Page 130 - How To Answer Interview Questions (II)

Job Interview Question 66

What are your long-term career goals?

The best answer to this really does depend on the company you’re interviewing with—is it a flat
company or a structured company? Some companies want you to be planning ahead, and others don’t
have anywhere for you to go—so they will be threatened if you aggressively talk about advancement,
promotions, etc.

Either way, don’t give the impression that your entire focus is on getting to the CEO’s seat, and
don’t give the impression that your long-term goal is completely different from this job. Both imply
that you may not give your best work because your focus won’t be here.

Keep your answer general: “It’s difficult to predict exactly where I’ll want to be long-term, but I
know I want to continue to learn and develop my skills and achieve in this field. I am good at what I
do, and that is rewarding. I know that as I grow more, I’ll want to move into roles of greater
responsibility, whether that’s added responsibility in this position or in a higher-level position down
the line.”