and Bad Answers? What is the Difference?
3. How to Frame Good Answers

Why is the Interviewer Asking You This?

Your interviewer is looking for someone who will fit in at the company and enjoy working there. This question may also come in the form of “Why do you want to work for us?” or “Why this company?” By asking you this question, they want to understand your motivations in applying for the job and get a feel for how long you are likely to stay with them. Overall, they want to understand if you would add value to their existing team.

Let’s understand some important reasons interviewers ask this question:

• To Learn About Your Career Goals

Your interviewers want to understand your career goals to assess how this position fits into your long-term plans. An employee whose career goals are aligned with the company will be more productive and stay at the company longer. The hiring manager is trying to find out if that person is you.

• To Assess Your Interest in the Position

It is important for interviewers to believe that you are sincerely interested in the job and that you will be motivated to perform if hired. Your interviewers will listen to all your reasons while constantly looking to judge how much you know about the position you have applied for. They watch you carefully to see how well-informed, passionate or interested you seem when you are talking about the position to derive if you will enjoy working in the role.

• To Find Out What You Know About the Company

Interviewers want to know the efforts you’ve taken in researching their company and what you know about them. They are looking for an understanding of their company’s mission, services, products, culture, initiatives, etc. While you don’t need to know everything, they certainly look for some essential understanding of their organisation and its working.

• To Understand Your Priorities and Preferences

It is essential for the interviewers to understand the aspects of the company and/or position which is appealing to you and why. They are looking to understand what you prefer and prioritise when you evaluate a company and/or position.

While you are answering the central question, a seasoned interviewer continuously monitors your responses to derive the answers to the above-listed points. Therefore, understanding the targeted derivations behind these questions helps you craft your responses more thoughtfully.

Are There Good and Bad Answers? What is the Difference?

Now that you understand the reasons behind this question and the importance of it -are there good and bad answers to this question?

YES. Most definitely. And you can easily distinguish between them if you know what to look for.

Bad answers are broad, vague  and selfish.

Good answers are specific, personalized and selfless.

Here are some common bad answers which exhibit these bad attributes and why you should avoid them at all costs:

• I hear you pay well
• You are close to my house
• My relative works for you, he says the benefits are great
• It seems like a nice place to work
• I know my contribution will be good to the company
• I know you have a vacant position and I am qualified

These answers may be objectively true and they may seem like the honest truth. However, they share the same problems – they either focus on what you want from the job or they are overused answers which leave no impression on the interviewers. These answers do not help you stand out or pique the interviewer’s interest in hiring you.

Now let’s look at some good answers which exhibit these good attributes and why you should leverage them when you get the opportunity:

• I would love the opportunity to work for an organization that’s leading the future of the industry.
• Well, the Xyz company reputation is certainly a factor. I would be obliged to work for a company with such established leadership in the industry.
• I saw an article in Xyz about your company and its focus on dynamic workplaces and collaboration. I admire this approach and I would love to be a part of it.
• I feel that my proven track record in sales makes me an excellent match for the job requirements and your awkward winning sales team.
• Well, I have great respect for your company’s software products and your constantly well-received products in the market. As I have delivered applications which have consistently scored a 5-star rating on the marketplaces I think I would be a great fit.

These answers tactfully show off that you have researched about the company and you are aware of their achievements. Also, they focus on what the organisation gains from your addition to the team. These answers help you stand out and pique the interviewer’s interest in hiring you.

Identifying the good and bad responses in an interview can be difficult, you should continually read advice from industry experts to get a better handle on it. If you need access to a repository of experienced and actionable tips, advice and career guidance, you can check out ZipRecruiter. They have been in the industry for more than a decade and they have collected rare insights and extensive resources along the years which can give you a competitive advantage.

How to Frame Good Answers

Good answers demonstrate your knowledge of the company and the skills, talents, experience, and strengths you have that are a match for their culture and the position you are applying for.

To frame good answers which are specific, personalized and selfless, execute the following points:

Research About the Company

Spend the time to know the company you are applying for. Strive to know as much as you can before the interview. Go through their company website, social media handles, media coverage and employee reviews. Also read their About Us section to understand their achievements and story. When you are well versed about their vision, products or services, initiatives, culture and values, etc, you can communicate this knowledge to the interviewer. Use this information to your advantage by incorporating these achievements or information in your answers. You can also easily demonstrate how you fit into the company.

Remember, interviewers ask this question to each candidate. Many candidates will praise the company and many will go overboard with it, having a list of facts to base your compliments or information will show off your research and your authenticity.

We recommend focusing on the following factors to best angle your answers:

• Company vision and mission
• Company reputation
• Leader reputation
• Company culture and values
• Quality of products/services
• Efforts in company initiatives
• Company growth/success

Study the Job Description

The job description lays out all the expectations they have from their perfect candidate. Write down how you perform in all these expectations and wherever possible, have some evidence for concrete proof.

For example, if the job description says “should have exceptional writing skill“ you can point out at the time of the interview, if appropriate, that you have earned a certification with excellent grades from a credible platform or that your writing has been featured in a reputable online journal.

Use the job description of the role you’re interviewing for and highlight how your skills seamlessly fit within their outlined expectations, backed by evidence wherever possible.

Do Some Research About the Interviewers

You can browse the company website and look at the Human Resource department, you may find the hiring executives and managers. You can browse through their LinkedIn profile to learn more about them to help your chances of building a better rapport. It might turn out that you share something with one or all of them, from a previous employer to a school, certification, professional association, hobby, or home town.

Any information you learn can help you build rapport with the person by mentioning it. The information might also help you prepare for the approach the person will take or understand their general reputation without disclosing the commonality you share. That being said, be cautious of not seeming too eager to share this information. Otherwise, it may make your intention of building a rapport insincere. Bring it up if it seems organic. and It’s about connecting, not enforcing.

Following the above points, you can craft a response which addresses all the underlying reasons behind the question and leave a memorable impression on the interviewer. Perfecting your answer and delivering it with precision needs experience, so try it in every interview. If you need assistance in securing multiple relevant interviews you can try the online employment marketplace of ZipRecruiter. Their advanced search engine uses a powerful AI which handpicks the most suitable jobs for you from their huge database.

Conclusion

Your answer explaining the reason behind wanting to join a new company holds a lot of weightage for your selection. In an interview, you may score the same points as another candidate in the primary factors of competency like skill and experience. In such a situation, the interviewer resorts to secondary factors where your answer to reason to apply falls.

Understanding the ways you can prepare before your interview by following the above-mentioned points will allow you to deliver a thoughtful, impressive and convincing answer to this question. This gives you a competitive edge and increases your overall chances of being triumphant.

Would these suit better?

Detached, Impersonal