

Accessibility Job Search Save jobs Register / Sign in

Tools

Job Search Save jobs Register / Sign in

Job seekers

Employers

About

Contact

Search


‘Why do you want this job’ - Best answer

examples

A common interview question that can leave some candidates lost for
words is ‘why do you want this job?’. It might initially sound like a simple
question to answer, but it can be easy to slip up. So, it’s essential you can
effectively communicate why you are interested in the role and why you
chose to apply in the first place.  


Here are some key considerations when answering that all important
Save jobs Register / Sign in
question of ‘why do you want this job?’ with great examples ready for your
upcoming interview.  

What does the interviewer really want to know? 

When a hiring manager asks this question, what they really want to know is
how much you know about their company, how this role fits into your
ongoing career plan, how it will help you develop and challenge you and
why the company appeals to you.  

When preparing your answer for this question, keep in mind that the hiring
manager is looking for someone who will provide value to their team and
someone who wants to grow and progress with the company and feed this
into your answer.  

How do I prepare for this question?  

Interview prep is key to landing any job. As well as doing overall research
on the company, the role itself and the wider team structure, we
recommend prepping for common interview questions as well. The points
below will help guide you in the right direction when preparing your answer
to ‘why do you want this job?’ and a few of the key things you want to think
about prior to your interview.  

Take a note of the company's values and mission statement and think
about whether it is something you are or could be passionate about.
When asked why you want the job, you can then talk about how you
want to help them on their mission to achieve certain goals or that you
are aligned with some of their core company values.  
If you have any industry specific knowledge that applies to this role,
that can be a plus, but it’s not a deal breaker. Think about any previous
job roles or projects you have worked on that can still be related to this
new role. Talk about specific examples of how you can help this
company achieve their goals and highlight any relevant transferrable
skills that will make you stand out as the right candidate.  
Write down any recent achievements you can talk about or any
challenges you've faced recently that might be related to this new job.
Think about how this will add value to the role, the team and the
company that you’re applying for.   
 What made you want to send in your CV andSave application
jobs in the/ Sign
Register firstin
place? This can be a great starting point for you if you are asked why
you want the job. Think back to what initially excited you about the job
description and how you felt when reading it for the first time. 

‘Why do you want this job’ best answer examples:   

There are a few different ways to start answering the ‘why do you want this
job?’ interview question. Here are some of the best ones to use to help get
you started:  

Show your enthusiasm  

'This opportunity is really exciting as I will be able to

learn/develop/progress in an exciting environment/industry that I am
passionate about.' 
‘The first thing that caught my eye when I saw the job spec for this role
was...’  

These are great answer openers because they demonstrate you are
passionate about the role and that you are excited to become part of the
team. It’s also clear that you have thought about how this role will impact
your personal career goals and how they are aligned with the job role itself.
Spend some time researching the company and select a few key factors to
incorporate into your answer to demonstrate that you are a good fit.  

Focus on the job at hand 

'I want this job because I have clear skills that will help me achieve...' 
‘This role will give me the opportunity to combine both my skills in [skill
1] and [skill 2] to achieve...’  
‘I love [job role specific task] and my last job took me away from that.
So now, I’m looking to find a role that will let me get back to working on
projects I really enjoy and after looking at the job spec I think this role
would be perfect with that.’ 

With these answers, you want to make sure you are matching specific
skills you have obtained to parts of the job role. This shows you have done
your research and are confident you can get the job done to a high
standard if employed. Try to keep it short as there will be plenty of other
opportunities in an interview to talk about how your skills and to go 
through your CV in more detail.  
You also want to show the hiring manager that you put some
Save jobs time/ Sign
Register intoin
researching the position and how it relates with your career goals and
specialties.  

‘Why do you want this job’ bad answer examples:   

Now we have gone through some of the best answers, we should also
mention what not to say when faced with this question in an interview.
Here are a few things to avoid:  

“I just really need a job” 

Although sometimes honesty is the best policy, that rule does not apply
here. This type of answer shows the employer that you do not have any
interest beyond your monthly wage slips. 
“The pay increase appealed massively”  
Although salary and benefits are key things to consider when looking
for a new job role, they should not be the sole reason for you to want a
job. You always want to prove your value and enthusiasm in a job
interview and answering the question like this does not show either.  
“I feel like this will be a good step towards my next career move”  
This is a big red flag to a hiring manager if you are already indicating
that you want to move on from the role before you have even got it. You
can talk about how it would be a good step towards your overall career
goals, but don’t mention moving on from that company in an interview.
“Because I’m qualified”  
Although this answer may be correct, it won’t make you stand out to a
hiring manager. All applicants that come through will more than likely
have the correct qualifications, but you want to highlight what makes
you so special. Highlight what you can add to the team beyond your CV.
 

What's next?
Unlock more career advice to help you reach your full potential right here at
Michael Page. We have covered everything from how to write the perfect
CV to top tips on negotiating your salary, so, make sure you browse our
extensive range of helpful articles today.  

Want to land more interviews with exciting companies across the UK? Stay
in the know about any upcoming job roles in your field by setting up email

job alerts from our job search page or submit your CV today. 
 Submit your CV Save jobs Register / Sign in

Want to speak to an industry expert? Get in touch with our team of

dedicated consultants to find out more about jobs in your sector.

Get in touch

Search 

Download your Job Applicant Toolkit

Want more tips for your upcoming interview? 

Download your toolkit today

Salary guides
Find out what you're worth in today's market ahead of your interview with our
exclusive data


 Save jobs Register / Sign in
Download now

Are you looking for a new role?

Do you want to secure more interviews for exciting new roles? Michael Page can
help.

Submit your CV today

Related articles

Expert tips How to

for remote answer:
interviewing “Where
By Michael Page do you
4 min read
see
yourself
in five
years?"
By Michael
Page
4 min read

Follow us


 Save jobs Register / Sign in

General 

About Michael Page 

Search for jobs 

Cookie settings 

Employers 

Mobile applications 

Reviews 

Accreditations

Awards

Michael Page is part of the PageGroup. Michael Page is a trading name of Michael Page International Recruitment Limited.
Registered in England No. 04130921 Registered Office: 200 Dashwood Lang Road, Bourne Business Park, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15
2NX