Tell us why you want to work here

Convince your interviewer that you would be a good fit for the team and the business

Picture yourself in an interview. You’ve got your CV highlights memorised, your STAR stories ready to roll, your active listening face on and confidence pose in place... and then you get asked one of the two deceptively simple questions most interviewees struggle to answer credibly:

Why do you want to work here?

Like its partner in interview angst crime, ‘Tell me about yourself', Tell us why you want to work here’ isn’t something you can hope to answer successfully without preparation.

So, how do you prepare?

Action 1: Memorise these three words and repeat them as your mantra

CLEAR - CONCISE - RELEVANT

Action 2: Follow these four steps to create a strong structure that will flow and content that will convince:

1. Firstly, talk about the company – focus on two things about why you like the company, its work, its vision for the future, its strategy on X, its approach to Y
   

2. Next, talk about what you will bring to the role – your experience, insight, skills and expertise - and interest/enthusiasm for the role
   

3. Then talk about what the role will give you - an opportunity for stretch and growth, space to apply your expertise and innovations in a new setting
   

4. Close with culture – say something about how you think the role, team and opportunity is a good fit for your skills and experience, but also that the culture of the company also fits with your personal values and career interests

It’s a very similar structure to being asked ‘Why do you want this job?’, but in this scenario, you should focus more on steps 2 and 3 and give specific information about the contribution you would make in the role.

Write your answer out, read it back and edit, edit, edit until it flows.

Say it out loud and practise, practise, practise until it sounds natural (and not overly rehearsed). And check out what not to say to boost your confidence that you are on the right track.

And remember, as with any interview question response, you shouldn’t offer an exhaustive list of everything, but a selection of the most relevant points and pertinent information. Clear. Concise. Relevant.

If you’d like help drafting your question responses or some coaching to help you polish your interview technique, then why not get in touch? One session of Career Therapy is usually all it takes to show you how you can shine!

Click ‘Book a call’ on the website for a free intro call or email me at louise@careertherapy.co.uk

Why not follow me for more career confidence-boosting tips, tools and talks:

LinkedIn Louise Newton

Instagram @career_therapy_uk

If you'd like to receive no-fluff, practical insights direct to your inbox, why not sign up for the twice-monthly Career Therapy Newsletter? It’s packed full of thoughtful career support, grounded in years of coaching experience - and real life.

Read more posts on tool and tips for successful interviews.

Photo by Shubham Dhage on Unsplash