Why Your 5 Year Plan Matters in Job Interviews
Posted April 29, 2014 & filed under Interviewing, Job Search
Unless you’re a newly inaugurated political leader, it’s hard to imagine anyone giving your 5 year plan a second thought. However, hiring managers often encourage candidates to take an introspective moment and answer, “Where do you want to be in 5 years?” That response can have a substantial impact on your chances for success.
Answers to “where do you want to be in 5 years?” can provide hiring managers with a wealth of insight about your passion, your desire for growth, and most importantly, your strategic outlook.
Your Passion
The way you answer questions about your 5 year career goals is more than just a chance to give the cliff notes for your professional manifesto; it should align your aspirations with those of the company.
A better way to phrase the question might be, “what would your career goals be if you stayed with our company for 5 years?” To answer that question, you need to have done your homework. Research on a company’s values, mission statement, and objective can help you to emphasize the ways in which your passions overlap.
If the company wants to remain cutting-edge, talk about how you will continually steep yourself in emerging technologies and techniques. If the company wants to become an industry leader, outline some of the plans you’ll implement to get them there.
Your Desire for Growth
Does your 5 year plan include career growth? Your answer to “where do you want to be in 5 years?” has the greatest potency when you show you don’t want to be a sideliner. Take the opportunity to talk about how you will take ownership of projects and organically move into available positions.
An occasional slipup that snares candidates is when they unintentionally paint a target on the interviewer’s back. By listing a specific job title or saying, “one day I’ll be in your job,” these candidates make a subtly aggressive move that leaves hiring managers wary of hiring you.
To avoid that stigma, don’t get specific about positions and don’t just make your response about you. Talk about the ways you want to help junior staff members grow and elevate the careers of those around you.
Your Strategic Perspective
According to the Career Advisory Board, one of the most valued skills to employers is the possession of a strategic perspective. A discussion of your 5 year plan in this context can show that you really know your stuff.
Highlight your knowledge of prevailing trends, emerging possibilities, and ways you can use both as a fulcrum to hoist the company up to the next plateau.
On a Final Note:
No response to “where do you want to be in 5 years?” will be exactly the same. Take some time before each interview to map out the way you want to respond. From there, it’s all about remaining confident, staying concise, and asking if any clarifications are needed.
And if you need help finding a job where your 5 year plan won’t go to waste, give one of our recruiters a call today. Their company connections can help you achieve your career goals in no time.
by James Walsh
