1/17/2021 Job Interview Question: Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years? Plus Sample Answers! - Job-Hunt.
org
(/)
For a Shorter, Smarter Job Search
Home (/) / Online Job Search Guides (/online-job-search-guide.shtml)
/ Guide to Successful Interviews (/job_interviews/job-interviewing.shtml)
/ Smart Answers to Interview Questions (/job_interviews/smart-interview-answers.shtml)
Tweet Share 45 Share
Job Interview Question: Where Do You See Yourself
in Five Years? (Plus Sample Answers!)
By Beth Colley
Preparing for this question is a very good exercise in figuring
out what you enjoy doing, what is meaningful to you, and --
really -- what you actually want to be doing in five years.
Take the time to think about how much you enjoy what you are
doing (or not).
What do you want to be doing next? Is this job with this
employer actually what you want next?
x
Having a good answer to this question could help you focus your job search, in addition to
providing a good answer to a common job interview question.
[MORE: Read Smart Answers to Interview Questions (/recruiters/smart-job-interview-answers.shtml)
for advice from a recruiter.]
x
This website uses cookies to give you the best
experience and to analyze site traffic. By
continuing to use our website, you consent to
the use of these cookies.
Continue Learn more
(/privacypolicy.shtml)
https://job-hunt.org/job_interviews/answering-see-yourself-5-years.shtml 1/11
1/17/2021 Job Interview Question: Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years? Plus Sample Answers! - Job-Hunt.org
Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years? x
Most job seekers jump into this question without truly having set any personal career goals.
Developing your answer to this question can help you get more purposeful about the direction of
your career. View this question as an opportunity for you to do a bit of career planning as well as
answering the question.
Considering the average length of time people stay with a company or in a job is 4.6 years,
according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it seems a little silly that employers will still ask this
question. However, a bad answer to this question can derail an opportunity for you.
Avoid Giving a Non-Answer
Keep your answer somewhat general since a lot can happen in 5 years, but don't be too vauge
since a non-answer will make you look like you don't take your career -- or your job -- very seriously.
And, very few employers will be interested in you then.
A common mistake is trying to name a specific position that may or may not exist in the company,
like "I hope to be promoted to an executive assistant position within 5 years." If that job doesn't
exist, you could look out-of-touch or uninformed.
On the other hand, a vague response such as, "I would hope to be able to progress into a senior
level position," could backfire if the position doesn't offer any advancement. And a flippant response,
like "I'd like to have your job," could be a complete disaster.
Taking the time to provide a thoughtful answer will ultimately be helpful both to you and to x
the employer.
What the Employer Is Trying to Discover
Before answering this question, it is helpful to understand that the interviewer is looking for five
primary things in your answer:
1. Do you have a solid grasp of the position and what it entails?
2. Do you have the right attitude?
3. Are you going to be dependable?
4. Are you a good cultural and social fit for the organization?
x
5. How
This areuses
website you going
cookies to use
to give your
you the strengths to achieve success in this job?
best
experience and to analyze site traffic. By
continuing to use our website, you consent to
Qualifications andofexperience
the use these cookies. being somewhat equal among candidates, the decision maker(s)
wants the candidate
Continue who is more
Learn the best fit culturally. The candidate who takes time to prepare a list of
(/privacypolicy.shtml)
personal goals in advance of the interview will be able to communicate his/her strengths and
https://job-hunt.org/job_interviews/answering-see-yourself-5-years.shtml 2/11
1/17/2021 Job Interview Question: Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years? Plus Sample Answers! - Job-Hunt.org
potential fit best. x
How to Prepare Your Answer
Try using these three strategies to prepare for this question in advance, as well as examine your
own personal career goals.
1. Focus on what you are grateful for regarding this position.
Consider the personal feelings that swell up inside you as you consider working in this job and for
this employer.
Will you have more of a work-life balance?
Will your commute be easier?
Does it seem like the kind of environment where you can leverage your strengths and be
valued?
Will you have a greater opportunity to learn new things?
Will your value in the job market increase?
Take time to name your feelings and strengths, and write out how an employer could make you feel
valued.
2. Think about how you would like to spend your day and the kind of actions youx
will be performing.
Don't focus on the specific job duties. Instead think about how you will interact with your co-workers,
customers, and anyone else who crosses your path.
How would you like to feel at the end of your workday?
What new skills or information will you learn?
What do you see yourself doing in this job that is different from your current or previous jobs?
Take a moment to write down those thoughts and think about what it would feel like to love your job
and the company where you work.
x
3. Try setting some goals as you visualize yourself in this new position.
This website uses cookies to give you the best
Even experience and specifically
if you can't to analyze site traffic.
determineBy where you see yourself five years from now, consider:
continuing to use our website, you consent to
the use of these cookies.
