Job interviews: How to confidently prepare

We have arrived at the beginning of another new Career Chat series. Over the next four weeks, we’ll be exploring how to prepare for a job interview.

So far in Career Chat, we’ve primarily focused on preparing for the earlier stages of the job search process—focusing your career goals, identifying key job skills, writing your resume (and part two)—and the things you can do to accelerate your progress, like finding a mentor and growing your network.

If all goes well in those first few stages, you’ll likely receive an invitation for an interview, where you will find yourself answering the question that bridges those first stages of your job search to the next:

“Why did you apply for this role?”

A question like this tends to come up during a phone interview, though you might get it in any type of interview. Much like “Tell me about yourself,” this question can be a nice way to start your conversation.

Recruiters or hiring managers typically ask why you’re interested in the role to learn a few things: what you’re looking for, some of your long-term goals, and whether this position will be a good fit.

When you answer, it helps to cover three main points:

• Any previous experience that aligns with the role
• How you plan to continue growing in this role
• Why you want to pursue this role at this particular company

Then, connect those pieces back to your career goals.

Since you can almost be certain that this question is coming, set yourself up to deliver a confident and comfortable response by preparing in advance. Recall what went through your mind when you applied for this role—which job responsibilities excited you, what job skills you’re eager to use, and what about the company piqued your interest. (You can even ask yourself this question as you read job descriptions to weed out roles that may not be the best fit for your goals in the long term.)

Here’s an example of what a project manager might share when seeking advancement:

“Recently, my team launched a major update to our mobile app that increased daily active users by 12 percent. I really enjoyed leading that effort and coaching my direct reports through the roadblocks that tested their growth edges. Now, I’m looking to challenge myself by managing a larger team on more complex projects. I’m particularly impressed with how Company X prioritizes intuitive, user-first design, and think it’d be a rewarding place to grow.”

Where to begin

Answering this question honestly and tactfully requires two things: clarity on your goals and strong communication skills. The University of Pennsylvania’s Achieving Personal and Professional Success Specialization weaves together courses on both of those topics.

For a shorter commitment, you may also consider:

This is where we will leave you this week. Next week, we’ll discuss behavioral interview questions. See you then!