03 Aug
Why are recruiters asking this?
“Why do you want to work for this company?” is one of the hardest questions to answer, and at the same time, one you should be most prepared for! After all, you sent the application and decided to accept the interview. Now, you just need to remember what attracted you to this job.
This question is your opportunity to demonstrate that you did your homework and prepared for the interview by learning about the company. It’s also an opportunity for you to be unique.
In this answer you should not talk too much about yourself, but instead focus on the company. You should be able to describe which aspects of the company are appealing to you in a specific way while avoiding general statements (like, “it’s the best company to work for”). Also, complimenting the company or its leadership is never a bad move.
You can also reply in a way that is strategic so you can return back to this answer when you talk about yourself later – for instance, when you do get to talk about yourself in later questions, you can refer to what you described you liked about the company, and how it fits with you.
Checklist for a great answer
- Less than 1 minute
- Unique, original, and specific
- Focuses more on them, not you
Examples
[Company name] is consistently listed as one of the top places to work in Europe. I’ve read several employee testimonials that cover personal development growth through education, training, and mentorship. From my research in my Master’s degree, I know that employees engaged at work are more productive and have better quality outputs, which is evident in your latest campaign on social media. I would love to join your marketing team, to build on your great work, and grow within the company by learning new skills.
Other similar questions
- What do you know about our company?
- Who are our competitors?
- What is the name of our CEO?
- Describe your perfect company
- What do you know about our industry?
How do I get better at these questions?
PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!
The illustrious economist and statistician EF Schumacher once said: “An ounce of practice is generally worth more than a ton of theory.” We at Mockmate strongly believe in exactly this, which is why we created our AI-powered job interview simulator. Now is the time to stop reading blog posts and watching YouTube videos, and begin to perfect your interview skills by actually doing it! Get started here!
