Some Tips for Answering a Hard Question: Why Are You Looking for A Job?
Doesn’t this question sound simple as it is? If your answer is yes, maybe think twice!
The reason why a candidate is searching for a new job is a common job interview question to ask. It becomes even more popular among interviewers who are meeting teens as potential employees. Even though it seems like a softball question to you as your answer is obvious, you might want to be cautious with this question because it a little tricky.
“Why are you looking for a job?”
With this question, the interviewer is probably trying to see your motivation in the job at their company. Your motives can tell them how well you can contribute to the company and how much you are devoted to the job as well as giving them clues about how long you will be working for them. They might also be testing whether or not you will mention some previous bad job experiences if any.
Keeping all these tricky underlying meanings in mind, planning for this question beforehand might be a good idea. Scrolling down you will find a couple of example answers along with some advices that might help you get ready for this question.
How Should You Answer?
If you use the right techniques, you can turn this question into an opportunity to sell yourself. Highlighting what’s positive about you and your previous experiences –if any- as well as your future goals related to the job will help a lot making a good impression. Take these steps below to plan a good answer.
Talk about your genuine motivation.
Even though you are a high school student with no previous job experience and your biggest motivation is simply money, you should still honestly state your real motivation. Of course, statements like “I need money” or “my mom wants me to have a job” are thought to be unprofessional. You can go for more of positive sentences such as “Next year, I’m planning to attend to a local college. I think if I start now, in addition to some unique job experience to my future career, I will be able to save fund for my courses next year.” It will show you honesty as well as how well you’ve planned for your future goals.
Address your abilities.
Mentioning your skills and accomplishments is the first step you should take. Focus on your abilities that you believe to take you one step further than the other candidates. You can even talk briefly about extra trainings you’ve received or projects you’ve attended to. This will help you highlight what’s good about you and how well you will integrate your skills to your prospective job.
“I’ve always had good relations with people around me, thanks to my great communication skills. I like helping people out and I never get tired of it. I’ve attended to some charity sale activities back when I was a high school student.” This sentence makes a good example to talk about your skills and previous experiences when applying for a job in the service sector where you are supposed to work closely with people.
Focus on your future goals and company values.
At this point, previous research about the company culture will work very well. You might want to do some research about the company’s values, working principles, history etc. to integrate them to your career goals and also your motivational traits. For example, “I know that your company is well known for its strong principle of promoting customer-staff communication. As a person who is eager to expand more in the communication field, I believe I am in need of such a working atmosphere for my career growth.”
Never make negative statements about a previous experience.
Do you have some previous job experience which you think to be useful to mention? Well, this is where you definitely want to be really careful. Your potential employers would like to learn about your previous experiences especially when it’s related to the position you’re applying to. But they can be easily frustrated if you talk about your previous employers in a negative way, signaling that you would also be talking harshly about them in future sometime. So, even if you have bad experiences, we highly recommend you keep them yourself and always talk about the full side of the glass.
Some Example Answers
“I am currently working at the logistics and lately I’ve been eager to take my chance at the transportation management. Seeing how far I’ve become at the logistics, I can say that I have an advanced level knowledge in shipping vehicles and products as well as great managerial and communication skills thanks to my university degree in human relations. Having found your vacancy for a transportation manager I got really excited and I’m glad that I can make it here today.”
“I’ve always been good with children and young adults. After my graduation from the preschool education department, I worked for different public and private schools where I made a great amount of unique experiences in teaching. But now I’ve started to realize that I’m ready to change my department and gain experience at the coordination department in order to understand how the background of education happens and how the system works. Thanks to my previous experiences, I’m good at preparing creative materials and lesson plans, designing the curriculum and communicating with the school’s distant offices. I think your company’s innovative vision and modern perspective on the preschool education will help me get a deep insight at the background of education while allowing me to integrate my skills into the job I love to perform.”
Example Starters for Teens
“As a senior high school student, I will be in need of a budget for my upcoming university education next year. I’d like to provide my own fund to myself.”
“I think the earlier I get in the business; the more time I will have to understand which path I would like to go on.”
“I’m good at hand crafts, so I think this job will allow me to develop my motor skills as well as providing me with an opportunity to turn a free time activity into business.”
“I am planning to study law at the university. I believe this job will make a great start for me to talk in front of crowds, which I think is a must for a career in law.”
Source: 1 (Access: February 10, 2019) 2 (Access: February 10, 2019)
