“What Do You Look For In A New Job Opportunity?” Interview Question

Simon Okello recently attended a job interview and was caught off guard by a question the employer asked.

“I had prepared for questions such as tell me about yourself, why should I hire you, and so on but I didn’t know I would be asked ‘What do you look for when you are looking for a new job?’

 “I didn’t know what to say but after a few seconds I said, “growth”. It was the first thing that came to mind and I regretted it as soon as I had said it because of the look I got from the interviewer. Although he didn’t say it was wrong, I got the feeling that I had blown my chances. How should I handle such a question in the future?”

Mentioning you are looking for a job which has a potential for advancement is important.

Is there a possibility of being promoted after you’ve been there a few years? Are there other positions you could apply for internally? These are the things you should say guide you when looking for a new opportunity.

You also want to have a job where your abilities will be challenged, a place where you can grow your skills and learn new things and above it all you want a job in a place where you will be mentored.

Do not forget to mention the experience you hope to gain from the new job.

Whether it’s early or late in your career, the most important thing you can do is gain as much experience as possible. Even if you secure a job in your desired field, keep in mind that you won’t be in the same position forever.

Moreover, job security is something worth mentioning when this question is posed to you.

This year has shown us how the economy can crumble at any second. Many professionals have lost jobs they didn’t think they would.

Truth is, even without a pandemic, one day you could have a job and the next day, you may find yourself jobless due to factors that you have no control over such as being retrenched or when the company gets sold off.

Be honest about it and tell the employer the crucial aspects you look at when looking for a new job.

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