where do you see yourself in five years - interview questions - manu melwin joy
TRANSCRIPT
Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?
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Manu Melwin JoyAssistant Professor
Ilahia School of Management Studies
Kerala, India.Phone – 9744551114
Mail – [email protected]
Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?
• Where do you see yourself in five years? This interview question is not designed to test your psychic powers. No interviewer expects candidates to be able to describe EXACTLY what they will be doing in 1,820 days. In fact, a truthful answer about what you HOPE to be doing can easily sabotage your odds of landing a job offer.
Why Interviewers Ask, “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?”
Why Interviewers Ask, “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?”
• The interviewer wants to understand more about your career goals and how this position would fit into your grand plan. They care about your career goals because they want to hire someone who is motivated, proactive, and likely to stick around and work hard if hired.
Why Interviewers Ask, “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?”
• If succeeding in this role is
important to you as part of
your long-term career
strategy, you are much
more likely to perform well.
Why Interviewers Ask, “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?”
• You may also hear one of these similar/related questions that are not quite as cliched as the old “5 years” chestnut:– What are your long-term career
goals?– What is your ideal job at this
stage in your career?– What are you looking for?– How do you define success?– What’s most important to you in
you career?
What the Employer Is Trying to Discover
• Do you have a solid grasp of the
position and what it entails?
• Do you have the right attitude?
• Are you going to be dependable?
• Are you a good cultural and social fit
for the organization?
• How are you going to use your
strengths to achieve success in this
job?
What the Employer Is Trying to Discover
• Qualifications and
experience being somewhat
equal among candidates,
the decision maker(s) wants
the candidate who is the
best fit culturally.
What the Employer Is Trying to Discover
• The candidate who takes
time to prepare a list of
personal goals in advance of
the interview will be able to
communicate his/her
strengths and potential fit
best.
What the Employer Is Trying to Discover
• They want to know that you've
put thought into your response.
• They want to know that you're
driven - but that you have
realistic goals.
• They want to hear that you are
willing to pay your dues before
expecting a promotion.
What the Employer Is Trying to Discover
• They want to know that you're loyal
and willing to make a commitment
to the company for at least five
years.
• They want to hear how the
company and role you're applying
for fits into your longer-term goals.
• They want to know you're excited
about the job.
How to Answer The Question
How to Answer The Question
• In today’s competitive job market, interviewers are looking for any red flag to use as an excuse not to hire someone. So you could be unfairly eliminated from contention if you answer this question in a way that even hints this is not the one and only job of your dreams.
Great career move
• Understandably, an employer wants to hire someone who is truly excited about the job at hand, someone who sees it as a great career move and will work tirelessly to do a good job.
How to Answer The Question
• You may have already said
that you’re interested in
the job and why. But they
are testing you further by
asking, “Where do you see
yourself in five years?”
How to Answer The Question
• If your five-year goal is to
become an investment
banker, it’s going to be
hard for them to believe
that this position as an IT
marketing manager is your
dream job.
How to Answer The Question
• Hiring managers don’t generally enjoy
recruiting, hiring, and training new
people. It can be a time-consuming and
difficult process. Your interviewer does
not want to invest time and effort in
someone who is already planning to
leave for something better as soon as it
comes along (whether that’s a job
that’s a better fit, grad school, or your
own business).
How to Answer The Question
• After all, if she hires you
and you quit after a month
or two, she’s going to look
really bad to her bosses
How to Answer The Question
• In reality, you are probably
considering a few different
potential career paths. It’s
smart for you to keep your
options open to a certain
extent. However, you don’t
have to advertise this fact in
your job interviews.
How to Answer The Question
• Let’s be clear: You should
never lie during a job
interview. However, that
doesn’t mean that you
have to be 100% candid
about all of the directions
that you are investigating.
How to Prepare Your Answer
• Focus on what you are grateful for regarding this position.
• Consider the personal feelings that swell up inside you as you consider working in this job and for this employer. Will you have more of a work-life balance? Will your commute be easier? Does it seem like the kind of environment where you can leverage your strengths and be valued? Will you have a greater opportunity to learn new things? Will your value in the job market increase?
