How to Answer: Why Did You Decide To Apply For This Position?

You’re in the interview and they ask you, “Why are you applying for this position?”… Or “why did you decide to apply for this job?”…

Are you prepared with what you want to say?

Let’s get started…

2 Reasons Employers Ask Why You Applied For This Job

Employers ask questions like, “why did you apply for this job?” or, “why are you interested in this position?” for 2 big reasons.

First, they want to make sure you’ve done your research and know what their job involves.

And second, they want to see if you’ve thought about your own career and know what you’re looking for. Employers don’t want to hire a candidate who’s applying to every job they can find online. They want someone who’s thought about their career goals and wants a specific type of job (or at least a few different types). Why? Well, if you seem unsure of what you want, they’re going to be afraid you’ll change your mind, not end up liking their position very much, get bored and quit, etc.

Here is how to answer this common interview question;

1. Know Why You Want the Job

This may seem somewhat obvious, but it’s important to know why you want the job. Is it a step up in responsibility? A job that exposes you to a lot of industries? A chance for you to hone existing skills while developing new ones?

2. Do Some Recap

Because you can pretty much count on being asked why you’re applying for the position, do some recon before the interview to help you prepare your response.

While you’ll likely remember your initial motivation for applying, review the job description and company’s website to get a deeper understanding of what the role entails and what the company is all about. Pick out a few details that excite you, and figure out how those details fit into your career goals.

3. Give Specific Examples

As you frame your answer, make sure you include specifics. For example, you might be excited about the company’s mission because it aligns with your career goals or even personal beliefs. However, simply saying, “I applied for the job because I like the mission,” likely won’t be enough to impress the interviewer.

Try to be more detailed. Explain what you like about the mission and how that aligns with what you do and why you do it. For example, you could say, “I was researching the company and discovered that a big part of your mission is social impact. I really like the idea of working for a company that donates 20% of every sale to the XYZ charity because that’s a cause I believe in and want to support.”

4. Tell them something you noticed about the job that you liked

After you show them you’re targeting specific things in your job search, talk about what caught your interest. You could mention details you saw on the job description, on the company website, etc. Show them you understand what their role involves and are excited to be doing the work! 

In Summary

While answering “why are you applying for this position?” requires you to frame the answer around yourself (your reasons for applying, your career goals), the trick is to keep your answer focused on the professional aspects of the company and the job, not the personal benefits you may receive.

Do you have an upcoming interview? Book an interview coaching session and get to confidently answer all the questions!