MARKETING
5 Best Answers to “Why Do You Want to Work Here?” [+ Why They Work]
“Why do you want to work here?”
It’s a question almost every job candidate can expect in the interview process, and for good reason: your answer will help the hiring manager decide if you’re genuinely interested in the role, or if it’s just another one on your list.
While the question is relatively straightforward, it can be tricky to maneuver. Here, we’ll cover strategies to handle the question and offer five example responses for you to reference.
How to Answer ‘Why Do You Want to Work Here?’
- Give a well-rounded answer.
- Do your homework.
- Consider your own values.
- Study the job description.
- Choose your reasons carefully.
1. Give a well-rounded answer.
Saying the job looks interesting — or the company is great — isn’t enough. In other words, if you can answer this question in four to five words, you probably need to go back to the drawing board. Remember, the interviewer is looking for a substantive answer that can help them gauge your interest and decipher if you’re a good fit.
2. Do your homework.
Arguably the most important step is researching the organization ahead of your interview. A good place to start is their website. Go beyond the home page to learn more about the company’s mission, goals, and culture. Take note of what stands out to you.
Social media can also offer a glimpse into an organization, its initiatives, and its culture. Go a step further and look up any recent press releases or articles about the company to be in the know on its latest developments.
3. Consider your own values.
When trying to prove you’re a good fit for an organization, remember it’s equally important for an organization to be a good fit for you. This is why it’s essential to define your values, then identify organizations that share similar ones.
If you’re unsure about your core values, ask yourself the following questions:
- What kind of culture do I thrive in?
- How can an organization make me feel supported?
- What motivates me?
- What are my personal and professional goals?
4. Study the job description.
Chances are, you skimmed through the job description before applying. Now it’s time to give it a second glance. What initially sparked your interest in the role? What are the core qualifications? How can this role help you achieve your career goals? Your responses will guide you through the next point.
5. Choose your reasons carefully.
If you’re focusing on candidate-centric things — work-life balance, benefits, compensation, a faster commute — you’re thinking about this question wrong.
Your interests should lie at the intersection of company needs, responsibilities of the role, and candidate competencies. For example, if you’re interviewing for a podcasting position, here’s how you might break down the answer to this question:
Company Needs: We need to partner with heavy-hitters in our industry.
Responsibilities of the Role: Source talent, brainstorm episode topics, prep guests, and edit episodes.
Candidate Competencies: Skilled with Audition, finger on the pulse of the industry, and deadline-oriented.
Personal Motivation: I want to work with high-profile people and make some good connections.
So, what’s the intersection of company needs, role responsibilities, candidate competencies, and personal motivation? You might talk about how you’ve learned a lot over the years by interacting with, reading, or listening to the experts in your industry. You’ve seen firsthand the impact exposure to them can have on a company and an individual.
Not only does an answer like that relate to the needs of the role and the company, but it ties in your abilities and shows that you’re personally motivated by the mission.
5 of the Best Answers to “Why Do You Want to Work Here?”
1. Speak to Your Skillset
“I recently read an article about your company’s expansion into international markets. Having worked in global sales for the past eight years, this is an opportunity for me to make a positive impact for a company I admire.”
Why It Works
This answer makes a convincing case that you have the necessary skills and experience to exceed in this role. You also demonstrate that your skills fit the company’s goals for the future.
2. Speak to the Culture
“Something I feel is harming the I.T. industry is this so-called “grind culture.” While it’s necessary to work hard, you can quickly burn out. I respect how one of your core values is maintaining the mental health of your employees. I admire this approach and, combined with my excellent work ethic, I’m confident we can produce great results.”
Why It Works
“Company culture” is a bit of a buzzword these days. It can apply to anything from ping-pong tables to free snacks. But in a broader sense, it should reflect a company’s values and priorities. This example calls out a specific issue and how the company addresses it. In doing so, it shows genuine interest in working for a company that cares about its people.
3. Speak to the Company’s Mission
“This might sound a little cliche, but I like working in customer service because I enjoy solving for the customer. I’ve always been impressed by Company XYZ’s excellent track record of doing just that. You’re a mission-driven organization with a focus on making people’s lives easier. My passion for customer service stems from a similar mindset.”
Why It Works
This example works because it shows you’ve done your homework on the organization. It also relates your professional approach to customer service to drive home that you’re a great fit.
4. Speak to Your Core Values
“I first heard about Company XYZ last year when I came across your Clean the Seas campaign. Conservation is important to me, and I respect your initiatives in this area. I think it would be incredible to work at a place where I can apply my marketing skills to a cause close to my heart.”
