4 Ways to Answer Interview Questions About Career Goals

Career goals are those realistic ambitions you have regarding your career path, your skills, your education, and your disciplines. Frequently asked as “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”, this is a question that results in a wealth of information that could determine if you’re in the right place. In preparing for your interview, it’s best to have defined goals that align with those of the company you’re interviewing with. In this article, we’ll provide you with short- and long-term career goals interview answers.

How to answer, “What are your future career goals?”

While this is how this question is most commonly asked, your interviewer may approach it in a more specific way. Here are a few examples:

What are you looking for in your next position?

With this question, companies are checking to see if you share their vision of the role and if your aspirations show that you’re interested in being in the position in the longer term. Do your research and reread the job listing so you can elaborate on your goals that match those of the company.

Sample answer: “The company’s mission talks about making its services accessible to those in less fortunate areas. This is something I feel strongly about and I’m eager to share the skills I developed as a strategist with the Peace Corps to jointly achieve this goal.”