Answering “Why Do You Want to Work Here” for College Students
Crafting the perfect response to “Why do you want to work here?” can set college students apart in job interviews. We’ve gathered insights from industry professionals, including a senior media relations specialist and a Chief People Officer, to share their best practices. From showcasing unique value to focusing on future contributions to the company, here are fourteen expert tips to help students make a memorable impression.
- Showcase Your Unique Value
- Demonstrate Skills and Passion Alignment
- Be Authentic and Connect Personally
- Express Interest in Knowledge and Growth Potential
- Articulate Your Vision and Mission Statements
- Share a Personal Connection
- Convey Curiosity and Societal Impact
- Research and Express Genuine Interest
- Highlight Personal Connection to Mission
- Focus on Passion Beyond Pay
- Flip Personal Goals to Company Benefits
- Mirror Interviewer’s Language in Response
- Demonstrate Key Professional Traits
- Focus on Future Contributions to Company
Showcase Your Unique Value
Convince them that they need you and not the other way around. Go in prepared to tell them your value and use proof of that. Start gathering and creating materials that will showcase that.
My go-to response is, “I read that your culture is all about [positive aspect of culture] and that your team does [fun activity related to culture] on Fridays. Sign me up! I thrive in environments where collaboration feels more like hanging out with awesome people (who also happen to be brilliant). Plus, my [your quality that fits the culture] skills would be a perfect addition to the team!”—schmooze them!
Brittany Mobley, Senior Media Relations Specialist, Eastern Michigan University
Demonstrate Skills and Passion Alignment
To nail the “Why do you want to work here?” question, college students need to go beyond generic admiration for the company. The key is demonstrating alignment between their own skills, passions, and the company’s specific mission or projects.
Do your homework: research the company thoroughly, pinpoint a recent initiative they’ve undertaken or a problem they’re solving that sparks genuine excitement in you. Then, connect this to your own aspirations, illustrating how your skills and interests can directly contribute to their goals. This level of research and self-reflection shows engagement and a sincere desire to be part of their team, not just any team.
Jyoti Tewari, Director HR, Webuters Technologies Pvt Ltd
Be Authentic and Connect Personally
Being an entrepreneur myself, I understand how stressful interviews can be—especially when you’re still in college and trying to land that first big gig. But when it comes to the classic “Why do you want to work here?” question, the best advice I can give is to just be real.
Don’t overthink it or try to feed them some rehearsed, buzzword-filled response you think they want to hear. That stuff rarely comes across as genuine. Instead, do your homework on the company beforehand. Dig into their values, their mission, the kind of culture they cultivate. Then, link that back to your own passions and strengths in an authentic way.
For example, if you’re interviewing at a cool tech startup, you could say something like, ‘I’ve been following your company’s work for a while now, and I’m really inspired by your drive to solve complex problems in innovative ways. As someone who loves tackling challenges with creative thinking, I’d be excited to be part of a team like yours that values fresh perspectives.’
The key is showing them you’ve put in the effort to understand what makes their company unique, and how that unique culture meshes with who you genuinely are as a person and professional. Done right, your response will flow naturally and help you stand out as someone who’d be a great fit, not just another college kid looking for any old job.
Zachary Bernard, Founder, We Feature You PR
Express Interest in Knowledge and Growth Potential
As a college professor, I think this is a great question and something I discuss with my students often. The student needs to express genuine interest in the opportunity and lay out the amazing opportunities to learn and grow from being awarded the position for which they have applied.
The college student needs to express genuinely why they want to work at that particular company, beyond financial compensation, and how they will use all the knowledge gained to advance their careers.
Michael Wood, Consultant, Professor, Ottawa Consultants
Articulate Your Vision and Mission Statements
The most powerful answer to this question is stating your vision and mission statements. Your vision is what you want to bring to the world, and it is a big, bold statement. Your mission statement is how you are going to operationalize your vision.
For example, my vision is that “all people have a job they love and earn the money they deserve.” My mission statement is “I am bringing my vision to the world by providing career guidance, innovating new job strategies, and writing books about job search.” If I am asked in an interview why I want the job, I state my vision and my mission and tie it to the critical job requirements of the job. Interviewers are blown away by candidates who have vision and mission statements and can be so specific about why they want a job based on those values.
As a college student, you probably have not defined your vision and mission statements. However, before reading this, were you aware you should have a vision and mission statement? Probably not, because most people don’t, even the most senior executives! So, begin to think of your vision and mission statements as they are today. Those statements can, and very likely will, change throughout your career, so don’t worry about being committed to a set of values now.
Eric Kramer, Career Management Consultant, Active Interviewing
Share a Personal Connection
Candidates can make a meaningful impression by sharing a personal connection to the company and/or their mission. Utilizing a life-experience-based anchor that drives your interest and passion will give the interviewer a more holistic understanding of your motivations and personality.
