If you’ve been invited to interview for a role you can definitely expect to be asked “why do you want to work here?”. Preparing for this question is critical, and a poor response can mean the difference between landing a new job—or not. But why is it so hard to answer?
No matter how well fitted for the role, most of us would struggle to wing this question because we can’t look for context clues or prompts from the interviewer. This is an open space where you have a chance to excel—or fall flat on your face. So how can you make sure it’s not the latter? Read on to find out.
Firstly consider why the question is being asked in the first place. Put yourself in the shoes of the employer and consider what they are looking for in the ideal candidate. Likely the business wants to hire a candidate who believes strongly in the company’s mission and is committed to making that vision a reality. Your response should highlight how you fit the criteria of their ideal candidate.
If you want to stand out from the crowd, you need to show that you care about more than just the paycheck. Hiring managers are far more likely to hire candidates that show an existing knowledge of the company, its values and even previous work—indicating passion for their industry rather than just a job. Referencing their core values, mission statement or previous projects is an ideal way to do that.
Instead of answering from the point of view of how the job would benefit you, ask yourself “why would they want to hire me over someone else?”. Doing this can help you expand on your skillset, experience and what you have to offer to make an impact at the company. Consider the following prompts:
It’s all well and good claiming you’re the best accountant in Canada, or the most passionate Tax Manager around, but if you aren’t able to back up your claims with examples it may be hard to convince the interviewer that you’re legitimate. Always back up your claims with data driven evidence. For example, rather than just saying that in a previous role you successfully lowered costs, elaborate by how much you were able to lower the costs and how you achieved that.
It's easy to get wrapped up in the words you're using and forget about the other elements of communication—tone of voice and body language. Non-verbal communication is just as important as what you say. The tone of your voice and your body language can help determine if you're the right fit for the position, so make sure they match the passion level you claim to have for the role.
It’s common for job seekers to get nervous when asked to explain why they want the position out of worry of saying the wrong thing. But if you prepare an answer before your interview, you will be able to articulate a winning response without hesitation.
Minted Search Group's expert recruiters have helped build the strongest accounting and finance teams by placing talented candidates in roles across Canada for over 12 years. To find your next role, or build your best team, get in touch.