What interests you most about this job?

Disciplines > Job-finding > Interview questions > What interests you most about this job?

The question | What they are looking for | How to answer | See also

The question

Why have you applied for this position?

What, in particular, led you to apply for this job?

What they are looking for

The things that attracted you to the job will tell them something about how you are motivated. If they know what drives you, they can then decide whether these motivations are what they are seeking.

Your omissions are as important as what you say. If you do not state an interest, then

How to answer

First of all, be interested. Nothing turns an interviewer off faster than a casual interviewee who does not seem to really want the job.

Do not state interests in terms of financial reward. Saying you are there just for the money will also turn off the interviewers.

Align the interests that you talk about to the key attributes that they are likely to be seeking (check the job description). Things to talk about include:

Contributing / making a difference: I love education and want to make a difference to as many people as I can -- and working in change at a national level would give me that opportunity.
Self-development / learning: I have worked in smaller projects before -- this work would give me experience in larger, more complex environments.
Achieving goals: I always wanted to manage people and have recently gained a Certificate in Management. This position would give me the opportunity to put that learning into practice.