Interview question - Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

SueC_2

I don't think it is a completely pointless question. Okay, it's impossible to verify the answer, and therefore the candidate could lie - but then again, they could lie in any answer to any question. However, assuming that the candidate will be truthful (the baseline in an interview has to sit somewhere), the answer to this question does give an indication of what is important to the candidate, and it is therefore possible to assess whether or not their needs will be met by this role / organisation.

For example, if someone replied "I'd like to see myself in a role where I am continually challenged by new experiences and stimulated by an on-going requirement to learn new skills" in an interview for a data entry job which was going to consist of eight hours' number punching day in and day out for the rest of eternity, then the recruiter could quite rightly question whether this was going to be a square peg and a round hole.

If, on the other hand, the candidate replied "Well, to be honest, I'm not particularly ambitious and I don't particularly like change. I appreciate stability and find routine work very rewarding, and once I am settled in a role I am very happy to continue in it for as long as the company are happy to let me do so", then the job would be pretty much in the bag.

However, the same answers given at an interview for a supervisor/manager role in a high-pressure fast-moving environment, and suddenly the situation changes. It's horses for courses, and the interview process is about matching the horse to the race. This question can help do that (obviously not in isolation but sitting alongside more evidence based typed questions).

unclekevin

I got asked this question once and the answer i gave back to the manger doing the interview was exactly this "In 5 years time i want to be sat in your chair asking the same questions your asking me to someone else", by the way i got the job.

bendix

unclekevin wrote: »

I got asked this question once and the answer i gave back to the manger doing the interview was exactly this "In 5 years time i want to be sat in your chair asking the same questions your asking me to someone else", by the way i got the job.

In other words you provided the perfect cliche answer to the perfect cliche question.

I'm always surprised that people don't burst out laughing when they say this sort of !!!!!!!!.

bethg2009

jamesdd wrote: »

Hi mate, sorry i missed your last reply. I'm applying now for an office admin position, but once i finish my degree i hope to move into marketing (hopefully)

I would be totally honest James, tell the interviewer that in five years time you will have graduated within your chosen subject, and would be looking to further your career hopefully within the company having worked your through the ranks after gaining experience and furthering your knowledge of whatever field your company is in.......