15 Answers to “Why Do You Want to Work Here?”
- Featured in:
Hiring managers want to know certain things about you: your skills and qualifications for a particular role, your experience and why you want to work for them. Read on to learn how to answer the ubiquitous interview question, “Why do you want to work here?” and see 15 sample answers.
Want a stronger resume? Try our resume templates. Simply edit and download. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click using our Resume Builder.
Or view our sample resumes made with our professional templates.
1
Why is This a Popular Interview Question?
Hiring managers like to ask, “Why do you want to work here?” because the answers say a lot about the interviewee professionally and personally. This deceptively simple question is brilliant because it’s open-ended and can reveal if a candidate prepared beforehand by researching the job, the company and its culture, or a particular project.
Ideally, interviewers ask this question to determine:
1. What about the job, product or company drew you to apply?
2. How do you see yourself fitting in within the job or team?
3. Where do you see your skills and knowledge taking you within the job or company?
Hiring managers prefer passionate people who are ready and eager to join a team. Your answer helps them measure your genuine interest. A well-thought-out answer shows how well you read the job description and your attention to detail — valuable skills in potential employees!
2
How to Answer “Why Do You Want to Work Here?”
Ready to learn how to answer this question masterfully? We show you how to do so and include some great sample responses to “Why do you want to work here?”
1. Research the job and company
Knowledge is power. Stepping into an interview with information about the job, the company and its mission helps you look like the confident and prepared candidate you are.
Use the job description as a compass to answer “Why do you want to work here?” Find out what’s most important to the company and tailor your answers based on the job needs, mission statement, or goals.
Sample answer:
“I’m enthusiastic about joining AirBus as a flight software engineer because of your dedication to innovation, especially in lighter fuselage construction, improved fuel usage, and coding streamlined flight navigation systems. As a former software engineer for the U.S. Air Force, I’m excited to use my technical skills to enhance the safety and efficiency of flight operations. Your stellar reputation in aviation and commitment to rigorous safety audits makes you my first choice as I re-enter the civilian workforce.”
Why does this answer work?
This candidate researched the company. They explain why notable company achievements inspired their application. They quickly identify their related work history and where they plan to contribute to software development.
2. Highlight relevant accomplishments and skills
Demonstrating that you have the skills and relevant achievements necessary to succeed in a job will help you answer, “Why do you want to work here?”
Use action verbs and power words to explain that your previous accomplishments and skills inspired you to pursue the open position. By connecting what you’ve done well in the past to how you can use those skills for this available job, you can make a solid explanation for why you want to work somewhere.
Sample answer:
“I want to work here because you handle multi-billion dollar projects across international portfolios. This is an exciting opportunity to develop my skills further and grow while providing analytical expertise. In my previous roles, I built complex SQL reports to audit $1.75 million in employee pay and benefits, updated staff records with a 98% accuracy rate to prevent payroll discrepancies, and created tables in Microsoft Access and SAS Business Intelligence. I look forward to applying these skills across a larger platform.”
Why does this answer work?
This job seeker is open about their lack of international experience, but they quickly identify similar responsibilities from the job description where they have experience. They use three specific examples to explain their qualifications and professional reasons for pursuing an international job opening.
3. Be honest
Remember to be honest when highlighting your achievements or professional interests to an interviewer. You should accurately describe your contributions and not misrepresent the truth — exaggerating your data or outright lying could come back to haunt you.
4. Use quantifiable information
To highlight critical thinking skills and attention to detail, use quantifiable data to answer, “Why do you want to work here?” This shows that you carefully read the job description, identified the employer’s immediate needs, and found relevant examples that show how you quickly resolve their employment needs.
Sample answer:
“I’m eager to work here as a physician’s assistant because you provide services to immobilized and home-bound patients. My experience in primary care and passion for providing comprehensive healthcare excite me about contributing to your patient-focused approach. I have experience performing an average of 52 patient exams daily, prescribing medication for standard illnesses, and developing treatment plans in collaboration with specialty providers.”
Why does this answer work?
This candidate recognizes that home-provided care includes less management oversight and more patient-focused care. They highlight their experience with solo patient care and treatment development and the number of patients they see.
5. Rely on resume keywords
Use the job description to identify keywords; these resume keywords can help you prepare the best answer to “Why do you want to work here?” Hiring managers need someone who can perform these highlighted duties.
