How to Answer Where Do You See Yourself In 5 Years + Sample Answers
Some interview questions are designed to send candidates into meltdown. One of them is Where do you see yourself in 5 years? It’s one of the most asked questions during job interviews.
I’m sure you have heard this question at least once in your life. In this article, we will discuss how to answer where do you see yourself in 5 years and the importance of this question.
Why this question?
Loyalty has always been a major concern for employers. Every hiring manager is tasked with just one job “Finding the right hire for the company”. For a company, the right hire is someone motivated, focused, has clear goals, and is willing to stay for a longer period with the company.
With this question, the hiring manager is trying to gain a better understanding of your future goals, your thought process, and if your goals align with the company’s plans. They also try to judge a few things, including whether you have a good sense of where the position might lead you in the future.
The interview question “Where will you be in five years” not just gives an insight into your career objectives but your commitment towards achieving those objectives.
Most importantly this question helps them to learn if you’d stick around for a minimum of 5 years with the company
The interviewer might ask the same interview question in a completely different way. For example,
- What are your future plans
- What are your long term goals
- Why do you wish to join us
- how do you plan to achieve your goals
- what are your goals for the next five years
- What are your career plans, etc?
When hiring managers ask these questions, they want to know what motivates you to succeed.
What if I do not have a 5 year plan?
It’s okay to not have a clear picture of where you want to be in five years, not all of us are planners. but you should at least outline your goals and objectives for yourself.
If you have no idea about the hierarchy of the role you’re applying for, or you are clueless about your career plan, employers may be reluctant to hire you because eventually, you will lose interest in the job.
Read on to learn more about the question and how to answer this job interview question.
How to answer where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Answering, where do you see yourself in 5 years also helps them understand if you enjoy your job role and if you are willing to put extra effort into learning the required skills to grow further.
Even if you don’t think much about the future, it’s still a good idea to think about it, because you might be asked about it during a job interview. It is important to be careful how you react, as you need to tailor your response to the job you are interviewing for.
If you have a clear idea of the path you want to take in your career, your answers will tell you what you enjoy and what is best for you.
They don’t need to always ask this question. Nevertheless, you must find an opportunity to show your potential to your employer.
If they don’t ask you, raise this question yourself during the interview and show them how serious, committed, and well organized you are when it comes to making career decisions.
Remember to back your answer with an apt example where you had planned to achieve a long-term goal and how hard you worked to achieve it.
Tell them how this job opportunity is one of the most important milestones in your career.
Remember to align your answer with the company’s goals and vision, your answer must help the employer see a clear picture of your future path, long-term career goals, and how it will help you to achieve them.
Read all you can about the employer before you appear for the interview, especially about the vision, milestones, and mission goals, and find out how they correspond to your long-term goals.
For example, if you are applying for an entry-level accounting job, you might want to work your way up to the management role in the next few years. You must eventually see yourself as the Account Manager, you show your interviewer what you see as your growth potential and how you can grow so that you can be reasonably supported. If you find your career plan a little more complicated, ask the interviewer “Where do we see ourselves in 5 years” time, “in a way that conveys your enthusiasm for the work and impresses your interviewers.
Conversely, it can leave your application in a heap if you give the impression that your job is a stepping stone to something better.
When an interviewer asks you, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” It’s time to show you your skills and potential. For example, if you need to take on more leadership responsibilities in your position, discuss how you think the requirements of this position will help achieve your goals of transition to a more complex leadership role.
Additionally, don’t forget to check if the desired position is available with the company or not.
How to prepare for “where do you see yourself in 5 years”
I strongly recommend that you prepare well for the job interview in advance. This ensures that you have a well-curated answer for every question that will be asked during the job interview. Follow the below-mentioned steps to prepare for where do you see yourself in 5 years
- Plan your future: I often meet job seekers with unclear career goals. Most of the job seekers do not have a 5 year or a 10 year plan. Take some time to figure out your career goals. An unplanned career usually ends up in a bad situation. Check for a few things before you commit to a career plan. Check if you are really interested in the industry and the job. What are the prospects of the job role in terms of money and stability? Can this job role keep you excited in the long run? Or do you want to pursue a different career after some time?
Your answer to these questions will help you plan for the future and come up with well-thought-out answers for the job interview.
- Check for relevancy between your career plans and the job opening: Employers do not like to be treated as a stepping stone. Your answer to this question might land your job application in a dustbin. The next step to prepare for this question is to find the relation between the job role and your career plans. Check if the position aligns with your career plan.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years example answers.
Here are a few sample answers to prepare you for where do you see yourself in 5 years.
Sample answer 1: ‘In five years, I see myself managing a large portfolio of clients and using my skills to generate 10x revenue for the company. I plan to obtain a management degree in marketing and finance in the next two years to sharpen my business management skills. Also, it has come to my notice that your company offers additional certification and training opportunities in sales and business development. With the provided resources and learnings the company provides, I believe that I can eventually move into a management position within the organization in the next 5 years.
Sample answer 2: ‘My ultimate goal for the next five years is to become one of the most valued assets for the company. I plan to master my skills and advance into a more complex project management role. I am keenly interested in your ongoing projects and innovation in the solar sector. and I truly believe that your company has a great future ahead. I’m willing to put in everything to learn from you and other colleagues in the company and grow within this position. ‘
Sample answer 3: Branding and marketing have always been my first love. I was always fascinated by how some brands manage to become household names. Being a fresher in marketing, my next five-year plan is to learn the tricks of the trade and acquire the required skills, and lead branding and marketing campaigns for my clients. I’m excited about the opportunities this company has to offer in terms of learning. I believe these learnings will allow me to grow and fulfill my dreams.
