Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

https://biginterview.com/where-do-you-see-yourself-five-years/

https://zety.com/blog/where-do-you-see-yourself-in-5-years

https://www.wikijob.co.uk/content/interview-advice/interview-questions/where-do-you-see-
yourself-5-years

https://www.job-hunt.org/job_interviews/answering-see-yourself-5-years.shtml

https://www.adriasolutions.co.uk/where-do-you-see-yourself-in-five-years/

. Don’t overthink it:

2. Don’t be too specific:
3. Don’t be flaky:

Don’t raise red flags:

Here’s what they don’t want to hear:

Jokes about how you’ll be the one on the other side of the table in five years.

Detailed schemes about getting promoted within the company.

Pipe dreams about being famous, owning a business, or going back to school.

A bunch of “Hmmmm.” And, “Ummmm.” Or, “I don’t know. That’s hard to say.”

Trying to be humorous – Some employers might appreciate humour, but many will not. The best
option is to avoid it altogether. Humorous answers run the risk of making you sound insincere or
that you are avoiding the question.

Being too honest if you don’t know where your career is going yet – Vague answers are OK.
However, your interviewer wants to know whether you are serious about the job concerned. If you
tell the interviewer that you don’t intend to stay in the position, then it is unlikely they will want to
invest in hiring you.

Being too specific – Unless you are familiar with the exact responsibilities of the job, there is a risk
you will talk yourself out of it.
The interviewer only wants to assess whether you will be a good fit for this particular role. Your
answer of “In five years I will be head of the customer services co-ordination team” is all fine and
dandy until you realise the company you are applying for does not have a customer services
coordination team and the role you are applying for is a data analyst position.

Keep your answers fairly general and always link the job at hand to the furthering of your career
goals.

Being too general or mentioning pipe dreams – Although you should not be too specific, you should
also avoid giving a non-answer. The example below tells the interviewer nothing about whether you
will be suitable for the job.

Getting too personal – Put simply, answering too emotionally is unprofessional. Keep your answer
focused on career goals and do not mention any fear of failure.

‘Um and ah-ing’ your way through a question, or saying you do not know – This shows a lack of
introspection and engagement and will not impress your interviewer.

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.

You should arrive at an interview having given some thought as to where you see yourself in five
years. If you don’t, possible answers that might spring to mind in a moment of panic might be:

Gosh, I hadn’t given it much thought

Anywhere but here

I’m just using this as a stepping stone to a better opportunity

In my dream job with your biggest rival

Higher up the ranks

Running my own business

On a yacht somewhere in the middle of the Mediterranean

Your position looks pretty good

Still in the same job

Happily enjoying my lottery winnings

Any of these answers would be a red flag to the employer not to hire you. The reason for this is that
they all lack the level of thought and detail the interviewer is seeking.
Common mistakes when answer “Where do you see yourself in five years?”. First, avoid being
humorous. Humorous answers look like you are avoiding the question. Secondly, a bunch of
“Hmmmm.” Or, “I don’t know. These will not impress your interviewer. Thirdly, stop stating the
name of specific position that may not exist in the company. Lastly, don’t give a vague answer.