How to prepare an answer where do you see yourself in five years?
Where do you see yourself in five years? That question is a difficult question for most job candidates to answer. I know when I’ve interviewed people, and I’ve hired hundreds, and interviewed at least ten times it many that’s a question that I always have asked, and I ask it knowing that most candidates don’t know where they’re going to be at in two or three years let done in five years. I also know those job candidates when they answer that question, they may give me any answer that they think I want to hear. But, I still ask that question, and most interviewers will ask that question too and there are some good reasons that they do that. What I’ll do in this article is I’m going to tell you why that question is asked?, and then what I’m going to do is I’m going to give you my very best answer sample answer to that question.
So, without further due, I’m going to tell you how to answer the interview question where do you see yourself in five years? First, what I want to do is, I want to tell you a couple of reasons why interviewers would ask that question? And again going back to what I said previously? An interviewer will know and/or think any way that more often than not that. The response they get is a response it’s not as candid may be, it could be they may be thinking this guy, or this woman’s going to tell me what they think I want to hear, or they’re also going to be thinking, “Hey, how does this person really know where they’re going to be in five years” it’s a total guess. But, let me tell you despite the challenges of asking the question, or despite the challenges of getting a real accurate answer. The question is going to be asked more often than not an interviewer asset for those two reasons.
# 1 interviewer wants to know the candidate is committed to long-term to the company.
Number one, they want to make sure that the person whose interview interviewing for the position is really committed to the position. They want to make sure that they’re not a job hopper, they want to make sure that the person they’re sitting across from isn’t looking for a quick solution to an unemployment problem, and they also want to make sure that the person that they’re talking to the person they’re interviewing isn’t just they’re talking this position waiting for the next best offer. So, want to make sure number one that these things are not true.
# 2 Job candidates must be committed to that position.
Number two, what they’re looking for is they are looking for someone who really is committed to that particular job. Let me give you an example, what I mean by that, I know when I was interviewing people for let’s just say aid a job in the office in one of my own offices, I’m looking for a person who has the skills I need. Now, sometimes and I would tell you more often I would than you would guess I was surprised that I would get people who just wanted to get their foot in the door. The interview for an office clerical position with the idea that even though they didn’t have the experience to be in the editing stuff of one of my newspapers, or they didn’t have the sales experience or the production experience that they wanted to get their foot in the door. So, they would take any position just to do that, I knew that they would eventually be they wouldn’t like what they’re doing, and they would eventually quit If, didn’t get a promotion, or get the position that they really wanted.
So, when I’m interviewing someone, and an interviewer is interviewing someone they do want to make sure that person is interviewing for that position that they’re there for. So, from my perspective and the perspective of all hiring managers, they know that interviewing somebody is time you’re going through resumes sometimes dozens of resumes maybe even more than that you’re interviewing people you’re spending lots of your valuable time in the interview process. So, you want to make sure that you are getting the right you’re hiring the right person, so asking some questions like where do you see yourself in five years? Maybe that question may not make a lot of sense to the person who’s sitting across and then but the hiring manager every little edge everything that they can ask any little hint that this person isn’t going to work out they want to find that out.
So, listen whether you’re 50 years old, whether you’re over 50, whether under 50, what I’m going to do now, is I’m going to tell you the best way to answer the interview question where do you see yourself in 5 years? The sample answer that I’m going to give you is actually for a sales position, but it can be tailored to virtually any position.
“In the first year, I will strive to completely understand our product, the sales process, and our customer. I want to make sure I know the product benefits, and our customers inside, and out while at the same time meeting sales expectations. In the years that follow I guarantee I will do my best to be a key salesperson, you can depend on. I’ll lend my expertise and offer help whenever it’s necessary. And, when the time comes, I will assume more leadership roles.”
So, this answer in its entirety shows four different things. Number one, it shows that you are focused on the position, Number two it shows that you have some clear goals, number three you know exactly what you want you are also willing to help and give value, number four and I think this is pretty important is you show that you are willing and able to come in right away and meet expectations. So, as I mentioned this answer to me can be tailored to virtually any position, and truly, it can be applied at for whatever age you are. If, you’re over 50 if, you’re under 50 what you’re saying here, and generally what you’re saying here is that you’re going to come in, and just do a great job for them, and your focus on that particular position.