Interview Question: "What Are Your Career Aspirations?"

When you’re being considered for a new job, interviewers will try to figure out if the position will be a good fit, given your projected career path. You may encounter questions about how a position fits in with your career plans. 

This kind of question will also help the interviewer see if you plan to stay at the company long-term or hope to move on quickly. The employer is looking for candidates who will be a match for the role and the company, and it's important to be as strong a match as possible.

What the Interviewer Wants to Know

The interviewer's primary goal in wanting to know your career aspirations is to determine if you're a good fit for the job. Does the role make sense given your long-term career strategy? Will you stick around in the position for a reasonable amount of time? Are your ambitions reasonable and in line with the company's goals?

To determine whether you’re a good fit, the interviewer could also ask why you're interested in the job or why you want to work at the company.

In order to be able to tell the interviewer what they really want to know, go into the interview armed with whatever research you can find on the company. Once you’ve done an in-depth study, you can better answer the questions. Always be honest, but try to match your interests with the company’s needs.

How to Answer "What Are Your Career Plans and Aspirations?"

An interviewer will almost always ask this question. It's important to come to your interview ready to answer in a way that will make you seem prepared to stay with the company for a reasonable amount of time. You want the interviewer to understand that the job you're interviewing for will help you develop a certain skill set.

After re-reading the job description, see if you can tie some of the functions of the job to any career goals and aspirations you might have. This will strengthen your case in the interviewer’s eyes.

This is not the time to go into any plans you might have for your family, a second job, or a hobby. You don’t want to discuss salary, location, or company history yet either. Place the emphasis on your career for the interviewer. If you don’t know what your career goals and aspirations are yet, focus on your ability to do the job instead.

Examples of the Best Answers

This is your chance to tell the interviewer where you see yourself in the future and how this job will help you achieve your career goals and aspirations.

Here are some sample answers that may help you formulate your own response:

Why It Works: You have a family background and an interest in medicine. You have worked in communications and would like to eventually manage a communications operation in a hospital. Those facts should reassure the interviewer that you are a good fit for the job since you'd be in a position to move up the ladder. Interviewers are often interested in where candidates see themselves five years from now, and this answer would work for that question.

Why It Works: Since you're committed to sales as a career, the interviewer can see that your goals for the future are compatible with the job.

Why It Works: Since you're newly out of graduate school, you're still mapping out your career plans. You have reassured the interviewer that you'd stay with the job for 3-5 years, although you've also stated what you want in your next job. 

Tips for Giving the Best Response

Advance planning: Before you go to an interview, be aware that the interviewer is likely to ask you about your career plans and aspirations. Plan your answer to that question or some variation of that question. If you don’t know, talk about where your strengths lie in your job skills.

Reassure the interviewer: The interviewer doesn’t want to invest the company’s time and resources in you if your career goals are simply to stay in this job for a short time and then move on. You should reassure the interviewer that this job means something to you and that you intend to devote yourself to it.

Competition: Chances are, you aren’t the only one interviewing for this job. Competition is steep in the job market. Before your interview, decide on a personal, unique characteristic that you feel aligns with your possible career path. Emphasize this to the interviewer, and it just might give you an edge over other candidates.

What Not to Say

Avoid specifics: The interview is not the time to inquire about salary, job location, or other very specific information. You're interviewing for a position. Keep the discussion about the job unless the interviewer makes it about something else.

Don’t discuss personal issues: Don’t make your job interview about personal issues. For example, don’t say something like, “I’d like to relocate to Minnesota, where my daughter’s gymnastics coach lives.” Don’t mention caring for your elderly parents or your own health issues.

Don’t say you don’t have any weaknesses: You’re human. Everyone has at least some weaknesses. Don’t be afraid to talk about a weakness or two in your professional life. It’s not going to cost you the job.

Possible Follow-up Questions

• Why are you interested in this job? Best Answers
• Why are you leaving your current job? Best Answers
• Can you work long hours? Best Answers
• More interview questions: Top 10 Interview Questions and Best Answers