“Where Do You See Yourself In 5 Years?” How to Answer This Common Interview Question?

Despite this being one of the most dreaded interview questions, it’s certainly one you can expect (in one form or another). It may be disguised as a question about your goals, but interviewers essentially question your ambitions and career goals. 

A complex interview question which requires more than a bit of thought

To prepare for this inevitable question, you should give it some prior thought. Interviewers will want to know you have thought about how you fit both in the short term and the longer term within the company, and they will be checking from both perspectives how you will work within their organisation.

They will be looking to see how you approach learning and development and whether you are happy with just the role offered or have the ambition to grow beyond the job you are applying for. 

Agile Recruit, a leading cloud and data recruitment agency, offers advice and support with job searching and interview techniques to achieve your desired career. Here, they give some advice on what to consider before you answer.

What to think about when answering this question

Your answer to this question is pretty important. Your interviewer will be looking to discover the type of person you are, the value you can bring to their business and what your aspirations for the future are. If you can show you are a great asset to the company for the current role, you can become a great team member, but if you want to learn how to become a manager, you should say so. 

Ask yourself these questions before your interview.

Your career goals – understand the type of company you want to work for, one that can help you achieve the short and long-term goals you set. Consider how the role will help you achieve them, or is it a good steppingstone to where you want to get? Will you have opportunities as part of your job to develop yourself with on-the-job training or certifications, or will you have the energy to study independently alongside working to gain knowledge for your future development?

Don’t be over-specific – don’t run out of a list of titles and timelines. Answers should be about the experiences you hope for, the skills you want to acquire, and the benefits you wish to bring to the business. You want to show intention in your career direction, but the details should remain flexible. A company isn’t looking for a detailed five-year plan. They want to see if you fit the job and the prospects they offer. 

Convince them you are interested – show them you have the ambition to fulfil and grow with the role. You want to build a career and skill set that makes you successful in your industry. Focus on the skills you want to develop and break your long-term goal into skills they can help you achieve. If you use the same language they use in the job description, you will win brownie points.

Interviewers are looking for answers on:

• Do you have the current skills required for the role?
• Do your goals fit with the job offered?
• How long do you see yourself remaining in the company?
• Do you bring ambition and drive?
• Do your plans bring any benefit to the company?

This interview question is just one of the many you will have to brush up on. Don’t forget to work with a recruitment specialist in your field to get the latest news and interview tips.