Ask HN: How to answer questions like "why do you want to work at your company?"

[alcaide-mor]

I see lots of companies asking questions along the lines of "why do you want to work at our company?". Should I answer anything else besides "I'm looking for a job and this position matches my skills"? But isn't that an obvious answer that applies to every candidate? Or is there something else I'm missing? And why companies even ask these kinds of questions if the answer is so obvious?

If you're hiring, why do you ask that question and what do you expect to see as an answer?

If you're an applicant, what do you usually answer?

[JohnFen]

When I've been in the hiring seat, I don't ask this question. I think there are far better ways to get the information this question is trying to get.

When I've been the applicant, I always have an answer to this, though. Before I've even applied to the company, I've already done at least some research on them (even if it's just reading their website) and know the sorts of things they do.

There's something there that made me decide to apply at that particular company. I'm not just firing resumes out at random, after all. Perhaps that thing is small -- they use a particular technology that I'm interested in, or maybe it's just that I think what they produce is cool, or maybe just that they're located somewhere I want to be, or that they're in a segment of the industry that I'm intrigued by.

One time, as an example, I applied at a company because some close friends had worked there in the past and had great things to report about it. So I said that (along with how what they do intersects with my skillset) and elaborated on what I was told about the company that appealed to me.

In any case, whatever that thing was is the core of my answer to the "why us" question. I don't try to pad it or flatter the interviewer with how incredible I think the company is. I just talk about the thing that made me choose to apply there.

In reality, as another response here said, what the interviewer wants to know is that you have some idea of what the company is about and you have some real interest (even a little bit) aside from a paycheck. Your answer should demonstrate that.

[ThrowawayR2]

> "I'm not just firing resumes out at random, after all."

This, I think, is really the core of it. Talented candidates can be picky about what jobs they apply to because they are in demand; they have looked over a company and found one or more specific reasons to apply. Answers like "I'm looking for a job and this position matches my skills." suggest that the candidate is being unselective, possibly because they are desperate and/or are significantly below average.

[alcaide-mor]

I think you're overextending his reply. He gave interesting insights on how he answers this question and that's all. Lots of companies I'm looking at are asking such questions even for very basic roles. I can't believe they are all filled with extremely talented people who are that many orders of magnitude above everyone else, and who could be working anywhere else they wanted and chose that job from all others because they are so interested specifically in that company/product/domain/role; and, because of that, they gave brilliant answers to the "why do you want to work here?" question when they applied. If I'm wrong, please give me examples of those brilliant answers. I'm honestly curious about what kind of data that input produces to people at the other side of the table.

[JohnFen]

I've been doing this since I was wet behind the ears, back when I would have taken any job that came my way. An underlying social aspect to job-hunting (and all aspects of life) is that people respond to how you present yourself. Behave as if you are professional and desirable, and people will tend to think of you that way.

We are what we pretend to be, so we need to be thoughtful about what we pretend to be.

[bhaney]

> Should I answer anything else besides "I'm looking for a job and this position matches my skills"?

Yes. If someone at a company is asking you this question at all, they aren't cynical realists that expect you to answer "because I need a job" or "because I want money" even though those things are the truth. People who like those answers just don't ask that question in the first place. You need to answer with some bullshit about how their mission really speaks to you or about how you didn't feel like you made enough of a difference to the world at your last company and believe you have a better opportunity to do so at this new place.

[alcaide-mor]

That's what I fear. I fear they want me to be dishonest.

[JohnFen]

They don't want you to be dishonest. What they want is just to know that there's some interest you have beyond simply a paycheck. If you're there just for pay, you're more likely to not stick around for very long. You may get bored, or you may leave for a slightly larger paycheck, or whatever. Hiring someone is a significant investment on both sides, and they are trying to get some idea of whether you're a good investment as early as possible, before anyone has put too much into the arrangement.

Everyone already knows that the paycheck is the main thing. That's why you're looking for a job at all. The question is "given that, why are you here, specifically". In other words, why do you think that you'll be happy enough here that you'll work effectively and still be here 6 months from now?

My advice is to already have a good answer before you even apply. If you don't, then look more deeply into the company until you do, or realize that perhaps that's really not a place where you'll thrive.

The answer doesn't have to be elaborate or deep. It just has to exist.

[jfengel]

Ideally, I'd like to hear that you at least looked at my web site and had some kind of interest in the domain of what we do.

I actually try instead to work the conversation around rather than just bluntly coming out and asking a dumb question like that. But that's how I interpret it when the question is asked of me.

I don't rule people out just because all they're looking for is a job. It's just nice to hear that they did some kind of research before showing up.

[blinded]

I ask a "why X company, why now" if interviews I conduct. An A+ answer usually would convey excitement for tech the position has, learning opportunity, growth, etc etc.