How to Answer Interview Questions - Q66

What is your ideal job? In a personality test, this question may not be so easy for you to answer. But in a job interview, it’s one of the easiest questions you’ll be asked. Question: What’s your ideal job? Answer: This one. As far as they are concerned, your ideal job is the one you’re interviewing for right now. In asking this question, your interviewer is trying to find out if you’ll be happy and productive in this position, with this company, or if you just want anything with a paycheck. So it’s a little bit like answering the question, “Why do you want to work here?” They want to know that it’s about more than the money. So you can answer it from that point of view if you want. You can’t actually be flip and say, “This one!” but you can talk about certain aspects of this job and how they fulfill personal goals and desires for you and that’s why you got into this line of work and then tie it into why this particular job with this particular company is such a good fit for you. This is yet another place where the company research you do before the interview will benefit you. If you’ve done your homework, you can add those elements that make it clear that you are interested in this job, with this company. “I really believe my ideal job is this one because I love X, Y, and Z, that’s why I went into this area as a career. But I particularly am excited about this job with this company, because of what I’ve learned about how you handle ABC. It seems like an ideal environment to do what I love to do.” Or you could keep it more general and say something like: My ideal job is one that I enjoy going to each day, where I can make an impact and be rewarded for it, and others notice that I’m making an impact and continue to grow in that way. Do you see? You’re talking about other rewards besides the money that make it worth it for you to get up and come to work every day. It shows that you’re thoughtful and sincere and that you’ve thought about your fit for this role, which almost always means you’ll be more successful. Your answer here will speak to your enthusiasm for the job and ultimately, your success.