Answering the question, “What do you hope to learn from this?”
During an interview for your first job or internship, the hiring manager may ask you questions to find out why you want the job. Preparing ahead of time for questions like “What do you hope to get out of this experience?” can help you evaluate your professional goals and talk about them with confidence. “What do you hope to learn from this?”
In this article, we talk about why employers ask what you want out of a new job and how you can answer this question with confidence.
Why do employers ask, “What do you hope to get out of this?”
A potential employer may ask you what you want from an entry-level job or internship to help you stand out from other candidates. Your answers can help the interviewer decide if you and the company are a good fit, so you can learn and get experience on the job.
When you’re looking for your first job, whether it’s a permanent position or an internship, your answers to interview questions can sometimes tell you more about your career prospects than your resume. If you don’t have any work experience, the interviewer may ask about your career goals, both for the job you’re applying for and in the long run. When your goals match the job and the company’s mission statement, you are probably a better candidate.
When you talk about what you hope to get out of the job, the interviewer is likely to judge your poise and confidence as well as what you have to say.
How to answer the question, “What do you want to learn from this?”
During your interview with a possible employer, the hiring manager will try to figure out what you want from the job and what you hope to get out of it. Here are some things you can do to make sure your answer helps you explain yourself clearly:
1.Tell me what first interested you in the job.
When you show the hiring manager that you know a lot about the job and what it entails, it shows that you took the time to apply and learn as much as you could before the interview. Use the exact words from the job description and talk about what about the job interested or excited you.
2. Tell people what gets you going.
You could say why you think this job at this company could help you improve certain skills or is a good example of the kind of work environment you like. For example, if you are interviewing for a job at a social media marketing firm, you could talk about what you like about the company’s social media strategy and why you think you can learn from it. You could also talk about managers or employees who have won awards you respect. You could also talk about how the company’s mission statement and culture match your own values.
3. Talk about how the job fits in with your career goals.
You can show that you are excited and willing to work hard by talking about your career goals and why you want to be successful. If you’re applying for a job while you’re still in school or right after you graduate, you could talk about classes or professors who inspired you or pointed you in a certain direction, and how that fits in with the work you think this company does.
4. Answer with real answers that are based on facts.
Even though it’s important to seem excited and motivated, you should focus on goals that you can reach in the time you have for the internship or in the real world at an entry-level job. For example, you can show the hiring manager that you can set goals that are attainable by saying, “I want to know how this job will help me grow as a person and as a worker. I can’t wait to work with other people to improve my ability to work with others and get an idea of where I want to go with my career.”
When you answer this question, it can also help to talk about how willing you are to learn and grow as a professional. Even if you haven’t worked much yet, you can still show the hiring manager how hard you work by talking about it.
Examples
When answering this question in an interview, here are some things to think about:
Example 1
“As I thought about where to apply for an internship, I talked to some former interns through my college’s guidance office. Out of the five interns I talked to, the ones who worked at your company were the only ones who only had good things to say and felt like they learned the most from the people who trained them. I hope to get the same kind of training and learn more about how things work in this field.”
Example 2
“Since I lived in Mexico for two years, I can speak Spanish very well. I wanted to work for your company because it does business in South and Central America, and I’d like to learn more about how it does business in other places. I want to work in international business, and I think your company is a good example of how to do it in an honest and long-term successful way.”
Example 3
“During school, I did an internship at a big company. I learned a lot about how a business runs, but most of what I did was in one department and didn’t apply to other parts of the business. A former employee told me how much she liked learning about all the different parts that make a small business work. I think I would do well in that kind of work environment because I am flexible and willing to help. I’m willing to do whatever needs to be done.”
Example 4
“I’ve learned that one of the most important skills to have in human resources is the ability to solve problems. When I was in college, I went to one of the seminars that your company put on to teach effective ways to manage and step in, and I really liked learning about how you do things. I want to improve my skills and get ready for a career in human resources by working with the people who made that course.”
