The Key to Answering ‘Why Do You Want to Work Here’

It is very common for interviewers to ask the candidates “Why do you want to work here?” Many candidates do not take the question seriously. But this is one of the make-or-break questions in an interview.

According to a survey, 91% of the interviewer know whether to select the candidate within the first 15 minutes. 

With the growing competition, the interviewer must select the right candidates for the company. If the candidate is not serious about the job, it would be a deal breaker for the company. The company is always looking to invest its time, energy, and money in the right candidate.  

There are no definite answers to this common interview question, but putting the points in the right way would impress the interviewer. This is one of the most direct and challenging questions asked by the interviewers.  

So, preparing and answering the question perfectly is a major step in getting selected for the right job. The interviewer can judge the candidate’s passion for the job by the answer to this question. 

This article will discuss why and what employers look at when they ask – why do you want this job? This article will discuss some important tips to prepare for the question properly. 

Also Read: How to introduce yourself in an interview

“Why Do You Want to Work Here”- Understanding the Question 

Why Do Employers Ask “Why Do You Want to Work Here” Questions? 

When the hiring manager asks “Why do you want to join our company,” they are looking at different qualities of the candidate. Let’s understand why employers ask this question in detail. 

• To understand your passion for the job, industry experience, and the company. The question would help the interviewer understand how much you are interested in the job. This would let the company know about your interest in working there. 

• To understand your interest in the job. The proper answer to this question would reflect your passion for the job, understanding of the company values, and skills utilization in the job. 

• To understand whether your Career Aspirations are aligned with the job profile and the company’s mission and vision. This question will help you understand how you have planned your career development and the company’s mission and vision. 

What are Employers Looking for in the Candidates’ Answers For “Why Do You Want to Work Here”? 

“Why do you want to work here?” is an important question in job interviews. Every candidate would have faced it at least once during their job interviews. Let’s understand what the employers are looking at by asking this question. 

Seriousness Towards the Job 

There would be many candidates for a job role. So, the interviewer must analyze your passion for the job. The answer to this question would display your seriousness towards the job. This would benefit the company and your career development. 

Industry Experience  

Answering vaguely is a definite no. If your answer does not reflect your industry understanding and the job profile, you are likely to get rejected. The interviewers are looking for candidates with better industry knowledge and an idea about the company’s market position. 

Knowledge about the Company’s Culture 

The interviewers are looking for candidates who better understand the company’s culture, mission, and vision. So, you have to go through the company website to frame an answer including it. This would show your passion for the job. 

Believes in Teamwork 

No candidate can perform their responsibilities without working with a team. The interviewers ask this question to understand the candidate’s nature of being a team player. So, it is important to demonstrate your teamwork traits in your answer. 

How to Answer – Why Do You Want to Work Here 

The candidates should know how to answer “Why do you want to join our company?” Let’s look at how to frame your answer to impress the interviewer:

Research About the Company  

A candidate’s passion for the job would reflect on their company’s research. The more a candidate goes through the website, the more they will get to learn about the company. This would help them to have more clarity while answering the question. 

An interested candidate always spends time researching the company’s history and market position. 

The list of research is as follows:

• Understand The Company: Review the company’s official website by looking at its mission and vision in the “About us” section. Look at the “careers” section. This would give an insight into the company’s culture. 
• Go Through the Company’s Blog: Nearly all companies have blogs on their websites. Do not forget to go through it. This would help the candidates to understand the company values, voice, and trending topics in the market. 
• Understand The Company’s Product or Services: The candidate should familiarize themselves with the product or services. They should also look into accomplishments and awards received. Adding this to the answer would give the candidate an edge over the others.
• Look into The Company’s Social Media Accounts: Nowadays, social media play an important role. The candidates should observe the company’s social media posts, user feedback, and comments. This would help them in framing a realistic answer to impress the interviewers.

For example, researching the company’s website would give you detailed information like the history, founders, current board members, their culture, clients, and others. You can thread this information and provide an answer to impress the interviewer.

Align your Answer with The Company Culture  

• The candidate should understand the company culture to understand the company better. Integrating the culture with your career development would benefit the candidate.  

• Understanding the culture is important to answer the question “Why do you want this job?” This would help the candidate to realize how well they can blend in the company and work towards their professional growth and the company’s benefit. 

• If you understand the culture and it aligns with your view, it will help you in your professional and personal growth. If you are aligned with the company’s business goals, culture, and vision, it would be easy for you to grow professionally while taking the company ahead. 

• For example, a fundamental pillar of a company is teamwork. If the candidate is comfortable working in different teams, it will benefit them and the company. Just like teamwork, several other fundamental pillars would help the company grow. The candidates must align themselves so that they can help the company grow. 

Highlight Your Qualification 

• Displaying your qualifications and skills utilization in your answer would add an extra point. The candidates should include all the required qualifications and skills related to the job.  

• This would help the interviewer to decide how well-suited you are for the job. It will be a huge blow if you do not showcase the required qualifications and certification, as the interviewer may go for another candidate. 

• For example, if a company is looking for an electrical engineer for a particular job profile, the candidate needs to showcase all the qualifications and certifications related to electrical engineering. This would help the interviewer select candidates from the lot. 

Always Provide Examples, Data, and Incidents 

• Nothing is better than explaining your strengths through examples, real-life incidents, and data. This would provide a clearer picture to the interviewer.  

• Prepare the examples, data, and incidents in advance. It would look bad if your answer is badly structured and would leave the interviewer unimpressed even though you are the right candidate. 

Sample Answers: “Why Do You Want to Join Our Company?” 

Sample Answer 1 

I have gone through your company’s website and read articles about how your company has been listed as one of the top places to work. I have studied employee testimonials on how your company motivates employees to go the extra mile.
Your company focuses on certifications, training, and techniques to upgrade your employees’ skills utilization. This is why I am interested in this position.

Sample Answer 2 

I have been going through your company’s mission and vision. I went through your several posts on social media platforms. This gave me lots of information about your company. I could realize how my professional growth is aligned with company values. I am excited to work with your talented employees toward the company’s goals. This is what motivated me to join your company. 

Sample Answer 3 

As a market leader, I have always dreamed of being a part of your exciting workforce. I would love to grow professionally in your company by learning new skills, getting certified, and working on exciting projects.
How your company has been handling projects and motivating the employees has made me determined to be a part of your company. I would love to be a part of your family and work according to the company’s mission and vision.

Answering Perfectly During the Interview 

“Why do you want to work here?” is a common and important question asked during job interviews. Many candidates do not prepare this question, thinking it to be irrelevant. But this question is important as it defines the candidate’s seriousness towards the company and the job profile. Let the company know about your interest in working there through your answer.

Always try to go through the company website and know the company’s history, products/services, and the company culture. The interviewers are looking for serious candidates. They are looking for candidates who believe in aligning their professional growth with the company goals. Put forward all the required educational qualifications and skills to make the interviewer believe you fit the job. 

Do not try to crack jokes in the answer and do not come as disinterested or uncommitted for the interview. Don’t try to include only your personal growth while working in the company. Your answer should touch on all the important points. Do not be generic, as it would show your preparedness level for the interview.

Read more about Interview Tips to crack your next Interview

Frequently Asked Questions

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