Why It Works
This example aligns your values with those of the company. It highlights your admiration for their environmental work while communicating your passion for the same mission.
5. Speak to Your Product Expertise
“As a fan of your products, I’m always impressed with your developments in this space. In my work, I’m constantly looking for new solutions, so I’m excited by the opportunity to join a team as passionate about innovation as I am.”
Why It Works
This answer shows that you’ve not only researched the company, but you have firsthand experience with their products. It also underlines your interest in product development and innovation.
Back To You
“Why do you want to work here?” It’s a great question to help hiring managers to gauge your level of interest — and provides an opportunity for you to share what really matters to you. If you come prepared, you should have no problem nailing your answer.
MARKETING
Trends in Content Localization – Moz
Multinational fast food chains are one of the best-known examples of recognizing that product menus may sometimes have to change significantly to serve distinct audiences. The above video is just a short run-through of the same business selling smokehouse burgers, kofta, paneer, and rice bowls in an effort to appeal to people in a variety of places. I can’t personally judge the validity of these representations, but what I can see is that, in such cases, you don’t merely localize your content but the products on which your content is founded.
Sometimes, even the branding of businesses is different around the world; what we call Burger King in America is Hungry Jack’s in Australia, Lays potato chips here are Sabritas in Mexico, and DiGiorno frozen pizza is familiar in the US, but Canada knows it as Delissio.
Tales of product tailoring failures often become famous, likely because some of them may seem humorous from a distance, but cultural sensitivity should always be taken seriously. If a brand you are marketing is on its way to becoming a large global seller, the best insurance against reputation damage and revenue loss as a result of cultural insensitivity is to employ regional and cultural experts whose first-hand and lived experiences can steward the organization in acting with awareness and respect.
MARKETING
How AI Is Redefining Startup GTM Strategy
MARKETING
More promotions and more layoffs
For martech professionals salaries are good and promotions are coming faster, unfortunately, layoffs are coming faster, too. That’s according to the just-released 2024 Martech Salary and Career Survey. Another very unfortunate finding: The median salary of women below the C-suite level is 35% less than what men earn.
The last year saw many different economic trends, some at odds with each other. Although unemployment remained very low overall and the economy grew, some businesses — especially those in technology and media — cut both jobs and spending. Reasons cited for the cuts include during the early years of the pandemic, higher interest rates and corporate greed.
Dig deeper: How to overcome marketing budget cuts and hiring freezes
Be that as it may, for the employed it remains a good time to be a martech professional. Salaries remain lucrative compared to many other professions, with an overall median salary of $128,643.
Here are the median salaries by role:
- Senior management $199,653
- Director $157,776
- Manager $99,510
- Staff $89,126
Senior managers make more than twice what staff make. Directors and up had a $163,395 median salary compared to manager/staff roles, where the median was $94,818.
One-third of those surveyed said they were promoted in the last 12 months, a finding that was nearly equal among director+ (32%) and managers and staff (30%).
Extend the time frame to two years, and nearly three-quarters of director+ respondents say they received a promotion, while the same can be said for two-thirds of manager and staff respondents.
Dig deeper: Skills-based hiring for modern marketing teams
Employee turnover
In 2023, we asked survey respondents if they noticed an increase in employee churn and whether they would classify that churn as a “moderate” or “significant” increase. For 2024, given the attention on cost reductions and layoffs, we asked if the churn they witnessed was “voluntary” (e.g., people leaving for another role) or “involuntary” (e.g., a layoff or dismissal). More than half of the marketing technology professionals said churn increased in the last year. Nearly one-third classified most of the churn as “involuntary.”
Men and Women
This year, instead of using average salary figures, we used the median figures to lessen the impact of outliers in the salary data. As a result, the gap between salaries for men and women is even more glaring than it was previously.
In last year’s report, men earned an average of 24% more than women. This year the median salary of men is 35% more than the median salary of women. That is until you get to the upper echelons. Women at director and up earned 5% more than men.
Methodology
The 2024 MarTech Salary and Career Survey is a joint project of MarTech.org and chiefmartec.com. We surveyed 305 marketers between December 2023 and February 2024; 297 of those provided salary information. Nearly 63% (191) of respondents live in North America; 16% (50) live in Western Europe. The conclusions in this report are limited to responses from those individuals only. Other regions were excluded due to the limited number of respondents.
Download your copy of the 2024 MarTech Salary and Career Survey here. No registration is required.
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