Career Expert Reveals The Best Way To Answer The Most Important Job Interview Question
It's a question that often causes anxiety in job seekers, but it doesn't have to be if you approach it with confidence and preparation.
Zivica Kerkez | Shutterstock Preparing for a job interview can be quite a nerve-wracking experience, especially when you're trying to prepare for the questions that could potentially catch you off guard or require you to think on your feet.
In a TikTok video, a career expert named Hanna Goefft revealed the best way to respond to a common job interview question that often stumps candidates but is probably one of the biggest reasons a person would get hired.
Goefft explained the best way to answer a common and important job interview question.
"Tell me why you're interested in this position?" is a question that most job seekers can guarantee will be asked during a job interview, and it's crucial to have a well-prepared and genuine response ready. It is a simple question, but it can end up tripping some candidates up and, therefore, costing them an opportunity to either get hired or be considered for a second interview.
Hanna explained that she would teach viewers and prospective job seekers how to answer that question in a way that would blow the socks off of any hiring manager or recruiter. She pointed out that the answer needs to demonstrate an understanding of the role in the company, which means making sure you've read the job description thoroughly and familiarized yourself with how the company operates.
"You need to sound sincerely interested even if the biggest reason you want to work there is obviously the paycheck," Goefft said. "You can't say that in an interview."
Having enthusiasm for the role that you've applied to and are interviewing for will show the hiring manager that you plan on sticking around for the long haul. They won't have to put in any effort to hire someone after you because you plan on being there for quite some time. Make sure you're not only sounding enthusiastic about the role but also about the company.
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"Connect your answer to your career trajectory," she continued. "Why does this role connect you to what you enjoy doing and get to where you want to be going? That said, don't make it seem like this job is just a stepping stone to get you somewhere else."
She provided an example of the best type of answer to give to this interview question.
Reenacting a scenario in which a job candidate would need to answer the question, Goefft began: "I'm really excited about this Marketing Manager opportunity because I believe it offers the perfect balance of strategic thinking and hands-on execution, allowing me to contribute to what I understand to be a really important area of the business strategy and also leverage my past experience and acquisition marketing."
Goefft made sure to emphasize how proud and excited she would be to have a role and position within the company and that she was extremely motivated and driven by the opportunities for growth that the position would be able to bring her.
You want to keep your answer succinct while conveying enthusiasm and a real passion for the tasks and responsibilities that the position and company require of you.
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Unfortunately, many job seekers have admitted that the hiring process has become a bit convoluted over the years.
According to a 2022 survey from hiring software company Greenhouse, via VOX, 60% of job seekers were "unimpressed by time-consuming recruitment processes."
In an interview with CNBC, Holly Lee, a former recruiting leader at Amazon, Meta, and Google, explained that there's one interview mistake that people often make, and it’s "hands down, the number one reason" people tank a job interview.
"People are either overconfident and think that their resumes speak for themselves, that they only need to provide a vague, short answer, or don’t take the proper time to reflect on how, exactly, their work is benefitting a company’s bottom line — the who, what, when, where and why of it all," Lee told the news outlet.
A job interview doesn't have to be a source of anxiety and panic.
If you walk in prepared with confidence and a positive attitude, you can turn it into either a rewarding learning experience or the exciting possibility of getting hired.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.