Saturday, April 21, 2007

Tough Interview Question #7: Where Do You See Yourself 5 Years from Now?

Asked of beginners, veterans and senior staff alike, "Where do you see yourself five years from now," is designed to accomplish several things.

An employer will get

1. A reality check about you
2. Find out if you are settling for a position
3. A sense of whether you are arrogant

You see for years, beginners were coached to say, "Five years from now, I want your job!" Pretty arrogant isn't it.

And frankly, most people aren't sure where they want to be five years from now because the tidal wave of change that has been occurring in the global economy can drown even the strongest swimmer.

Rather than be extremely specific and dotting every "i" and crossing every "t," I believe that you are better served by answering something like this:

" I want to make a long term commitment to my next company and position and, frankly, judging by what you've told me, I can see making a commitment here. Where do I see myself five years from now? I have the idea that I would like to be _____________ (give a solid description of the role you might like; just don't speak in a way that suggests that you are rigid; sound like you are thinking as you speak).

"I also know that if I work hard and deliver excellence to you, that opportunities will open up to me that I may find hard to imagine now because that's the way it has always been for me in my life and in my career (be prepared to offer an example). As a result, I've learned how important it is to be flexible in my thinking and in my planning.



Jeff Altman 
The Big Game Hunter
www.TheBigGameHunter.us
JeffAltman@TheBigGameHunter.us

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