Interview Questions - Where Do You See Yourself In 5 Years

The "Where do you see yourself in five years?" interview question is a way of discovering your long-term professional goals. Answering this question well helps the employer determine your suitability for the role. If they think you're heading in the same direction as the company, they may be more likely to offer you the job. Responding effectively also shows that you're ambitious and forward-thinking, which are qualities that an employer may value. Here's what this article will cover:

• Why do interviewers ask this question?
• Reflection: an important first step
• Tips on how to craft your answer
• Structuring your response
• Tailoring your answer to different job types and industries
• What not to say
• Examples of good and bad answers
• Practice makes perfect: role-play and feedback
• Conclusion: articulating your career vision
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why do interviewers ask this question

Interviewers ask this question to see if your long-term professional goals align with the job you're applying for. They also want to see if the role can satisfy and engage you over the next few years. If you have higher aspirations than the employer can offer, they may think you're overqualified or that you'll find the role dissatisfying. At the same time, if you don't have any career goals, they may think that you lack drive and motivation.

As it's costly to hire and onboard new employees, hiring managers want to ensure that you're committed to personal development. They want to avoid hiring people who don't have clear career plans or who may leave for another job soon after joining the company. The interviewer is looking for someone with a commitment to excel in the role and who understands the vision of the company. 

Some people may think they need to share a very specific and detailed response. But the answer should be a little general to allow for some flexibility. This may increase the chance of the hiring manager considering you suitable for the role.

What are employers looking for in your answer?

Most job interview questions demand specific responses; vague answers are often perceived as lazy and uninspired. Here are the key traits employers seek in responses to the question 'Where do you see yourself in 5 years?':

1. Hard work
   ⁠Emphasise your commitment not only to meet job responsibilities but also to excel in every task ahead. While stating your dedication is crucial, providing specific examples of how you plan to achieve this commitment adds depth to your answer.
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2. Willingness to Learn
   ⁠Your answer can revolve around your openness to acquiring new skills. Jobseekers who express a willingness to learn and adapt to new challenges are valuable assets to any organisation.
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3. Sincerity
   ⁠Be candid about your aspirations. If you see yourself in a management position in five years, express it with pride, but avoid arrogance. Substantiate your goal with thoughtful reasoning, demonstrating how and why you envision this career progression.
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4. Loyalty
   Clarify your commitment to the company. Use this opportunity to establish yourself as a loyal employee who values long-term commitment and does not view the job as a mere stepping stone.
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5. Enthusiasm
   ⁠Address how you handle uncertainties. A strong response showcases your ability to tackle challenges with enthusiasm rather than succumbing to fear. Share instances that highlight your proactive approach when faced with difficulties.

Reflection: an important first step

Before answering this interview question, it's important to reflect on what you want from your career. Think carefully about your short- and long-term career goals and write them down. You can ask yourself the following questions to help determine your personal goals: 

• Where do I want to end up? 
• What skills do I need to get there? 
• Am I interested in working in a particular industry?
• What projects do I want to work on?
• What certificates do I want to earn?
• What qualifications or titles do I want? 

It's also useful to analyse your professional growth so far. Think about your experiences and accomplishments, the skills you've gained, and the certifications you've earned. Reflect on which aspects of your work you enjoy the most and consider your strengths and abilities. This knowledge can help you plan. 

Consider getting the help of an experienced mentor who is in the role you aspire to. You can ask them about their career development, how they got their skills, and what experience they needed for their current role. This can help you plan your ideal career path. 

Tips on how to craft your answer

Review these useful tips for preparing your response: 

Balance realism and ambition

While companies prefer candidates committed for the long haul, it's not necessary to focus solely on the role and the company when responding. Strive to articulate career goals that are both challenging and achievable within the next five years. The key is to strike a balance—be ambitious, yet grounded. 

For instance, if you're applying for an entry-level position, aiming to become the chief financial officer might be overly ambitious. Instead, consider discussing a feasible progression, such as moving from a junior designer to a senior designer.

Expressing your aspiration to eventually take on a leadership role reflects ambition, a trait highly valued by employers. However, it's essential to manage expectations at this stage and offer a well-thought-out, realistic response. Share the skills you aim to master or the certifications you plan to earn over the next five years. 

For instance, you could outline your path to becoming a chartered accountant by meeting the necessary work experience and educational requirements and successfully passing the examination.

