The Crystal Ball Question
The worst question in any interview is simply the one you’re not prepared to answer. For many of us, this one stops us dead in our tracks: “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
This question is tricky for any number of reasons. For starters, many of us have never worked for one employer that long; my personal record was three! Statistically we’re likely to have at least 10 employers in our lifetime if not more which makes it pretty hard to gaze into the crystal ball and tell the future with any accuracy.
This question causes candidates to choke for another reason – the fear of appearing overzealous or conversely, not eager enough. Certainly the interviewer doesn’t want you tell him that you’re gunning for his job! Some managers are hesitant to hire a go-getter when the opportunity for advancement within the company is limited. On the other hand, who wants to hire someone completely content to stand still?
Finally, candidates fear that the answer they give may lock them into a career path and prevent managers from considering them for special assignments or lateral moves.
The trick is to develop an answer that rings true and practice saying it until you can do so with ease. Your statement should be flexible enough to address the unique circumstances of the position.
I’m writing an article for an upcoming issue of Marketing News about this very topic and looking for quotes so let me ask you, how do you handle this killer question?
First and foremost, be honest. Don't make something up to "please the interviewer", because, ultimately, you want to determine that there is a fit for you in the organization. On the other hand, with the pace of change in companies today, your ideal role may not yet exist -- the position of "Director of Social Media" has only evolved in the last couple of years!
Address the answer with a marriage of the skills and attributes you have and are passionate about: "I see myself leading and mentoring teams to develop and execute strategic initiatives that will increase revenue" rings true for me, and is heartfelt as well.
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
Like