How To Answer “Why Do You Want to Work Here?” (With Examples)

At some point during your interview, you may get asked “Why do you want to work here?” Interviewers like to ask this to know what your reasoning for applying to the position is. This is why you need to understand how to answer this question.

If you have an interview coming up and want to be prepared for this question, we’ll go over how to answer “Why do you want to work here?”, we’ll provide some example answers to help you create your answer, and we’ll go over some common mistakes to avoid.

Key Takeaways:

To answer “Why do you want to work here?” you should first research the company and relate your background to the company and job description.
When answering this question it’s important to relate your background and your core values to the job description and company.
Hiring managers are looking to see how much research you did into the position and company when they “Why do you want to work here?”.
Make sure you sound enthusiastic when answering and stay away from answering about company perks being your reasoning.

How to Answer

In This Article

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How to answer “Why do you want to work here?
“Why do you want to work here?” example answers
Why do interviewers ask “Why do you want to work here?”
Tips for answering this question
Common mistakes to avoid when answering
“Why do you want to work here?” interview question FAQ
Final thoughts
Expert Opinion
References
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How to answer “Why do you want to work here?

To answer “Why do you want to work here?” you should first research the company, reread the job description, and then try to relate your background to the job.

Research the company. Your answer should showcase the level of research that you’ve done about the company, and you should be as specific as possible about this information when you can.

When researching the company, take a look at some of the following:
- Review the About Us page to get an idea of the company culture and what the company is like.
- Their social media pages will give you any relevant industry news, customer comments or feedback, and help you understand who they are.
- The company blog and their blog posts will help you understand the brand’s voice.
- Checking out their competitors will help you get a better idea of the overall industry and what products are being sold.
- Any other news or publicly available information about them.
All of this will help come up with a more specific and impressive reason for why you want to work for this employer.
Reread the job description. Before the interview, you should reread the job description. This will help you understand exactly what the position entails. This will also help you create a list of your favorite things about the job.

Once you have this list, you’ll be able to relate it to your career goals and how the position will help you achieve those goals. Reviewing the job description will also help you highlight the skills that best fit the position.
Relate your background to the job. You should relate your background and experience to the job and why it makes you want to work there. Make sure that your answer serves, at least in part, to highlight that you have the right skill set to get the job done.

More importantly, be mindful about which parts of the job really excite you. Those are the ones that hiring managers are hoping to learn more about through your answer.
Connect your values to the company’s. A stand-out answer will also tie in your personal values with something you uncovered about the company through your research. It might be that they’re carbon neutral or that they promote inclusivity through certain policies, or whatever.

Harping on this point can seem disingenuous unless you have a bona fide track record of being actively involved with these issues, but briefly touching on something like this can be a nice touch. Know your values by asking yourself these questions before answering:
- What kind of company culture do I want to work in?
- What qualities do I want in my manager and coworkers?
- What kind of qualities do I wish to develop professionally and personally?
Explain why you would enjoy the responsibilities of the role. You should make the connection as to why you would find joy in the role. This shows the interviewer that you have a genuine interest in the position. You can also use examples from your past to help explain why you would enjoy the job.
Close with goals. Talking about your short-term goals for the job is a great way to close this answer. It drives home the fact that you understand the role, already have ideas about how you’d like to contribute, and are excited to get started.

You can get into career goals as well, but it can be a bit dangerous since the hiring manager might think you’re implying that this job is merely a stepping stone to grander things.

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“Why do you want to work here?” example answers

Here are some example answers for when interviewers ask why you want to work at their company. Remember these are sample answers and you should tailor your answers to your qualifications and needs when answering “Why do you want to work here?”

Wanting to grow your career example answer

“I’m interested in this company because, while I’ve been writing about the music industry for a few years now, the chance to cover up-and-coming musicians really interests me. As an editor, I’d encourage my writers to maintain the focus on these newcomer musicians while thinking of other ways we can continue expanding our audience.”
Wanting to take on new projects example answer

“At my last position, I was expected to spend a lot of time on systems analysis and general IT stuff. I’m interested in this position because that’s not an expectation here, as the focus is on other aspects like strategic planning.

Specifically, I’d like to broaden my research into the cereal market and understand how business processes work here. I’m sure there are ways to make the process more efficient.”
Wanting to work at your dream company example answer

“I’m interested in this company because of the chance to work on some bigger projects. I’m a big fan of the games this company creates — the online competitive side of them is already wildly successful, and I’m curious to see if there’s a bigger role for me when it comes to streamlining the matchmaking process for some of those games.”
Wanting to apply your expertise example answer

“Working with this firm interests me because of its focus on designing buildings with sustainable development in mind. The unique problems that come with sustainable design leave a lot of room for creative solutions, and I’m excited to see what kind of contributions I can make to any ongoing projects along these lines.”

Why do interviewers ask “Why do you want to work here?”

Interviewers ask “Why do you want to work here” to hear the genuine reason you applied for the job. More importantly, they want to see how much research you’ve done. After all, you can’t describe why you want to work “here” specifically unless you know at least a bit of what that entails.

Unlike some of the other questions interviewers might ask, total honesty could work pretty well for this question. After all, this can’t be some cookie-cutter answer — it needs to apply to the particular company you’re interviewing with.

They’re also looking to see how you’ll employ this new experience on behalf of their company, or how helping you grow will benefit them. You’ll want to keep that particular framing of the question in mind whenever you’re thinking about how you should answer.

