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In 20 years of interviewing, I have never been asked "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"
It popped up the first time, recently.
What is the right response to the interviewer, so you can make it to the next round? I would like to be prepared for future interviews with other companies.
Just give a "motherhood and apple pie" answer: be in a position with more responsibility so I can contribute more, be a team lead, be a subject matter expert, etc etc.
The real answer I'd like to give: have my own place in the Maldives and snorkel or scuba-dive all day long.
When I was young, I was told that employers wanted people with drive and motivation, so you would say that you saw yourself as a manager in 5 years. Now I am being told that employers want people who will make a lifetime commitment to the current position. So I do not really know what they want to hear.
I'm pretty sure that "working somewhere else" is a wrong answer.
My answer usually is,"my goal right now is to find a position at a company where I can grow and take on new challenges over time. Ultimately, I’d like to assume more management responsibilities. But most importantly, I want to work for an organization where I can build (or continue to build) a career."
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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This is the problem, people trying to guess what the employer is looking for instead of just answering honestly. As a hiring manager (that doesn't use that question) I'm looking for red flags. There is no reason you can't answer such questions honestly while avoiding any red flags. You can be honest (not lie) while still not revealing 100% of your goals, by being more general. For example, saying that you want to grow and take on new challenges over time, assume more management responsibilities and build a career. You didn't say where.
In 20 years of interviewing, I have never been asked "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"
It popped up the first time, recently.
What is the right response to the interviewer, so you can make it to the next round? I would like to be prepared for future interviews with other companies.
Quote honestly, if you don't have an honest answer, then you're not really doing a job you like and you're in the wrong field.
While that might be the case for most of us, including myself, it's also not good...
Just give a "motherhood and apple pie" answer: be in a position with more responsibility so I can contribute more, be a team lead, be a subject matter expert, etc etc.
This ^ (using all the modern buzzwords and phrases), plus including something that makes it clear you are talking about the company you are interviewing and involving yourself with. It's not just being a better version of you, but being this you at that location, with them. It still all goes back to the company. Keep everything circulating back to them and helping them become better.
I disagree with the previous poster. This interviewing nonsense doesn't have to be completely real or genuine. Due to the goofy questions many times, they often lead the conversation into a land of PC and psychology whereby you have to fudge reality to complete the interviewing process.
Be always ready for these kinds of questions, and in a mode of being creative.
My answer usually is,"my goal right now is to find a position at a company where I can grow and take on new challenges over time. Ultimately, I’d like to assume more management responsibilities. But most importantly, I want to work for an organization where I can build (or continue to build) a career."
Yeah, just give a fluffy BS response like that.
It's like when you are asked what your greatest weakness is, you say that you are a little too detailed, or something like that where it isn't really a weakness.
Give stupid answers to stupid questions asked by lazy and/or incompetent interviewers.
The best interviews I've been on have involved a skills test and specific questions related to the job itself to judge competence. If you are in a field where hard skills matter and you get the fluff questions, realize that you are either dealing with an idiot or he really isn't interested in hiring you.
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