Among the many interview questions you may experience, this is one of the more modern types of questions. This specific type of question relates to the future, your goals and how you plan to accomplish those goals. It is often used as a form of motivational interview question in order to assess your commitment to the relevant position. Unfortunately, this type of question is one which many candidates often experience difficulty effectively handling. In many cases, candidates either do not expect the question or they have not given sufficient thought to the future and potential advancement with that company. As a result, the answer is usually improvised and that can result in detracting from the overall interview performance.
Your answer to this question could take several forms based upon your plans for the future. Keep in mind when forming an answer to this question that the interviewer is specifically interested in linking your plans to the position and the job. When you develop an answer, you need to make sure that you lay out a clear and concise career path. This can be accomplished by demonstrating your plans over the next five years and how they relate to the position. You should also show a progression that involves the position and how you would like to develop your career with the position.
You should remember that candidates will be selected based upon how well their career objectives match the open position. Your response to this question should clarify the direction in which you intend to take your career. In demonstrating your plans and the direction for your career you might establish goals related to the job, a desire to meet a goal of attaining supervisory abilities and the intent to pursue ongoing studies that may relate to the position. Finally, you should demonstrate your understanding of the necessity for experience as your career advances.
This question can usually be best answered when you have taken the time to educate yourself about the company, their organizational structure and their own plans for the future in terms of development. This will allow you to develop a career path that is in keeping with the plans of the company and also demonstrate that you have taken the initiative of researching the company and their goals. Do not overlook the importance of this question. Even though it does deal with the future it could be a make or break question when your performance is compared with that of other candidates.