To identify these keywords, look for unique font treatments like:
1. Capitalized phrases
2. Repeated responsibilities
3. Bolded text
4. Italicized text
5. Underlined text
6. Lists labeled as key or core responsibilities
Sample answer:
“I noticed that the job description requires previous experience designing questionnaires, planning analysis, and performing quality checks throughout the research process to ensure accurate data collection. As a market research analyst with four years of experience, I worked closely with user experience to plan, phrase and deploy questionnaires to targeted markets and interpret customer feedback to improve our targeting ads.”
Why does this answer work?
This job seeker explains why they want to work here by describing their transferable skills. They identify the immediate employment need, highlight related marketing skills, and explain how they plan to use them on the first day.
3
10 Answers to “Why Do You Want to Work Here?”
1Company culture:
I am drawn to this company for its reputation for fostering innovation and creativity, values I align with. Joining your team would provide an exciting platform for me to contribute my skills and grow professionally.
2Company product:
Your commitment to excellence and cutting-edge solutions resonates with my career goals. This is an opportunity to thrive in a dynamic environment and make meaningful contributions.
3Corporate values:
The company’s dedication to community impact aligns with my values. I look forward to working with an award-winning team that can help me further develop my interpersonal and communication skills.
4Collaborative culture:
The collaborative and inclusive culture here is inspiring. My skills would flourish in such an environment, contributing to the success and diversity of your team.
5Professional development:
Your company’s focus on professional development excites me. I am eager to leverage my existing skills while continuously learning and growing in a supportive, innovative workplace.
6Career development:
The impressive growth and success showcase a commitment to excellence. As the company expands, I can develop additional tools and be a motivated part of a team to deliver exceptional results in a challenging and dynamic industry.
7Sustainability:
I am attracted to your company’s forward-thinking approach and commitment to sustainability. Joining your team would allow me to contribute my skills to projects that align with my passion for environmental responsibility.
8Work-life balance:
Your company’s focus on employee well-being and work-life balance is appealing. This is an opportunity to thrive in a positive and supportive environment while delivering impactful results.
9Relevent experience:
I am excited about the opportunity to work here because it is the ideal platform to apply the problem-solving skills I honed during my previous role. I successfully led a team in implementing efficiency measures, resulting in a 20% increase in productivity.
10Professional ethics:
Your company’s commitment to quality mirrors my professional ethos. I am eager to contribute my project management expertise, which I demonstrated by successfully delivering a complex initiative ahead of schedule in my previous role.
4
Answers to Avoid
Hiring managers use the “Why do you want to work here?” interview question to learn about candidates, but there are some things you should never mention in your answer.
1Salary:
Hiring managers are still calculating your potential worth. Bringing up your salary before you have a job offer can eliminate your early in the interview process.
2Job title:
There’s no shame in applying for promotions, but job title and status shouldn’t be the only reason to use them. Prioritize job development in your answer.
3Location:
Although more offices are moving to remote and hybrid environments, there are other reasons for applying. Rephrase your answer to highlight how flexible hours improve your productivity.
4Benefits:
Companies use competitive benefits to draw applicants but still want qualified candidates who can see past those perks.
5Desire to leave your current job:
Hiring managers know you’re looking for a new job. This should never be the first, or only, mentioned reason to apply, especially if you don’t like your job anymore.
5
Key Takeaways
To successfully answer “Why do you want to work here” interview questions, keep the following in mind:
FAQ
Why should we hire you in five sentences?
Although this question is similar to “Why do you want to work here,” it has a strict time limit. You can quickly think on your feet to answer in five sentences or less. Use this time to describe yourself or explain what motivates you at work.
Why are you looking for a new job?
Be optimistic and forward-thinking when you explain why you want a new job. Avoid insulting or complaining about your current role, even if it’s infamously bad. You make a better impression when you rephrase your job search as an opportunity to develop skills or find a company culture similar to your work attitude.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Hiring managers want ambitious and organized candidates. They use the five-year question to see how good you are at planning and self-management.
How do you approach a problem?
Learn About Our Writing Standards
Editorial Standards
JobHero has published in-depth career guides, resume and cover letter articles since 2014. We aim to share job-seeking tools and empower job seekers throughout their careers! Visit our Editorial Process to see how our authors research, write and revise our articles.
Rate This Article
15 Best Answers to “Why Do You Want to Work Here?”
Last edited by: Manoj Saini -