What Continue
possibilitiesLearn
seem to develop for you by having this job?
more
(/privacypolicy.shtml)
https://job-hunt.org/job_interviews/answering-see-yourself-5-years.shtml 3/11
1/17/2021 Job Interview Question: Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years? Plus Sample Answers! - Job-Hunt.org
What seems new? x
How would things be different for you?
Take a moment to focus on your personal and professional values, write them down, and formulate
a response to a modified version of this question such as "What is going to be important to you in
your career in five years?" or "How would you like to see your life/career differently in five years?"
4. Research the employer to see what options might be available to you there.
Go to the employer's website to see if you can explore a "Careers" section which describes the
organization or, at least, lists their job openings. Worst case, check out their job postings on a job
board or Indeed.
Do they have numerous jobs open?
Can you see a progression in the job titles and job descriptions, like: Assistant Branch
Manager, Branch Manager, Senior Branch Manager, Regional Branch Manager, etc.
Do you see other parts of the organization that look interesting to you? Maybe you are
interviewing for an administrative job, but the sales jobs look interesting.
Don't make the mistake of mentioning an option that's not available with this employer. You will
impress them when you share that you have actually learned about the organization enough to
mention specific job titles and parts of their organization.
Develop Your Answer x
As This
youwebsite
develop usessome
cookiespersonal
to give you career
the best goals as well as a strategy about how you want to achieve
experience and to analyze site traffic. By
those goals toplus
continuing understanding
use our of the
website, you consent to employer's organization, you're now in a better position to be
the use of these cookies.
able to answer the question, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" without saying something
that doesn'tContinue Learn more
sound believable.
(/privacypolicy.shtml)
https://job-hunt.org/job_interviews/answering-see-yourself-5-years.shtml 4/11
1/17/2021 Job Interview Question: Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years? Plus Sample Answers! - Job-Hunt.org
Better yet, you won't blurt out something that will completely turn the interviewer off. x
Hopefully, the more you really think about your career in this manner and take time to visualize how
things could improve for you personally and professionally, the clearer things may become -- both
for your career as well as for this interview.
Don't worry about making your answer 10 minutes long. A short, simple answer may be the best
one.
Sample Answers
Entry Level Job
For an entry-level job in a bank which has a formal job structure including several progressive levels
of the job you are interviewing for --
My hope is to learn as much as possible about banks and banking services. My short-term goal
is to become an excellent cashier and then, possibly move on to jobs with more responsibility in
the bank as I gain experience and knowledge about banking. Longer-term, my goal is to
become a supervisor, possibly in customer service, loan processing, or another aspect of
banking. My hope is that this is the beginning of a long career working for this bank, which
progresses logically.
Mid-Level Senior Job
For a more senior position in a company with a less clear organizational structure --
x
My long term goal is to grow professionally, eventually to have the role of go-to person for
questions on topics like content marketing for nonprofits and online reputation management for
nonprofits. I want to be viewed as a top performer, an expert who is a key contributor inside the
organization.
Career Changer
When you are changing careers, you can tie your "old" expertise to the new job --
I see myself growing in my understanding of social media marketing to the point where I can
take on additional responsibilities and tasks, leveraging my knowledge of more traditional
marketing. Once I gain the experience, I would like to progress to the point where I am
managing the social media marketing for specific clients.
x
This website uses cookies to give you the best
Bottom Line
experience and to analyze site traffic. By
continuing to use our website, you consent to
By focusingthe
onuseyour personal
of these cookies.and professional values, you will be able to formulate a believable
response that will give Learn
Continue the interviewer
more a positive impression of your strengths, attitude,
(/privacypolicy.shtml)
dependability, and potential for success.
https://job-hunt.org/job_interviews/answering-see-yourself-5-years.shtml 5/11
1/17/2021 Job Interview Question: Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years? Plus Sample Answers! - Job-Hunt.org
Answering the Common Job Interview Questions: x
Questions About You: (/job_interviews/answering-when-can-you-start.shtml)
What Is Your Greatest Achievement or Accomplishment? (/job_interviews/answering-
greatest-accomplishment-question.shtml)
Tell Me/Us About Yourself (/job_interviews/answering-tell-me-about-yourself-question.shtml)
Why Should We Hire You? (/job_interviews/answering-why-should-we-hire-you.shtml)
What Do You Want? (/job-search-mindset/what-do-you-want.shtml)
Why Do You Want THIS Job? (/job_interviews/answering-why-do-you-want-this-job.shtml)
What Is Your Greatest Weakness? (/job_interviews/answering-weaknesses-question.shtml)
What Is Your Greatest Strength? (/job_interviews/answering-strength-question.shtml)
Why Do You Want to Leave Your Current Job? (/job_interviews/answering-why-leaving-
current-job.shtml)
What Is Your Current Salary? (/job_interviews/answering-salary-question.shtml)
What Are Your Salary Expectations? (/job_interviews/answering-salary-expectation-
question.shtml)
(/job_interviews/answering-why-do-you-want-this-job.shtml)When Can You Start?
