The interviewer doesn't need to know that you plan on having two kids in five years. It is much easier to be yourself than to try to be someone else.Īlso, keep your answer specific and work-related. Sharing what you think the interviewer wants to hear may seem like a good idea. When answering this question, be honest, truthful and be yourself. This will help you share with interviewers where you see yourself in five years from an honest and thoughtful perspective.Īnswering the question “Where do you see yourself in five years?" While it's hard to know exactly what you'll be doing or where you'll be in five years, try visualizing where you would love to be, the types of positions you'd like to be in, the type of experience, and so on. What type of positions do you see yourself occupying? Are you interested in leadership positions, or would you like to keep your focus on the technical aspects of your work? Provide quantifiable answers when possible. While developing your answer, When they ask you this question your answer should focus on work-related goals, ambitions, and so on. Consider practicing your response out loud with a trusted friend so you can hear yourself speak and improve if needed. Think about the answer to this question while making preparation. And don't forget to be realistic - hiring managers will likely to reject a far-fetched idea. Hiring managers want candidates who will add value to the team and help advance the company objective. Also, be sure to focus on how you plan to help the company. Instead, focus on what your dreams are, where you would like to take your career path next, and how you plan to do this. They are not looking for you to lay out a specific plan, detailing everything you are going to do. No one knows exactly where they will be in five years, and the hiring manager is aware of this. Preparing for "Where do you see yourself in five years?" What is your goal in the next five years? What is most important to you in your career?ħ. What is your ideal dream job at this stage in your career?ĥ. Hiring managers may pose this question in different ways to uncover the same information:Ģ. Companies want trustworthy, detail-oriented, and dedicated team members who are willing to take a leap - not a noncommittal employee who is only sticking around until a better opportunity arises elsewhere. The interviewer wants to understand more about your career goals and how their position would fit into your grand plan. So, if hiring managers don't actually care about your path five years down the line, why do they ask this silly question? Well, asking "Where do you see yourself in five years?" is more about getting insight into your hopes, aspirations and goals for the next few years. Why hiring managers ask these types of interview questions They want to know you've at least considered your future and what you'd like to accomplish. When asking this question, an interviewer isn't expecting you to know 100 percent where you see yourself in the future, but they do want to know if you have ambition, goals, focus, and drive. No worries, though - hiring managers and employers aren't concerned with your actual plans. There is perhaps no interview question as tough as this one. “Where do you see yourself in five years?” Even if you don't know where you see yourself in five years, there's a right way to answer this question during an interview.