Where You See You in 5 Years
When you are interviewing for a new job, it can be hard to articulate where you would like to be in your career next year let alone five years down the road. Even when you do know, it's important to be careful how you respond because you'll need to tailor your answer to the job for which you are interviewing.
Here are tips for responding to questions about the next stage of your career, while affirming your interest in the role you are being interviewed for.
It is often advantageous to emphasize your interest in thoroughly mastering the initial position before moving on. If it seems like you are rushing past that first job, employers might question how motivated you are to carry out those duties.
After all, the hiring manager will probably want someone who will be happy and competent in that role for at least a year or two. Integrating a clear rationale into your answer regarding how your interests and skills equip you to do the job you are being considered for can help to alleviate any concerns about how long you will want to stay at the job.
When There is No Clear Career Path
Not all jobs are stepping stones to higher positions. For positions like counseling, sales, event planning, teaching and computer programming, for example, it will be perfectly appropriate to emphasize mastery of that job as your five year goal. Think about components of the job in which you can excel. For example for a sales job: "Within 5 years I would like to be recognized as an expert in terms of product knowledge, have developed very close relationships with clients, have significantly expanded the client base in my region and perhaps have been assigned some major national
Here are tips for responding to questions about the next stage of your career, while affirming your interest in the role you are being interviewed for.
It is often advantageous to emphasize your interest in thoroughly mastering the initial position before moving on. If it seems like you are rushing past that first job, employers might question how motivated you are to carry out those duties.
After all, the hiring manager will probably want someone who will be happy and competent in that role for at least a year or two. Integrating a clear rationale into your answer regarding how your interests and skills equip you to do the job you are being considered for can help to alleviate any concerns about how long you will want to stay at the job.
When There is No Clear Career Path
Not all jobs are stepping stones to higher positions. For positions like counseling, sales, event planning, teaching and computer programming, for example, it will be perfectly appropriate to emphasize mastery of that job as your five year goal. Think about components of the job in which you can excel. For example for a sales job: "Within 5 years I would like to be recognized as an expert in terms of product knowledge, have developed very close relationships with clients, have significantly expanded the client base in my region and perhaps have been assigned some major national