Tips for answering this question

When answering “Why do you want to work here?” you should be direct and specific, be brief, and focus on the employer. Here are some more parting tips for this common interview question:

Be direct and specific. Answering this question directly and specifically shows that you’ve thought about your answer. If you can’t give a straightforward answer to a question like this, the interviewer will be concerned about your ability to answer any question directly.
Be brief. This question typically comes somewhere near the beginning of a job interview. That means you’ll have plenty of time to get into more detail about your skills, background, and career goals. Keep your answer sharply focused on the primary part of the question — “Why do you want to work here?”
Focus on the employer. Don’t forget to bring your answer around to what’s in it for the company if they hire you. Basically, you want to get the point across “I want to work here to help you do XYZ better.” It doesn’t need to be the main feature of your answer, but keep it in mind as part of your answer’s overall message.
Consider cultural fit, complement, or add. We touched on values above, but another good thing to keep in mind is what sort of culture you’ll be entering. You don’t always have to sell yourself as a cultural fit. Sometimes, bringing a unique vibe or vision to the office is just what the position calls for.

Common mistakes to avoid when answering

You should avoid having a lack of enthusiasm for the job, you should avoid talking about the salary, and any personal information. Here are some more mistakes to avoid when answering:

Lack of enthusiasm. Maybe you don’t have an extra-special reason that you want to work at this particular company, but you shouldn’t make it obvious. Everyone tells little white lies during interviews, and it’s harmless to make yourself out to be more enthusiastic than you are.

If you’re moving up in rank or shifting your normal responsibilities, it’s especially important to express your passion for the field. Basically, if you can’t get excited about working at this company, then why should the company be excited about hiring you?
Salary talk. A bigger paycheck might be a (significant) factor in you wanting to work for the company, but it shouldn’t be a major focus in your answer. Companies want employees who are in it for more than just the money, so avoid salary talk when responding to this question.
Personal information. Perhaps you’re excited to work here because the schedule flexibility will make it easier to raise your kids or the office is close to home and your car is on its last legs.

The interviewer doesn’t care about any of that; she wants to hear about your enthusiasm to work for their company, so cut out any info that doesn’t directly relate to that.
Company perks. Similar to salary talk, you should avoid focusing too much on the company’s benefits and perks. It’s fine if that’s what attracted you to work there (that’s what perks are for, after all), but it shouldn’t be your primary concern when answering this question.
Overly general answers. It shouldn’t seem like you just want to work for someone (anyone) new. Think about it; you wouldn’t tell a first date that the only reason you’re there is that they’re the only person who called.

Instead, talk about how awesome the company and position are, using the research we discussed earlier to get more specific.

“Why do you want to work here?” interview question FAQ

What are different ways an interviewer may ask “Why do you want to work here?”

Some different ways that an interviewer may ask “Why do you want to work here?” include:
- “Why do want to work for us?”
- “What made you want to apply for a job at this company?”
- “What makes you a good fit for our team?”
- “What excites you most about the opportunity with our organization?”
- “What do you know about our company, and why do you want to be a part of it?”
What are common interview questions to prepare for?

Some common interview questions you should prepare for include:
- Why should we hire you?
- Describe a time that you disagreed with a colleague or supervisor/
- What are your interests?
- What have you done over the past six months or a year for your professional development?
How early should you show up to an interview?

Between 10 and 15 minutes before an interview. This gives you enough time to settle down and prepare for your interview. Avoid arriving any earlier than 15 minutes because you may seem too eager and you may be putting pressure on the interviewer to see you right then.
How do you stand out in an interview?

To stand out in an interview you should showcase your strengths and areas for improvement and ask unique questions. Other ways to stand out in an interview are to provide examples of your work and tell stories to help give the interviewer visuals of how you work.

Final thoughts

So now you can fully articulate why you decided to click on the job application link in the first place. If you’re having trouble coming up with a good answer to why you want to work there, then you may have bigger questions to ask yourself.

Even if the original reason you clicked on the job was because of the ALL CAPS TITLE, you now have a solid, job interview-worthy answer.

Expert Opinion

What are some tips for answering “Why do you want to work here?”

Daniel K. Berman PhD
Harvard Alumni

Here’s a template to answer “Why do you want to work here?”:

“From the research I’ve done on [say the name of the company here], I believe that my skills, approach, and values are all in complete alignment with those of the company.”

(Emphasize the two words ‘complete alignment’ and then provide one example each — of a skill, approach, and value — tailored to your specific situation)

“One of my main skills is strong communication, both oral and written. I’m aware that the culture here at [name of company] places a premium on good communication, with both co-workers and customers. My approach in life has always been to go the extra mile in whatever I’m doing.

“Based on what I hear about [name of company], this is consistent with the way things are done here and would be very helpful in terms of achieving the company’s mission of [whatever the company says its mission is on its website]. One key value that has been instilled in me by my parents since childhood is loyalty, which is part of the reason I think I would contribute value here as a member of the team.”

The three keywords above have been bolded, to show that you should emphasize them when speaking.

References

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Employment Interviewing: Seizing the Opportunity and the Job
U.S. Department of Labor – Interview Tips

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Author

Ryan Morris

Ryan Morris was a writer for the Zippia Advice blog who tried to make the job process a little more entertaining for all those involved. He obtained his BA and Masters from Appalachian State University.

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