In an interview, you could be asked the question, “What is your dream job?” whether you’re interviewing for an entry-level or a senior-level position. This is a tricky question because you’re probably unsure whether they want you to allude to the job at hand or really where you want to be. It is usually a test of your creativity and inquiry into your personal interests, and you can reply with a truly dreamy answer. If you take this question more seriously based on where you’re interviewing, you would name a dream job that is attainable and does in fact exist, where the more dreamy may not. But it should in some way link to the industry, company or job you’re interviewing for.
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So how should you answer this question? The first rule of thumb is not to answer that your dream job is the job that the person you’re interviewing with holds. You also want to be careful about saying you want to be the CEO of the company where you are interviewing. While it may be true, an interviewer may decide you think you know everything about their business before even starting. Luckily, there are ways to avoid a faux pas like this.
Prepare for this question ahead of time. The best way to dodge nerves and awkward silences in an interview is to prepare, prepare, prepare. And the best way to do that is to come up with your answers to commonly asked questions ahead of time. Really think about what your dream job looks like. Maybe you already have a very clear-cut answer like “I want to own a bed-and-breakfast at the beach,” or you may think, “I’d love to work at an orphanage in Latin America.” But you may not have an answer to this question, especially if you’ve been working in the same field for years.
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Answer where and what. Asking yourself “Where?” and “What?” can help direct you to your answer to this question. Where do you want to work? It could be anything from an office to outdoors to France to California. What do you enjoy doing most? Is it working with internal teams or clients or do you like doing the daily work solo without much interaction with peers? You may not derive a job title from answering these two questions, but you’re not necessarily being asked to present an exact title when the interviewer asks you this. You’re free to describe what your dream job looks like even if you can’t put a name on it. Answering in this way actually gives you more of a chance to emphasize your skills and what you enjoy doing, so they can see how that would apply to your prospective position.
Link it to the job you’re interviewing for. Since you probably don’t know much yet about the company or your interviewer, come up with a creative and more traditional answer ahead of time. Incorporate the job you’re interviewing for in some way. You may see yourself owning a B&B if money and stability were no object, but in reality, you want to grow your finance skills and one day perhaps work in corporate strategy. Have both types of answers ready in your pocket because your answer may change based on the interviewing setting. If you really feel this job is going to be your dream job, you need to have a very specific answer as to why you would say that and still provide your pie-in-the-sky answer to showcase your personality.
[See: The 8 Stages of a Winning Job Search.]
Read your audience and the environment. Chances are good that by the time they get to this question in the interview, you’ve had a chance to get to know your interviewer’s style a bit as well as a little about the company and job. Decide in the moment in what way you are going to answer based on the environment. Does the interviewer seem relaxed or have a sense of humor? If so, give your creative answer as well as talk about why you are interested in this particular job and why you think it’s a good fit.
Talking about it as a stepping-stone to something else is not a good idea because employers want to feel you’ll be there long-term. Stick with how you think it’s a good fit both for you and the company, as well as a good learning opportunity for you in general. Your job is to make them see that you are invested in working for their company.
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How to Answer ‘What is Your Dream Job?’ in an Interview originally appeared on usnews.com
