What do you hope to hear from a candidate when you ask this question? Or rather, what do you really want to hear?
Honestly? … I’ve been working for 18 years, I’m open and direct, I was an ambitious employee and manager, and now I’m self-employed—but the question “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” has always made me feel uncomfortable.
Why has this question always made me feel uncomfortable?
As a job applicant—depending on your age and the job:
- "Ugh, what does my future boss or the HR manager want to know from me now?"
- "No matter what I say, it just comes across the wrong way."
- "If I say now that I am ambitious and highly motivated,
then he might fear that I want his job." - "If I say, 'Oh, whatever—I'm totally flexible and take things as they come,' then he'll think to himself, 'She's totally boring; there's definitely no future with her, and she doesn't have any goals either, so she can't increase sales.'"
- and much more.
In the end, I was always able to convince my supervisors and show them that I have a lot of motivation, dedication, and perseverance. And I was able to significantly increase sales. But during job interviews, it was a huge new challenge for me every single time, even though I knew I could handle anything.
As a supervisor and manager:
Here, too, I found it difficult to ask the question, “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” That’s why I started rephrasing the question:
- "What will it take for you to still be with us in five years' time?"
- "What needs to happen for you to still be with us in a few years' time?"
- "What was the reason you weren't at the last few companies for so long?"
Thanks to this rephrasing and the use of the informal "you," it was easier for me, as their supervisor, to ask the question, and the applicants found it easier to answer the questions.
My employees have stayed longer than the company average (80–100 employees). The job interview was just the beginning, and of course other factors and circumstances have contributed to the lower turnover rate in my department. Nevertheless, it played a part in my employees choosing to work for me—both as a person and as a leader in the company.
And let's be honest, why does an employee join a company or choose a particular one? Because they had a good conversation with you as a person, or because you're on the same wavelength. That's why many colleagues in the fields of coaching and human resources talk about "getting-to-know-you" conversations rather than job interviews.
The labor market is now an applicant market.
- Use the time you have with an applicant and ask questions that start with WHAT, HOW or WHICH.
- Ask OPEN questions as much as possible so that you show interest in your counterpart.
- Use fewer CLOSED questions (answer: YES or NO).
- Give your applicant room to answer.
- Be honest, open, and yourself.
"Fake it until you make it" … doesn't work here anymore.
After a few weeks at the company at the latest, the employee realizes that this isn’t the right fit and leaves. The training provided to one or more colleagues was for nothing and cost time, effort, and energy. It holds everyone back, and processes are slowed down.
If you have plenty of time, then that’s acceptable, but if you want to work efficiently and with focus toward a goal, it’s tedious, exhausting, and a major demotivator for all your employees—especially if it happens repeatedly.
A good job interview does not guarantee that every employee will be a good fit for the company and stay forever, but it is the foundation for a healthy corporate culture, and that is the foundation of the Human Resources Department.
Good luck with your upcoming introductory interviews.
Sincerely,
Kathrin Fuchs
Leadership Coach
_ goldWERT _ events & coaching
P.S.: If you notice anything unusual in the applicant's facial expression, ask if there's anything they're unsure about. Be empathetic and attentive.