Interview Question: "What Are You Looking For in Your Next Role?"

It's common for hiring managers to ask open-ended questions during job interviews so they can better understand your character, knowledge and capabilities. So it's likely that a hiring manager might ask what you're looking for in an upcoming role to determine whether your goals align with the position you're pursuing. Preparing for this question can help you develop an impactful answer that makes a positive impression. In this article, we discuss why employers ask what you're looking for in your next role and offer advice on how you can answer this question.

Why employers ask what you're looking for in your next role

There are several reasons a hiring manager may ask what you're looking for in your next role. A common reason an interviewer may ask this during an interview is so an employer can decide if your interests and long-term career goals align with the position you are pursuing and with their company's values. Here are a few additional reasons a hiring manager may ask you this question:

Ambition and motivation

A hiring manager may ask you this question to understand your ambition and motivation toward your next job. This allows employers to unveil what attracts you to the role and how much you value the position. There are two primary categories of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Employers often look to hire candidates who have intrinsic motivation because they often put forward the most effort when performing their professional duties. Related: What Is a Lack of Ambition and How To Overcome It

Character

Hiring managers are often concerned with how well a candidate's character matches the values of a company. By asking this question, employers can determine whether your personality is compatible with their establishment's company culture. To ensure your answer attracts an employer, research the values of the company you are applying to and try to incorporate them into your response. Related: 8 Good Character Traits You Can Use at Work

Employee retention

Hiring a new employee is often an investment for companies because of onboarding processes, such as training and ordering resources. Employers can ask what you are looking for in your next role to understand whether you intend on fulfilling this role in the long run. Unless the occupation you are pursuing is a temporary position, hiring managers may avoid candidates who do not have long-term objectives relating to the role. Related: What Is Employee Retention? Benefits, Causes and Strategies

Answering: What are you looking for in your next role?

Your answer to this question can offer an excellent opportunity to show how you may fit the role. To help you construct an effective response, discover the following steps:

1. Lead with your skills

Communicating that you have the right skills for a particular occupation is key to ensuring you appeal to an employer. Mentioning your existing skill set and explaining that you are seeking a job where you can perform and develop your professional skills reinforces your ability to fulfill the role you are applying for successfully. You can then use the STAR interview method to answer relating your experiences in collaboration or problem-solving for example.

2. Highlight your long-term career goals

Once you detail your skills, you can lead to your long-term career goals by highlighting how the role can facilitate your professional development. Hiring managers often gravitate toward candidates who express how they intend to grow alongside a company. This can show that you intend to stick with the company whether your new role is entry-level, or you’re pursuing a more intermediate or advanced-level role at your new job. Related: Setting Goals To Improve Your Career

3. Relate back to the company's values

While this question focuses on your career, it's often good to acknowledge the establishment you are applying to. To ensure your response resonates with the company, review the organization's values and connect them to your answer. For instance, you can mention how their values might enable you to develop in the future.

Example answers to describe what you are looking for in your next role

Regardless of the occupation you are applying for, there is a likelihood that a hiring manager could ask about what you are looking for in your next role during your interview. Reviewing exemplary responses to this common interview question can help you further understand how to answer in your job search. You can browse and compare the following examples to discover how candidates applying for different job roles might answer the common question.

Restaurant server example answer

You can refer to this example for a hospitality occupation: I have worked in hospitality for several years and developed many useful skills, including time management, customer service and food handling. I wish to fulfill this role using my existing skill set while further progressing my abilities with your company. I am confident that your company culture aligns with my passion for a positive work environment and desire for harmonious teamwork, which could enable me to thrive as a restaurant server in your restaurant. While I am enthusiastic about being a restaurant server, I have long-term ambitions to become a restaurant manager. I firmly believe that your establishment can help me advance professionally, so I can broaden my knowledge of restaurant management and perfect my leadership skills, ultimately becoming a manager at your restaurant in the future. Related: Food Server Interview Questions (With Sample Answers)

Registered nurse

You can refer to this example for a medical occupation: There is nothing more rewarding to me than using my medical skills to help patients. I wish to use my nursing skills at your facility to further help people recover from illness. While I can independently provide medical attention to patients, I thoroughly enjoy working with a team who shares the same passions as myself. Given the work ethic at your hospital, I am certain my passions can align with your existing team. Although I enjoy being a registered nurse, I hope to further develop my skills and qualifications in the future by becoming a nurse practitioner, so I may help more people. I believe your hospital can enable me to prosper and expand my professional medical abilities, making my long-term goals a reality. Related: Top 20 Nursing Interview Questions (With Sample Answers)

Project manager

You can refer to this example for a management occupation: My strong leadership abilities and exemplary time management have enabled me to perform my duties as a project manager over the last five years. The main component that makes me enjoy being a project manager is the ability to work with a dedicated team. Because your company has a strong workforce of like-minded professionals, I am confident that I can effectively manage and lead projects at your organization, while having an enjoyable time doing so. Despite my passion for being a project manager, I hope to apply and develop my skills to assist with more complex projects in the future by becoming a senior project manager. Given my interests and ambitions, I believe that I can one day successfully fulfill this role at your company.