How to answer "Why do you want this job?"

Northern Ireland's government advice says the employer wants to know whether you will take the job and stay. If you sound unsure, that counts against you.

Victoria's Youth Central adds a point. They aren't asking why you're looking for work. They want to know you've thought about what you can bring.

1. The work. What about the tasks appeals to you, and why. Be specific.
2. The employer. One or two facts from your research, and why they matter to you.
3. The fit. The skills or experience you'd bring to this job.

To find the facts, read the employer's website and its "about us" pages. The National Careers Service suggests looking at their products, services and values.

CareerOneStop's practice questions suggest naming what you value about the company. That could be its mission, culture, projects or reputation.

New Zealand's Tahatū gives the same advice: use your research about the job and the organisation.

The third reason, the fit, is stronger with proof. A short story from your work does that.

Use the STAR method, as England's National Careers Service sets it out. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result:

• Situation: where you were and what was going on, in a line or two.
• Task: what you had to do, or the problem to solve.
• Action: what you did, step by step. This is most of the answer, so say "I", not "we".
• Result: what changed, with a number if you can, and what you learned.

Aim for about 90 seconds out loud. Keep it short and to the point, and be ready for follow-up questions about it.

Here, keep the situation and task to a line each. Then give your actions and the result.

• Saying you need the money. Youth Central says never to answer "Because I need the money."
• Praising the company in words that would fit any employer.
• Talking only about what you'd get, such as training or pay, and not what you'd give.
• Getting a fact wrong. Check names, numbers and dates before the interview.
• Sounding unsure, or as if this job is just a stop on the way to another.

Use the ad's own words for the work. If it says "help customers choose the right plan", say what you enjoy about helping people choose.

Then tie one fact about the employer to the job. For example, a new service the team will run, or a value the ad mentions.

Our guide on what you know about the employer shows where to find those facts.

Here is a made-up answer from someone moving from retail into a library. The STAR rows show her reasons, then the proof behind them.

Lena gives three reasons: the work, a fact from her research, and her fit. Each has proof, and she ends by saying she'd like to stay.

Written by Seal the Offer from these pages, last checked on 1 November 2026. Rules change, so check the employer's own page and the job ad before you apply.

• Common interview questions · nidirect, Northern Ireland Government
• Answering interview questions · Youth Central, Victorian Government (Australia)
• How to answer common interview questions · National Careers Service (England)
• Practice interview questions · CareerOneStop, US Department of Labor
• Tips for interviews · Tahatū, Tertiary Education Commission (NZ)
• The STAR method · National Careers Service (England)