How to Answer: Why do you want to work at [company]?

Developing a response that will stand out to interviewers as well as highlight your own goals within the company, is important to answering the common grad interview question, ‘Why do you want to work at [company name]?’ In this article we give you some top tips and examples on how to address this question. 

1. Research your company 

It is essential that you research your company before your interview to learn about its mission statement, values, and workplace environment. Doing this you can demonstrate that you have researched how the company aligns with your values and skills. You can also understand if they will be the perfect workplace for you and allow you to grow in that specific industry. When interviewing, make sure to point out the specific parts of the company that are important to you. You can even point out things that you have studied, or any work experience that can relate to the company! Make sure to state any recent experiences that align with the company, how you would like to expand on them, and how to use specific examples that you have studied to show your research and respect for the company. 

2. Explain your skills and experience

Using your research explain how your skills and experience can be integral to their company. The STAR method can be very useful for providing information about your experiences and skills. Through your previous experiences, you can provide examples of how your skills can be used to help the company, and how you can be a positive influence on their goals. Every company has its niche and a reason as to why they are successful. Some companies came about as a family business, or through making a name for themselves in a specific industry. The Employer Profiles on our site provide a summary of what the business is and what area they are leaders in. Show interest in any projects that the company is focusing on, for example, if they are looking to become more sustainable, describe environmental work you have done in the past. This highlights how you have researched the company and believe that is the right company for you. It also demonstrates how passionate you are about the industry that you are in. 

3. Describe what you would like to learn or achieve at the company

It is important that you highlight why this specific company is important to you, and how it will help you learn and achieve during your career. Through your research, you can highlight how they have a reputation for fostering career growth or their influence and connections in their industry. You can describe the skills you want to expand on, for example, if it is important to work on your leadership skills, you can state how the company has a great leadership program. Many companies these days, due to social media and the ongoing growth of technology, really encourage new employees to be part of their innovation. It can be useful to describe how you would like to expand your skills in relation to technology. Highlighting how you would like to continue learning in the company, allows the company to see you as a long-term employee. Through your research, you can also reference specific training and career possibilities that they offer. 

4. Conclude by stating your commitment to the company and its mission

Highlighting your commitment to the company can show how you plan to be a long-term employee and can contribute greatly to the growth of the company. State how you believe that the position you're applying for is important because of specific reasons, and it's not just about the job itself but it is how you can learn from it. 

✏️ Example Answer