Express your passion and commitment

Express your passion for the company by highlighting what you appreciate about its culture and products or services. Share your vision for shaping and enriching the company's culture in the coming years. Discuss specific aspects of their products that resonate with you and outline how you plan to elevate them. Demonstrate your keen interest in the industry.

Additionally, position yourself as a dedicated worker ready to invest effort to achieve your goals. Stress your willingness to climb the professional ladder, emphasizing that success requires hard work and perseverance, not instantaneous achievement. While ambition is commendable, emphasize the importance of consistent effort over time. Craft an answer that underscores your commitment to personal and professional growth while aligning with the company's objectives.

Align with the company's vision and mission

Hiring managers seek individuals who align with the company's goals and vision, viewing the recruitment process as an investment in success. It's crucial to show that you will not only contribute positively but also minimise potential setbacks.

In essence, employers want to ensure that bringing you on board is a sound investment. Applicants whose future aspirations diverge significantly from the company's mission, such as envisioning a career as a travelling food writer for hospital work, may be perceived as hiring risks.

To prepare for interviews, acquaint yourself with the company's vision and mission through its website, social media pages, and recent news stories. Mention how you want to contribute to the company's growth over the next five years. For example, if the company's vision is to become a global brand, you could discuss your eagerness to help the company break into the East Asian markets. 

Offer a grounded answer

Hiring managers understand that not everyone possesses the gift of foresight, and that's perfectly acceptable. However, it's crucial to portray yourself as someone optimistic about the future and committed to transforming that optimism into reality. 

While responses like, 'I hope to someday enjoy the fruits of my labour and live a life I'm proud of,' may seem somewhat vague, they can be excellent answers. Such statements effectively address the question, portraying you as an individual with clear goals and ambition.

Structuring your response

When planning your answer, think about your career progression in steps. If you have a particular role in mind, find out the educational qualifications, certifications, and how many years of experience you need. Think about the skills required to progress and tell the interviewer how you plan to develop them.

Start your response by discussing a few of your career goals. Link them to some of your key skills and the company values that you relate to. Express your eagerness to learn. Highlight your expertise to show your value to the company. 

Tailoring your answer to different job types and industries

Customise your answer to the career level and industry for the most effective response. If you're applying for an entry-level position, mention how you expect to work your way up to a managerial position. Share how you plan to advance, such as by developing leadership skills. 

If you're applying for a managerial role, share how you want to develop relevant skills, such as project management. Add that you want to gain certification. For a leadership role, mention how you plan to improve your conflict resolution, interpersonal communication, decision-making, and coaching skills. These abilities are essential for a good leader.

What not to say

Here are some things to avoid in your response: 

Overcommitting to specific career outcomes

Avoid giving overly specific information, such as the number of people you want to lead or the exact title you plan to hold. Share your broader career goals and aspirations instead of limiting yourself to a specific position within the company. Learn from this bad example:

• "I hope to become a senior digital marketing specialist in five years. I expect to grow and lead a marketing team of over 30 people. I plan to work on projects dealing with medical equipment for hospitals and healthcare facilities." 

Being vague or unrealistic

Avoid giving a generic or ambiguous answer, as the interviewer may think you lack vision and ambition. Sharing your career growth aspirations is important, but giving an unrealistic answer may make you look naive. Here's an example of a vague, ineffective answer:

• "I'll do my best in this job by applying my strengths and skills to help achieve the company's goals. I want to develop my weaknesses and grow with the company. In the future, I want to learn more about the industry and my role. I hope to be in a leadership position in five years." 

Disregarding the company's plans

Employers ask about your plans to find out if your personal goals align with the company. Only focusing on your plans with no mention of the company's future can be damaging to your job interview performance. Here's an example of a poor answer: 

• "I hope to develop my accounting skills and learn how to use different software over the next few years. After that, I plan to start my own accounting business."

Examples of good and bad answers

Here are examples of both good and bad answers:

Effective responses for various scenarios

Here are some sample answers to inspire your response: 

For an entry-level position

Review this response if you're applying for an entry-level role: 

"In five years, I'll have experience designing different deliverables, such as websites and advertising campaigns. I'll also have a deeper knowledge of the industry. I expect that I'll have sharpened my illustration and graphic design skills. In the future, I also want to be able to receive and incorporate client feedback effectively."

