Answering questions during a job interview has to be one of the top stressful tasks that many of us will ever experience. There are some hiring managers who may be very lenient when it comes to the answers you provide. While others are often looking for a specific type of answer and if you don’t provide them with that answer, you won’t get the job.

The problem is that there is no way to tell what the hiring manager is thinking so you have to do your best to answer all the questions as accurately and truthfully as possible. The answers that you provide could be the deciding factor for your future career, so there is plenty of pressure on your shoulders to say the right thing.  

There are a few common questions that all employers will ask their potential employees such as “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” or “Why are you interested in this position?”. You may have some very insightful answers but are they really what the interviewer wants to hear?

Fortunately, there is a simple solution to answering this question correctly without damaging your chances of getting the job.

How to Answer, “Why Are You Interested in this Position?” And Get the Job

Hiring managers will often ask this question to find out exactly what you know about the company and what you don’t. Have you performed any research on the company or position that you are applying for? If you aren’t trained in the area, do you at least have some common knowledge about your job duties? Do you have additional skills outside of your degree that qualify you for this job? Finding out “Why Are You Interested in this Position?” can help a future employer choose which candidates are the best fit for the job based on their prior knowledge of the position.


1. Show Enthusiasm for the Company

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One excellent way to answer the question is to show off what you know about the company and the position itself. You don’t necessarily have to talk about how excited you are to join the team, instead use this time to impress the employer with your knowledge about the company.

Spend some time prior to your interview to learn as much as you can about the company, what they do, what their mission statement is, and what products or services they are most proud of. Choose a few key points to add to your response to further ensure that you will have a good chance at the job.

You may want to express that you were interested in applying for a job at the company because you recently found out that they were very eco-friendly. Or you may want to add that you heard about them being a Fortune 500 company and it is your goal to work for a highly reputable and resourceful corporation. Anything that the company has shown pride in currently or in the past is good to mention and incorporate into your answer to this common interview question.

 

2. Talk About How Your Skills are Perfect for This Role

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Do you have experience as a creative writer and want to apply for a journalist job with your hometown newspaper? Perhaps you want to work for a child care facility and have plenty of experience babysitting kids when you were a teen. It doesn’t matter what type of experience you may have, as long as it is relevant to the job you are applying for, you should use this information in your answer to the popular job interview question “Why are you interested in this position?”.

Everything from the subjects you majored in during college to your own personal experiences can provide you with the skills and training you need for a variety of jobs. Just remember to not get off track and keep your stories about how you obtained your skills short. You will have plenty of time to discuss these things with your future boss once you are hired.


3. Explain How This Position Makes Sense with your Career Goals  

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Most companies are looking for long-term employees that they can rely on for many years. You don’t want to come off as someone who is only using this job position to help you move on up to something bigger and better. You need to let the hiring manager know that they can depend on you to be there for the company for years to come.

Show how excited you are about the company’s growth and express how you would love for your skills to grow right along with the brand. Let them know what you are willing to contribute to their business so that they will be interested in what have to offer them. You can do all of this without stating that you only plan to be with the company for a few years. Just let them know that you have put a lot of thought into the position and you feel that the job makes sense to you at the present time.

Tips for Any Job Interview That Will Help You Get Hired

Along with answering the questions confidently, there are several other things that you can do during your job interview that will help improve your chances of being hired.


Be Prepared

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You want to have strong answers to the employer’s most challenging questions. So, practice what your answers may be to some of the most common job interview questions. You should focus on your skills that will help you with the job you are applying for. Talk about your strengths such as how dependable you can be or how well you can work under pressure. Take notes if you need to and write down whatever important factors come to mind. Then study your notes and take the time to learn more about yourself.


Become Connected with the Interviewer

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Along with letting the interviewer know that you are very interested in joining their company, it is important that you try to connect with the hiring manager. It is no surprise that employers are more willing to hire someone who is friendly and has a good personality. Building up a personal connection with the interviewer can increase your chances of becoming hired.


Always Be on Time

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The best way to guarantee that you will not get the job is to show up to an interview late. Therefore, you should always be on time and show the employer that you are a reliable and punctual person. It is best to arrive early, at least five to ten minutes if possible. Pay attention to the local traffic and give yourself enough time for detours or traffic jams. Also, you should give yourself a few extra minutes to go to the restroom beforehand and check your appearance. This is also a good time to calm yourself down before your interview starts.


Relax and Stay Calm

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During the interview, you need to relax and stay as calm as possible. This may be a great changing point in your life and it is normal to be anxious about the entire process. But if you are able to stay calm, you will answer the questions with more confidence and clarity. You will be less likely to stumble over your words or say the wrong thing.

Be sure to maintain good eye contact while you are answering questions. Looking down or away from the interviewer will show that you aren’t very confident in yourself and therefore the employer may think that you can’t handle the pressure that the job entails.

Listen to each question carefully and avoid cutting off the interviewer at all costs, especially while they are asking the questions. If you need more time to think about your answer, that should be fine. Just let the interviewer know that instead of starting off with awkward ‘ums’ and ‘uhs’.


How to Follow-Up After a Job Interview

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The interview process can be stressful, but the waiting period afterward can be just as hectic. Most hiring managers will let you know about how long it will take before the company decides or need to call back candidates for a second interview. In most cases, it will take longer than 24 hours for you to hear something back. If you don’t hear anything back within three or four days however, you may want to give the company a call just to check in.

Or you can also send a thank you email to the hiring manager within 24 hours of your interview. In the email, you can include details that you may have forgotten to mention during the interview. Sending an email will help you remain fresh in the hiring manager’s mind as they decide on which candidate they should hire. Just be sure to keep your email short and send it out within the first 24 hours of your interview so that the employer will be sure to remember you.


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