Get prepared for your next interview with our interview question of the week.
There isn't much that can cause as much anxiety as a job interview. If you have been looking for a new job, then you know what I'm talking about. The thing is, in order to really stand out from the crowd, you have to be prepared with ready answers to anything an interviewer might ask.
If you're like most of us, coming up with the best answers when you're under pressure isn't easy. So, to help you get prepared, each week we take another interview question and break it down in order to come up with the best answer.
So, here you have it, The Interview Question of the Week:
Question:
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Why it's a trap:
When you are asked this question, the objective is to find out if you really want this job, or if it is just a stop on the road until the job you really want comes along. There are times, however, when the interviewer is trying to find out how ambitious you are. The problem is that you have no way to know what they are looking for. If you are too specific, you may be talking yourself out of a job. If you are very vague, you could come across as someone who doesn't have any career ambition. Neither of these are good choices.
The best answer:
In order to avoid either of those outcomes, the best thing to do is to reassure your interviewer that you are looking to make a long term commitment to your next job. Let them know that the job they have open is exactly what you are looking for, and it is what you are especially good at. Additionally, tell them that you are sure that if you work hard and excel in the position, that new opportunities will come your way.
For example: “At this point in my career, I am looking to make a long-term commitment to my next job. I am tired of job searching, and the job you have open sounds like it is exactly what I love to do. What's more, it's what I do best. As for my career goals, I'm sure that if I prove myself in this position, new opportunities are bound to open up in the future.”
What do you think about this question and answer? Are there other questions you would like me to tackle here?
If you are looking for a job in Education, visit EducationJobsite for the best Education job listings.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for EducationJobSiteBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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