• Take time to name your feelings and strengths, and write out how an employer could make you feel valued.
How to Prepare Your Answer
• Think about how you would like to spend your day and the kind of actions you will be performing.
• Don't focus on the specific job duties. Instead think about how you will interact with your co-workers, customers, and anyone else who crosses your path. How would you like to feel at the end of your workday? What new skills or information will you learn? What do you see yourself doing in this job that is different from your current or previous jobs?
• Take a moment to write down those thoughts and think about what it would feel like to love your job and the company where you work.
How to Prepare Your Answer
• Try setting some goals as you visualize yourself in this new position.
• Even if you can't specifically determine where you see yourself five years from now, what possibilities seem to develop for you by having this job? What seems new? How are things different for you?
• Take a moment to focus on your personal and professional values, write them down, and formulate a response to a modified version of this question such as "What is going to be important to you in your career in five years?" or "How would you like to see your life/career differently in five years?"
How to Prepare Your Answer
• Plan a Career Path: Take the time before the job interview to find a career path that would logically continue from this particular position and then outline the steps for the next five years. In some cases, you will find a clear outline on the company website. Also, you will need to ask professional associations, friends, family or alumni for an idea.
How to Prepare Your Answer
• Begin with Why This Job Interests You: Before moving on, you should clearly explain why you want to succeed at and master the particular job position. If you give the impression that you want to move on from the current job right away, an employer may doubt your dedication and motivation. Most interviewers want to fill a position for a minimum of one or two years. To relieve any worries the interviewer has, be sure to mention how your skills and interests will help you fill the job description.
How to Prepare Your Answer
• If There Isn’t a Clear Career Paths: You will notice that not every job has an ultimate career goal. If, for example, you are looking to teach, plan events or do counseling, you will not be using the job as a stepping stone. Instead, your five year goal should be related to the position. A sales position, for example, can aim for product knowledge and close client relationships.
How to Prepare Your Answer
• Goals Lead to Results: Another way to respond is to mention your goals as ways of identifying results. Here is an example, a teacher applying to work in a district that wants to improve standardized tests performance can answer this question by saying: I want to spare no effort in the following 5 years to increase the number of students reading at grade level with creative instruction.
How to Prepare Your Answer
• Advancing in Your Career: In some cases, a job recruiter will expect you to keep moving for the next few years. Some examples of these are new college grads as research assistants, and jobs such as consulting, banking or legal assistants. These positions give you more in your responses, but still ensure you state how the job makes sense for your interests and skills.
How to Prepare Your Answer
• Other Interview Questions About Your Future: There may also be other related questions concerning the future like: What things are important for you? What do you want out of your next job? What goals do you have for the following five/ten years? How will you achieve those goals? Some general questions concerning your career goals also can be asked in an interview.
What should you say?
Keep your answer fairly general
• Keep your answer fairly general,
especially if you don’t know a lot about
the typical career path at the company.
For most interview questions, I
recommend being SPECIFIC because
general answers tend to be bland and
easily forgettable. This is the exception.
Make your answer truthful, but broad
enough that it doesn’t raise doubts about
whether you would be a good fit for this
position at this organization.
Stress your interest in a long-term career
• Stress your interest in a long-term
career at the company (especially if you
have short job tenures on your
resume). Your interviewer wants to
know that you’re ready to settle in and
grow with the firm. The truth is that
anything can happen. The company
could go out of business, they could lay
you off, or you could be lured away for
a better opportunity.
Stress your interest in a long-term career
• However, remember that the
organization is going to be investing
considerable time, energy, and money in
hiring and training someone for this job.
You must at least show an honest
intention to stay long enough to be a
good investment. If you have some “job
hopping” on your resume, it’s particularly
important to make the case that you’re
now ready for a long-term role.
Demonstrate your enthusiasm
• Demonstrate your
enthusiasm for the job as
an exciting next step for
you. Most importantly,
make it clear that you are
motivated to take on this
opportunity right now.
