3 Typical Interview Questions and How to Answer Them to Get the Job

Some questions will get asked in every job interview. But just because they're standard questions doesn't mean you have to give a standard answer. You can give a standout response with just a little coaching. I'm going to tell you how to answer 3 typical job interview questions:

Why do you want to work here?

Where do you see yourself in 3-5 years?

Are you willing to relocate? (If you're not sure yet)

Your answer should sound like, “I want to join this company because…” and then you need to list at least 3 reasons why.

The first one should always show fit: “…I can see where my skill sets would benefit you in this particular position. Because they would benefit you, I would also benefit personally, professionally, and financially. If I can fix this problem for you, I’m sure you’ll have other problems I can fix down the road, and that looks like a great future for me.”

The second one can show fit, but in a different way: “Another reason I want to join this company is that I like the culture. It fits me. I like what I’ve been reading about the company, and it seems like a great fit for my personality and values and who I want to be working for.”

And then you can say something that personalizes it a little more, like: “The job is in a great location for me. I’ve always wanted to move here.” Or, “It’s only 5 minutes from my house, and I love that.” Or, “I’ve always used these products, and I just love them and am really excited about being a part of that.”

All of those reasons give them one more reason to hire you.

Where do you see yourself in 3-5 years?

This is a tough question…and it all depends on who you’re interviewing with. If it’s a small, flat company that’s never grown, saying that you want to be a manager might be problem, because that puts that manager’s job at risk—where’s he supposed to go if you move into his job, right? So in that case, a better answer would be: “I want to contribute as much as I can, grow my skill sets, and help you achieve your goals moving forward.”

If it’s a company that’s rapidly growing where you can see that there are going to be management opportunities, then I think it’s incredibly strong to say, “I am interested in a management track, but first I want to contribute to the organization as much as I can. I want to succeed and be known as a success in the role that I’m in—and then if there are management opportunities available, then I absolutely want to do that. But if there aren’t those opportunities available within this company, then I am fine with the individual contributor role. The key for me is to be professionally, financially, and personally satisfied and compensated. If that all happens, I am going to stay put because that’s what I’m ultimately looking for."

If it’s a really big company, you’d think they’d be interested in having you move up within the organization, but you don’t know what track they might be thinking of. So you say, "I’m a flexible, dynamic person. I’m not someone who feels that I HAVE to be managing people in 3-5 years, but I’m also not someone who wants to be in the exact same role in 3-5 years. I do want to see that I’m growing and being challenged and learning additional skill sets."

This is where you should turn and ask a question: Where do you see someone like me, or the person who gets this role, being in 3-5 years in this organization?

That’s a great question for you to ask that continues the conversation and gives you more insight into what’s in their minds going forward, before you commit to that organization.

Are you willing to relocate?

If you'd rather avoid this question until you find out what's in the offer, here's what to say.

The standard answer most people think of is, “I would consider relocating for the right opportunity.” But that’s kind of a weenie answer that’s not going to earn you many points because that translates to: “If you throw enough money at me, I’ll think about it.” It doesn’t make the interviewer believe that you’re enthusiastic about this job or about his company.

A more sincere-sounding answer that still doesn’t commit you might sound more like, “I am very interested in advancing my career, and if relocating is a part of that, I would certainly consider it.”

You’ve basically said the same thing, but nicer.

Or maybe you want to avoid it even more: “To me, where I live is really a secondary concern. My career path is important to me, and I’ve been very impressed with what I’ve learned about this company and believe that this position in particular is a great fit for my skills in X, Y, and Z. Do you agree?”

Now see what you did: You avoided the question, brought the conversation back around to your skills and selling yourself, and asked him a question that hopefully sets him on a new train of thought.

If you absolutely can’t relocate, you have to be honest about that, but try not to just say “No.” You don’t know what the future holds, and your life might look very different in a year for a thousand reasons. So say, “I’d rather not relocate right now, but that could easily change in the future. Who knows what circumstances may bring tomorrow or a year from now?”

In all of these cases, these answers make you look more sincere than if you had given the standard answer about the “right opportunity.” They keep you from making a strong commitment while still making you appear flexible—which is always going to be a plus with your future employer.