To ensure that they would hire the best person for the job role, hiring managers surprise job searchers with tough questions. Answer “why are you applying for this position?” fluently and take a step closer to your target job post. Read these tips and prepare for the job interview to ace your next career!
Why Hiring Managers Ask This Interview Question
Job interview is one of the crucial steps in the hiring process. The hiring managers ask questions that would gauge the applicants’ skills and attitude. At this stage, they also ask questions that would challenge job searchers, such as “why are you applying for this position?” Presented are reasons behind this query.
1. To verify whether you’ve done your research
One of the perks of online job hiring is the ability of job searchers to send resumes to multiple companies. Other job searchers could even apply through social media pages or leave their resumes on the company website. Because of convenience, there is a tendency to email blast resumes without thorough reading. Learn about the company before heading to the interview. This question is asked to check whether you reviewed the job description.
2. To ensure that you know the job post
Hiring managers also check your knowledge about the job post. You can mention the platform where you applied and how you found them. Don’t send resumes without reviewing the job roles, for those are the crucial aspect of your target post.
3. To see your enthusiasm
Knowing the job role is a sign of your interest in winning the target job post. Reviewing the job role could help you answer other tough questions, too. For instance, knowing the job role and the core values of the team can ground your statements. These could also help you create more impressive answers.
4. To find out your goals and career path
During the job interview, they also want to know your career goals and whether it’s aligned to the job post. Of course, hiring managers avoid hiring uncertain staff that would leave the team immediately. They want to hire the right staff through thorough screening since the job process takes great time and effort. They want people who plan to stay longer and progress in the career pathway.
5. To get a glimpse of your role in the team
Aside from skills, hiring managers also check the candidates’ attitude and role in the team. They want to hire team players who are adaptive and leaders of their own. Show that you are a valuable staff and leave a good impression during the interview through well-versed answers.
How to Answer the Question “Why Are You Applying For This Position?”
Although job interviews seem tough, there are ways on how to ace it. Here are tips on how you can prepare for a job interview.
1. Research the company.
Know the company and gain enough edge in this cutthroat competition. You can easily find little details about them on their website or social media pages. These details can give you a glimpse of the entire company culture and give you an overview of their expectations from job searchers like you.
2. Showcase your skills.
This is also a great chance to sell your skills to the hiring managers. Upon knowing the job roles based on your research, you can relate your skills to your answers. Talk about these skills and how they make you the ideal candidate for the job post without sounding too boastful. Take note, emphasize relevant skills and discuss related works based on the topic. The resume can take care of the other skills.
3. Relate to your career goals.
After selling your skills, you can also share to them your career plans. This is important because hiring managers are keen on this part; after all, they want long-term staff on their employ. Sharing your career goals can also give them a bigger picture of what they can provide you to become a better team member.
4. Show your eagerness.
Apart from the answers, they are also watching your tone, attitude, and body language. Answer their questions with enough confidence and use positive words. You can also ask smart questions to show that you are eager to learn more. However, take caution in asking obvious questions, for it might be a sign that you didn’t do enough research.
5. Be specific.
Since you have enough details about the job role and thought about your skills, you can mention specific events from your previous company that would prove your achievements. Aside from that, you can also mention specific trait or value of the company that attracted you to apply and join their team.
Why Are You Applying For This Position: Example Answers and Tips
Here are sample answers for this interview question.
Sample 1:
The experiences I have gained over the past four years as a content writer prepared me for more career opportunities. As mentioned in your company’s website, the team is expanding and I believe that being part of these projects will improve my skills while contributing to the company’s growth.
This answer shows that you have read about the plans of the team. The answer also includes your plan to use experiences and skills to help both you and your team grow.
Sample 2:
While I enjoy working in my previous team, I believe that my six years of experience as a graphic artist is enough to gain skills to progress in my career. As mentioned in the job post, this role offers great chances to help me develop my skills and create designs for industry leaders like you.
Compared to sample 1, this answer relates to more seasoned job searchers and their readiness to take on the next job role.
Prepare for the Job Post with Effective Job Interview Tips
Job interviews can appear as mind boggling, especially for fresh graduates and entry-level job seekers. However, proper preparation will help you answer tough questions such as “why are you applying for this position?” Aside from reading common interview questions, you can also gain more edge with a topnotch resume! Partner with our resume experts and prepare for the job with the best resume and interview coaching tips. Contact us for more!
