Usually one of the first questions you get asked in an interview and arguably one of the easiest. After all, if you can’t articulate why you want to work for a particular company then you probably shouldn’t have applied for the job and you definitely shouldn’t have agreed to interview.
I’m continually surprised by how many job seekers aren’t able to talk about why they’re interested in a particular company beyond superficial characteristics and instead respond with something along the lines of “Well, you’re a big company and you’re located in (insert city or state here).”
I’ve mentioned this before, but telling an interviewer you’re interested in the company because they’re big or because they just happen to be in a certain city is like telling someone you want to go out with them because “they’re hot.” I’m sure that works for some people, but I’m pretty sure most people want to know that you “get them” and what they’re about. And for interviewers, one of the best ways to figure out whether or not you get them is by how you respond to the “why us?” question.
As you consider companies you’d like to work for, ask yourself what it is about them that initially attracted you. Was it something you read about in the news? A great experience you had as a customer? Something you read on their company website? The interviewer isn’t expecting a 15-part answer, just something more than the fact that they’re located three blocks from your house.
Great post! I find that the response to this question is often the best time to whip out all the research you did on the company before the interview.
Erika-
I totally agree. Thanks to Google, it’s usually pretty easy to determine how a company is differentiating itself from its competitors. The “about us” and “news” pages on most company websites are also a great place to look for information about how they’re positioning their business.
Shawn