How to Answer “Why Do You Want to Work Here?”

Three Points on Which to Base Your Answer

There are many reasons you might want to work for a specific company. However, crafting the perfect answer for a specific job interview requires that you understand how interview answers work. Here are a few pointers.

1. The company culture

   You can go with the company values as the basis for your answer. Typically, a hiring manager wants to hire a candidate who agrees with a company’s core values and initiatives. That means researching the company culture and creating interview answers that align with it. Read through the company’s website, look at the company’s social media accounts, and potentially even reach out to current employees to see what the company culture is like.

2. Something that interests you about the company and the job

   What was it that initially drew you to apply to a specific job posting? Was there a piece of text in the job description? Did you see something you liked on the company’s LinkedIn? Did you immediately notice that your skill set matched the skill set for the job? If a specific element initially drew you to either the company or the specific job, you can create your answer around that.

3. A way that you can benefit the company

   Lastly, think of a way that you might be able to benefit the company. For example, if you’re applying to a startup as a project management lead, your answer may be something like, “I’ve always wanted to help grow a company from the ground up, especially because of the unique knowledge of the company this provides. I want to help you achieve your company’s mission and see that I’ve been part of it from the very beginning.”