Demonstrate your enthusiasm
• Demonstrate your
enthusiasm for the job as
an exciting next step for
you. Most importantly,
make it clear that you are
motivated to take on this
opportunity right now.
Example Responses
Example 1
• My goal right now is to find a position at a
company where I can grow and take on new
challenges over time. Ultimately, I’d like to
assume more management responsibilities
and get involved in product strategy. But
most importantly, I want to work for an
organization where I can build a career.”
Example 1
• Why We Like It:
This answer offers some insight into the
candidate’s goals and interests (becoming a
manager, being involved in product strategy)
so it’s not too generic. This response also
strongly expresses a desire for a long-term
career with the company.
Example 2
• “I am driven to be the best at what I do and I want
to work somewhere where I’ll have opportunities
to develop my skills, take on interesting projects,
and work with people I can really learn from. Some
of the most innovative thinkers in the industry
work here and that’s a big reason why I would love
to build a career here.”
Example 2
• Why We Like It:
With this answer, the candidate is emphasizing her
focus on learning, performance, and achievement.
She is also complimenting the company and its
reputation for hiring quality people (including the
interviewer, perhaps?). The reference to “building a
career here” indicates an interest in sticking around
and contributing.
Special Scenarios: Make Your Narrative Believable
Make Your Narrative Believable
• In some situations, your answer to this
question will be particularly important.
If you’re making a career change or this
position doesn’t seem like an obvious
next step based on your resume, your
interviewer may be suspicious about
whether you REALLY are committed to
this field or just need to make a few
bucks until something better comes
along.
Make Your Narrative Believable
• Nobody wants to hire an
applicant who is halfhearted
about the job. It’s like
dating someone who is
using you for free dinners
until someone she’s REALLY
attracted to comes along.
Make Your Narrative Believable
• Your response to “Where
do you see yourself in five
years?” is your
opportunity to sell the
interview on your
commitment to the career
path and the position.
Make Your Narrative Believable
• For example, let’s say you were recently
laid off after working in academia for five
years and are now interviewing for a job in
biotechnology management. To be
seriously considered, you need to be able
to describe why you are excited about
making the switch and building a career in
biotech. You don’t want to leave the
impression that this would only be a
temporary diversion until something opens
up for you in your “real” field of interest.
Make Your Narrative Believable
• This is also relevant for new
grads. If your major and
internships are in a totally
different area, be prepared to
talk convincingly about why you
want to invest the next five years
in this new field represented by
the open position.
How Not to Answer “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?”
Make Your Narrative Believable
• Don’t overthink it: “Well, that’s a very hard question. I don’t know what I’ll be doing in 5 years….hmmmm….that’s tough.”
• In my work with individual clients, I’ve seen this mistake a million times. It’s great that you take the question seriously, but you are not being evaluated based on accuracy of answer. Use your answer to reassure the interviewer that you’re invested in this career path.
Make Your Narrative Believable
• Don’t be too specific: “I plan to be a VP at a major firm with at least 7 direct reports, a company car, and a salary of 150K (plus options of course).”
• Ambition is good. Goals are good. However, if you are too specific, you run the risk of stating goals that are not realistically achievable in the job available. From the interviewer’s perspective, that means you’re not a good fit.
Make Your Narrative Believable
• Don’t be flaky: “I’d love to be CEO in five years. Then again, I’d also love to be touring with my band if that takes off.”
• You can come across as flaky if you seem to have a million different ideas about what you want to do — or if you have zero clear ideas about your future. In reality, many good candidates are exploring different options or are still trying to figure it out. However, a job interview is not a session with your career coach. You want to give the impression that you’re focused and have a plan (even if it’s not the only plan you’re considering).
Make Your Narrative Believable
• Don’t raise red flags: “Well, I’m not sure. I’m thinking about law school or business school or clown college.”
• Many job seekers have long-term visions of going back to school or starting their own business. These are admirable goals, but there’s no need to share them with your interviewer, especially if you’re still weighing your possibilities.