During an interview, people often ask, “Why do you want to be an industrial engineer?”
A big part of getting a job as an industrial engineer is going on interviews. During an interview, an employer might ask an industrial engineer, “Why do you want to be an industrial engineer?” If you are thinking about applying for this type of job or already have an interview scheduled, you may want to learn how to answer this question about why you are interested in industrial engineering. In this article, we talk about why employers ask this question during interviews, give steps and tips for planning your answer, and show you examples of answers.
Employers often ask, “Why do you want to become an industrial engineer?”
Employers often ask this question during interviews to find out more about your interests, goals, or questions about a job in industrial engineering. This could show the interviewer what you like about the job and how working for the company could help you follow your interests. Curiosity can also show employers that you want to learn more about the job and how to deal with problems at work. If you answer this question carefully, it could show that you are paying attention and are ready for the interview.
How to answer “Why do you want to be an industrial engineer?”
Here are three steps to help you answer this question in writing:
1. Find out about the business and what it does.
You might want to learn more about the company and the field of industrial engineering before your interview. You can find out how the company does business and what it’s like to work there by looking into it. If you learn more about the field of industrial engineering, you might find out about its missions, values, or goals. Then you can use what you’ve learned about your company and the industry as part of your answer. For example, you could say that your research shows that your work values are similar to those of the company.
2. Decide what you want to do for a living.
Think about where you want to go as an industrial engineer and what you want to accomplish. Then you can talk about how the job might help you reach these goals. Telling the interviewer about your goals can show how determined you are to do well and help them decide if you would be a good fit for the company. For example, if you’re interviewing with a company whose goal is to keep making high-quality products, you could talk about how your desire to move up the ranks by doing good work motivates you to help the company make good products.
3. Think about what about the role makes you excited.
Think about what you like about the industrial engineering job you’re interviewing for and why you like it or why this is the right career for you. For instance, you might want to use your job to learn new skills and gain more experience. You might also be interested in putting the skills you’ve learned in school to use in the real world.
Try to explain why you want the job and give examples of skills you want to use or improve in your answer. For instance, you could talk about how excited you are to work with the team and meet other professionals in the field. You could also say that you want to get better at solving problems so that you can improve processes and make good changes in the industry. This can be a good way to show the interviewer how excited you are and how well you can think critically.
How to answer “Why do you want to become an industrial engineer?”
Here are some ideas to help you answer this interview question:
- Try to answer the question out loud before the interview. You might want to try answering this question on your own or with a friend or family member. This can help you figure out how to speak with the right amount of volume, tone, inflection, or pauses between words.
- In your answer, be clear and to the point. By giving a polished and well-thought-out answer, you can show the interviewer that you are sure of yourself and ready for the job. To keep your answers short and to the point, try to answer the question in about five sentences.
- Prepare for the type of interview you have planned. Some interviews happen over the phone, on video calls, or in groups. Depending on how the interview is set up, you may need to practice your answer, such as how to keep eye contact when answering through video chat.
How to respond
If you want to know how to answer “Why do you want to be an industrial engineer?” in an interview, it might help to look at some examples. Here are a few things you could say:
Example 1
“I just got my master’s degree, so I’m ready to start my career by working in an industrial area. I want to use my ability to think critically to make sure that manufacturing processes, like delivery, are running as well as they can. I think that in the future, my leadership and teamwork skills will help me move into a management position where I can lead a team and push for the best ways to do things. I can’t wait to use the skills I learned in college and the passion I have for this job to be a great asset to the team.”
Example 2
“I think that my communication skills and attention to detail will help me work in this field and do well at it. My goals for this company are to make sure the production line on the floor runs smoothly, to speed up delivery, and to make sure customers are happy. I want to get more experience so that I can get better at what I do and eventually move up to a more advanced role in production. I also want to use my technical knowledge to make equipment work better and solve problems in the supply chain.”
Example 3
“My last job gave me a basic understanding of the industrial industry, and I think I can add value to it by designing and installing new equipment that cuts down on waste while keeping facilities’ output the same. I want to work with other experts and get better at what I do so I can make machines work better. I’d also like to work with senior designers on new projects. I also want to improve technology in this business and in the industry as a whole by using new methods and tools.”