(/job_interviews/answering-when-can-you-start.shtml)
Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years? (/job_interviews/answering-see-yourself-5-
years.shtml) x
Smart Strategies to Answer to Behavioral Interview Questions (/job_interviews/smart-
behavioral-interview-answers.shtml)
Tell Me About a Time When You Failed (/job_interviews/answering-behavioral-failure-
question.shtml)
Tell Me About a Time When You Were Successful (/job_interviews/answering-
behavioral-successful-question.shtml)
Tell Me About a Time When You Motivated Someone (/job_interviews/answering-
behavioral-motivate-someone-question.shtml)
Tell Me About a Time When You Convinced Your Boss (/job_interviews/answering-
behavioral-convincing-boss-question.shtml)
x
This website uses cookies to give you the best
experience and to analyze site traffic. By
Handling
continuing Special Career
to use our website, Situations:
you consent to
the use of these cookies.
Why Did You Quit Your Last Job (/job_interviews/answering-why-you-left-quit.shtml)
Continue Learn more
(/privacypolicy.shtml)
https://job-hunt.org/job_interviews/answering-see-yourself-5-years.shtml 6/11
1/17/2021 Job Interview Question: Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years? Plus Sample Answers! - Job-Hunt.org
After a Layoff: Why Did You Leave Your Job? (/job_interviews/answering-why-you-left-laid- x
off.shtml)
After Being Fired: Why Did You Leave Your Job? (/job_interviews/answering-why-you-left-
fired.shtml)
Explain Your Gap in Employment (/job_interviews/answering-employment-gap-
question.shtml)
Questions About Them:
What Do You Know About Us? (/job_interviews/answering-what-do-you-know-about-us.shtml)
How Did You Find This Job? (/job_interviews/answering-how-job-found-question.shtml)
Why Do You Want to Work Here? (/job_interviews/answering-why-work-here-question.shtml)
Questions for You to Ask Them:
Do You Have Any Questions? (/onlinejobsearchguide/article_job_interview_questions.shtml) --
choose from 50+ good questions to ask them
5 Absolute Must-Ask Questions for the End of Your Next Interview (/job_interviews/must-ask-
interview-questions.shtml)
The Second Interview: 5 Key Questions to Ask (/job_interviews/second-interview-
questions.shtml)
45 Questions You Should NOT to Ask in Job Interviews (/job_interviews/avoid-asking-bad-
questions.shtml) x
Interview Preparation:
3 Steps to Interview Success: Build Your Interview Checklist (/recruiters/job-interview-
success.shtml)
The Winning Difference: Pre-Interview Preparation (/job_interviews/pre-interview-
preparation.shtml)
x
This website uses cookies to give you the best
experience and to analyze site traffic. By
continuing to use our website, you consent to
the use of these cookies.
Continue Learn more
(/privacypolicy.shtml)
https://job-hunt.org/job_interviews/answering-see-yourself-5-years.shtml 7/11
1/17/2021 Job Interview Question: Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years? Plus Sample Answers! - Job-Hunt.org
Tweet Share 45 Share
About the author...
Beth Colley CEO/owner of Chesapeake Career Management Services (http://www.chescareer.com/)
has guided over 1,200 job seekers to career success since joining the careers industry in January of
2000. She is a Certified Master Resume Writer, a Certified Career Management Coach, and a
Certified Brain Based Success Coach and an active member of Career Directors International, The
National Resume Writers Association, and Career Thought Leaders.
x
The Job-Hunt Intelligence, Weekly Newsletter
This website uses cookies to give you the best
experience and to analyze siteYour
traffic.Name
By
continuing to use our website, you consent to
the use of these cookies.
Your Email
Continue Learn more
(/privacypolicy.shtml) Subscribe
https://job-hunt.org/job_interviews/answering-see-yourself-5-years.shtml 8/11
1/17/2021 Job Interview Question: Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years? Plus Sample Answers! - Job-Hunt.org
We will never send spam or sell your information to anyone, and you can unsubscribe (http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?
x
zJzs7GxMzLRsDBysHBys7LRGtMys7BwMzGys) at any time. Read the Job-Hunt Privacy Policy (/privacypolicy.shtml) for
more information.