Aliza Dodge, Consultant, EC1 Partners
Convey Curiosity and Societal Impact
Craft a response that oozes curiosity and detective-like intrigue. Dive deep into the company’s ethos and paint yourself as a seeker of hidden truths within its walls. Show how your unique perspective can unveil untapped potential.
Then, infuse your answer with personal passion for societal impact. Share authentic stories of how your values align with the company’s mission, making it clear that you’re not just here for a job, but to make a meaningful difference. This blend of curiosity and purpose will set you apart and leave a lasting impression on interviewers.
Albert Varkki, Co-Founder, Von Baer
Research and Express Genuine Interest
First and foremost, it’s important to start by applying for roles that genuinely interest you. When you have a genuine interest in the position and the company, you’re more likely to invest the time and effort into thoroughly researching the company and providing an authentic and passionate answer to the question.
To effectively answer this question, it’s crucial to devote time to gaining a comprehensive understanding of what they do and their core mission. Familiarize yourself with their values, products, and services, as well as any recent achievements or initiatives they have undertaken. Furthermore, delve into their company culture, work environment, and reputation within the industry. Immerse yourself in these aspects to gain valuable insights that will help you articulate your “why” in a quick and effective manner during the interview.
Heidi Hauver, Chief People Officer
Highlight Personal Connection to Mission
Tell them how the company’s mission resonates with you personally, perhaps through a story or an experience that highlights why their values matter to you. This shows you’re not just interested in any job, but you’re specifically keen on contributing to what they stand for.
A compelling approach is to highlight a personal connection with the company’s mission or projects. For instance, if applying to a company known for innovation in construction techniques, you might say, “I’ve always been passionate about innovative construction solutions. Your recent project X resonated with me because of its focus on sustainability and efficiency, aligning perfectly with my desire to contribute to impactful, forward-thinking construction projects.” This shows you’ve done your homework and genuinely care about what the company stands for.
Ana Alipat, Recruitment Team Lead, Dayjob Recruitment
Focus on Passion Beyond Pay
Answering this question honestly is important. And while the money you would get for working any job is an important aspect to consider, that probably is not what the interviewer wants to hear. So, saying something truthful about how the job you’re applying for is something you’re passionate about and something you’re excited to learn about is very useful.
Josh Pierce, School Counselor, Kearney Catholic High School
Flip Personal Goals to Company Benefits
In preparing the best response, it’s often most effective to identify what you, as the potential future employee, want to gain out of the work experience. Taking that idea and then flipping it to discuss what you’ll bring to the table and how that will benefit the company will set you up for responding with enthusiasm and genuine interest.
Desiree Smith, Director, Talent Acquisition
Mirror Interviewer’s Language in Response
As someone who’s interviewed dozens of college students, the responses to this question that have always stuck with me mirrored the language I used when describing the position and company.
For example, if I described the position as needing someone who can adapt quickly and wear many hats, a good response to the question “Why do you want to work here?” would be something like, “I’m looking for a fast-paced environment where I can develop my skills through variety, and the opportunity this company gives me to wear many hats is something I’m very interested in.”
It’s likely that this won’t be the first question you’re asked in your interview, so your interviewer often will have already described the position and expectations to you by the point they ask it. So while it’s good to have an answer prepared ahead of time, be flexible enough to incorporate some of the language the interviewer used earlier in the interview to stand out.
Alyssa DiCrasto, Brand Manager, Rate Retriever
Demonstrate Key Professional Traits
As an HR professional, I can tell you that interviewers are always looking for a few things, no matter the position or the industry. Those things are: that you can demonstrate you have initiative and company loyalty; you are solution-oriented and forward-thinking (that means when you have a problem, you attempt to find a solution before bringing the problem to your manager); you have a long list of accomplishments, rather than job tasks, to share during the interview and on your resume; and you can work in a team.
During the entire interview, you should be focusing on these four things. Every answer you give should provide proof that you hold these credentials. This is important because if you can prove you have initiative, are solution-oriented, are goal-oriented (can achieve things), and can work in a team, what happened at your last employer won’t really matter to the prospective employer because you’ll make a good-looking candidate.
Catherine Mattice, Founder/CEO, Civility Partners
Focus on Future Contributions to Company
Hiring managers, by this point, are incredibly tuned into the transient worker. They know that there’s a very high chance that, despite identifying the perfect candidate, three to twelve months from the offer acceptance, the employee could very easily give their notice.
Therefore, any well-crafted “why” response should focus on the future. Not necessarily five years—that in itself could seem disingenuous—but maybe talk about the sweet spot of one to three years. “I can see the current growth and can’t wait to see where the company can get to in two years, and how I can contribute.” Obviously, tailor it to the situation and what you actually think you’ll add to the company.
Jeremy Ames, Leader, Workplace Technology
