Career performance reviews aren’t the only metrics you can manage towards your success. If you’re on the job search market, make sure your interview game is top notch.
The “see yourself” question is one of the most popular interview questions, and for good reason – it gives employers a better sense of who you are as a person and how you’ll fit into their company.
When answering this question, it’s important to stay positive and focus on your future goals. Here are a few tips on how to answer it:
- Be specific about the role you’re interested in and why you want it.
- Stay updated on the company’s news and developments so that you can speak intelligently about why you want to work there.
- Talk about your long-term career goals and how this position will help you get there.
- Express your passion for growth and learning and explain how you’re always looking for new opportunities to improve yourself professionally.
By following these tips, you’ll be able to give recruiters a clear picture of where you see yourself in the future – and why they should hire you!
WHY DO THEY ASK THIS QUESTION
The question is designed to help the recruiter understand if you are planning on staying with the company for a long time or if you will move on as soon as a better opportunity is available. They also want to know if you have taken the time to plan for your future and what your goals are. answering this question, be sure to give a response that shows that you have planned for your future and that you are committed to the company.
The recruiter is looking to see if your goals align with the career path of the role. This is important because it can help ensure that you are a good fit for the position, and that you will be happy in the role should you be offered the job.
Hiring and training cost time and money, while directly affecting productivity and morale of the rest of the team. It’s important to make sure everyone is aligned to the same trajectory to keep moving forward.
HOW TO ANSWER IT
Be honest. The “see yourself” question is a way for the interviewer to get to know you better. They want to see how you view yourself, your strengths, motivations, and how you think about problem your future and goals.
Don’t give an answer you back-up or elaborate on. Be prepared to weave it into the role. If it’s a bookkeeping role and you’re goal is to become a professional water polo player it may be difficult to draw the two together. Share in a way that shows how the goals will help both the company and your personal aspirations.
- EXAMPLE – In five years, I see myself continuing to work as a web developer. I would like to have continued growth in my career and be working on larger and more complex projects. I also hope to have continued personal growth, learning new things and growing as a person. In terms of location, I would like to stay in the same area or possibly move to a new city.
- EXAMPLE – As a program coordinator, I’m looking to continue my project management development to oversee and manage all aspects of larger, more interesting projects as they relate to developing new programs and processes or improving upon existing ones.
When answering this question, be sure to share your goals, but also explain how the role you are applying for can help you achieve them. For example, if you want to become a CPA one day, explain how this position can help you gain the skills and experience you need to reach that goal.
SAMPLE RESPONSES
The best way to answer this question is by giving specific examples of times when you exhibited the qualities they’re looking for.
Check out these ‘fill-in-the-blank’ ideas for planning your responses.
- Develop a deeper expertise in… Be sure to target skills that their role needs.
- Approach a new skill or domain… Be sure to tie in how this relates to the role.
- Find and/or invest skills in a company who… Be sure to tie in what you like most about the company.
- Complete <certification, education, training… Be open to explaining how this would help the role.
- Short term focus <x> and long term goal of <y>. Show how you’re doing and planning now to get future goals.
It’s OK to say I don’t know too! BUT do it with some detail. You can have goals and not be entirely sure what the path to get to them will be. EXAMPLE – Really seeking to explore new growth opportunities, grow my skills but not sure in what direction yet.
CONCLUSION
When answering this question, it is important to be honest and share your goals with the recruiter. However, you should also explain how the role you are applying for can help you achieve them. This question is designed to help the recruiter understand if you are a good fit for the position and if your goals align with the career path of the role. By sharing specific examples of times when you exhibited qualities they’re looking for, you can show that you would be a great addition to their team.