Guide to the Most Common Interview Questions (with Sample Answers)
Smart Answers to 21 Interview Questions (/job_interviews/smart-interview-answers.shtml)
Answering: Why Do You Want to Leave Your Current Job? (/job_interviews/answering-why-
leaving-current-job.shtml)
Answering: Tell Me About Yourself (/job_interviews/answering-tell-me-about-yourself-
question.shtml)
Answering: What's Your Greatest Weakness? (/job_interviews/answering-weaknesses-
question.shtml)
Answering: Why Do You Want to Work Here? (/job_interviews/answering-why-work-here-
question.shtml)
Answering: Why Should We Hire You? (/job_interviews/answering-why-should-we-hire-
you.shtml)
Answering: Why Do You Want This Job? (/job_interviews/answering-why-do-you-want-this-
job.shtml)
More... (/job_interviews/smart-interview-answers.shtml)
Smart Strategies to Answer to Behavioral Interview Questions (/job_interviews/smart-
behavioral-interview-answers.shtml)
Answering: Tell Me About a Time When You Failed (/job_interviews/answering-behavioral-
failure-question.shtml)
More... (/job_interviews/smart-behavioral-interview-answers.shtml)
x
How to Succeed in Coronavirus Job Interviews (/job_interviews/pandemic-job-
This website uses cookies to give you the best
interviews.shtml) (/job_interviews/pandemic-job-interviews.shtml)
experience and to analyze site traffic. By
continuing to use our website, you consent to
the use of these cookies.
Answering Job Interview Questions in a Coronavirus Pandemic World
Continue Learn more
(/job_interviews/pandemic-interview-questions.shtml)
(/privacypolicy.shtml)
https://job-hunt.org/job_interviews/answering-see-yourself-5-years.shtml 9/11
1/17/2021 Job Interview Question: Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years? Plus Sample Answers! - Job-Hunt.org
Questions to Ask Employers in Coronavirus Pandemic Job Interviews x
(/job_interviews/pandemic-interview-questions-ask.shtml)
How to Ace Your Video Interview (/job_interviews/handling-video-interviews.shtml)
12 Keys to One-Way Video Interview Success (/job_interviews/handling-one-way-video-
interviews.shtml)
A Top Recruiter's 9 Secrets for Nailing Your Phone Interview (/recruiters/ace-phone-
interviews.shtml)
How to Succeed in Your Phone Interviews (a.k.a. Phone Screens)
(/job_interviews/telephone-interviews.shtml)
Guide to Successful Interviews (/job_interviews/job-interviewing.shtml)
How to Smartly Accept Emailed Interview Invitations (/job_interviews/accepting-interview-
invitation.shtml)
After the Interview: Thank You Note Email (/job_interviews/sample-interview-thank-you-
email.shtml)
Interview Success Secret: Smart Listening! (/job_interviews/smart-interview-listening.shtml)
Hot Job Interview Trends for 2020: What the Experts Say (/job_interviews/hot-job-interview-
trends.shtml)
Winning the Interview with a Younger Hiring Manager (/job_interviews/younger-hiring-
manager.shtml)
Beat Interview Anxiety and Get MORE Job Offers (/job_interviews/beat-interview-
anxiety.shtml)
3 Steps to Interview Success: Build Your Interview Checklist (/recruiters/job-interview-
success.shtml)
Beat Interview Anxiety and Get MORE Job Offers (/job_interviews/beat-interview-
anxiety.shtml)
After Your Interview, What Employers x Talk About Behind Closed Doors
(/job_interviews/behind-closed-doors.shtml)
This website uses cookies to give you the best
experience and to analyze site traffic. By
continuing to use our website, you consent to
the use of these cookies.
Guide toContinue
Writing Thank Learn more
You Notes After an Interview (/job_interviews/job-interview-thank-
(/privacypolicy.shtml)
you.shtml) - with samples
https://job-hunt.org/job_interviews/answering-see-yourself-5-years.shtml 10/11
1/17/2021 Job Interview Question: Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years? Plus Sample Answers! - Job-Hunt.org
x
Free eBook - Successful Job Interviews (/guides/Job-Hunt-successful-job-interviewing.pdf)
(written by a recruiter)
Find Jobs in all states (http://www.careercast.com/)
Jobs across the state - not available elsewhere on the Web. Only here.
CareerCast.com (http://www.careercast.com/)
Over 50? Want work? (http://www.seniorjobbank.org/)
Real employers who value your experience are looking for you here.
SeniorJobBank.org (http://www.seniorjobbank.org/)
About and Contact (/about.html) | Privacy (/privacypolicy.shtml)
© Copyright NETability, Inc. 1998 - 2021. All rights reserved.
x
This website uses cookies to give you the best
experience and to analyze site traffic. By
continuing to use our website, you consent to
the use of these cookies.
Continue Learn more
(/privacypolicy.shtml)
https://job-hunt.org/job_interviews/answering-see-yourself-5-years.shtml 11/11