For a career switch

Consider this example if you're changing careers: 

"Coming from the hospitality industry, I hope to transfer my customer service skills and experience in handling different types of people to this healthcare role. Joining your company and receiving mentorship from senior nurses will help me sharpen my patient care skills over the next few years. I hope to contribute to the culture of empathy and kindness that makes this nursing home successful."

For a mid-level position

Follow this example if you've been working for several years: 

"I've gained a lot of experience working in the teaching field and hope to advance to the next stage of my career in a few years. I plan to become a teaching instructor and help to design the curriculum after five years. I hope to improve my interpersonal communication and leadership skills at this school."

Examples of responses to avoid

Here are some examples of poor responses:

• "In five years, I hope to be working for an international company where I can use the skills I've gained here. This position is a stepping stone for me to work for a more established company."
• "I was dissatisfied with my previous job in sales, so I hope to find out if I'm skilled in the teaching field. In the next five years, I plan to decide on my career path. If I find I don't like teaching, I can switch to another career. Working in this company will help me discover my direction in life. 
• "To be honest, I don't know. I don't like to plan too much and prefer to live in the moment. I like spontaneity and to go whichever way the wind blows. I may be living in another country in five years or running my own business. Who knows!"

Deconstructing successful responses

Successful responses show enthusiasm for how much you'll learn in the new role. They also incorporate the company's vision and culture. Effective answers are ambitious yet realistic. They're also slightly vague without being too generic.

Practice makes perfect: role-play and feedback

You can ask your family members or friends to play the role of the interviewer. You can then practise your responses as they ask the questions. This can help you remember your key points and articulate your answers more confidently. 

Ask your friend for specific feedback on the content or delivery of your response. Check if you seem nervous, such as shaking your legs or making unusual facial expressions. Ask them about your tone of voice, whether your pronunciation was clear, and if you spoke at a suitable pace. 

Use their feedback to refine your answer. If your answer is too lengthy, shorten it by only including the most important points. Likewise, if your answer is too generic, make it more specific to the role and company. 

Conclusion: articulating your career vision

Employers usually ask "Where do you see yourself in five years?" to determine if you're planning to work for the company for the longer term. They want to employ someone whose future goals and career ambitions match those of the business. When answering this question, it's essential to be realistic and show your passion for working for the company.

Remember to consider the company's vision when focusing on your goals. Reflect on where you want to be in five years and prepare an answer to this question. Rehearsing your response can help you sound more confident and impress the hiring manager. 

Get started on your job application by updating your JobStreet profile. #LetsGetToWork and find you a job that will help you grow in the next five years. For more job interview tips, check out the Interview Practice Tool, so you’re ready for any question thrown your way.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What if I don't have a clear plan for the next five years?
   ⁠If you don't have a clear plan for your future career, try not to express this to the interviewer. Doing so can negatively affect your chances of getting the job. Instead, focus on the skills you want to develop and the areas of work you wish to experience. This can show that you're actively exploring a specific career path. It demonstrates that you're self-motivated and have a positive attitude. 
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2. Is it okay to say I see myself in a higher position within the company?
   ⁠The interviewer may be concerned if you say you want a promotion to a senior role. It shows that you're focused on a future position instead of the job you're applying for. They may suspect that you're not going to stay with the company for the longer term. 
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3. What if my five-year plan aligns differently from the job I'm interviewing for?
   ⁠Reconsider your reasons for wanting that role and working for that company. If there's an opportunity to learn transferable skills or it's in a related industry, it may be beneficial to work there. Is there something unique about the business operations that can help your career growth? A job should contribute to your short- or long-term goals. If it doesn't, you may need to consider an alternative role.
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4. How honest should I be when answering this question?
   ⁠You may consider this role a stepping stone and only plan to work for the organisation for a short time. Avoid mentioning this, as it can immediately disqualify you from the role. The key is to be honest yet tactful.
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   ⁠Focus on your potential and the value you'll create. You don't have to be specific about a company or position. You can still share your long-term plans, such as the skills you intend to develop or the projects you hope to work on. 
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5. Can I avoid answering the question altogether?
   ⁠It's not a good idea to avoid answering any interview questions. It can create an awkward atmosphere and cause you to lose the job opportunity. If you're unsure of what to say, take some time to think about your answer first. Then, do your best to give an appropriate response. This is better than ignoring the question or changing the topic.