Why do you want to work for us?

Discussion in 'Employment & Jobs' started by Manunemp, Oct 20, 2009.

  1. Manunemp

    Manunemp Bit Poster

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    Most of the time I can never answer this question because the company is small and most small companies are alike. Those providing I.T support to customers all seem the same to me, why do you want to work for us and not our competitor? no reason, I'm applying to your competitor too :)

    You are told to research a company before applying for work, but this only works if the company is big and so has some information to research. Even so, does the hiring manager care that I know the company had 12% profit and 10% sales increase? do I care? no, all I care is that they are making profit and improving, I don't care for the actual figures, since I'm I.T support.

    What do I care about? I want to know what the working environment is like, how people are managed, what my colleagues are like, but this can never be gleaned from research, you have to ask people who work for the company what it's like. But this only works if you have a good network, because those small companies that do have web sites only provide a sales phone number, and you can't exactly phone them up and say you want to speak to anyone in I.T and then ask them what it's like to work there.

    I'd love to ask in an interview "why should I work for you?", so they can sell themselves to me, since they are small and I don't know much about them. But then they'd ask why I applied for this job, and the only answer is because they provide I.T support and I want to work in I.T support, I'm contacting every single I.T support provider to find out what they are like.

    Actually, when I was with an agency, they sent me to two interviews and agencies being agencies, they told me very little, so I could never answer why I wanted to work for them, and surely they must know this. In one interview, the company actually sold itself to me and it felt more like I was interviewing him.

    I have a career book that says most people don't research a company and consequently leave shortly into their employment because they didn't like it. He says they should have researched before hand. But obviously this only works if you have a network, know someone that works in that company and can tell you that the boss micromanages everyone and insults you if you're 5 mins late.

    The recruitment process is not very good. Employers sit there, thinking they are great, in an interview they want you to confirm this when they ask "why do you want to work for us", they have no explaining to do and just expect you to want to work there. It would be like going to an interview and asking them all of these questions, then they pester you with phone calls "Hey Mr, we want you to work for us, please get back", but you ignore them because they are not good enough.
     
  2. dmarsh
    Honorary Member 500 Likes Award

    dmarsh Petabyte Poster

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    Some very valid points well made. To me it is a two way street, ok the employer may have slightly more bargaining power, but you want to make sure you get what you want out of the process too.

    This can be very difficult if the interviewer refuses to lower their guard and asks all the standard questions and leaves little time for you. Most of the information you would like also cannot be reliably obtained from an interview or research I agree.

    I have joined companies in trouble, at the time I read the shareholders report in the reception, great figures, I was also told by the interviewer how great things were, 9 months later everyone was laid off.

    There are some bullets you can't dodge, all you can do is aim to increase your average.

    I look at interviews like the dating game, its a rather circular process, with both parties lying to each other ! :biggrin
     
  3. JonnyMX

    JonnyMX Petabyte Poster

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    Well, I try to be as honest as possible.

    At the end of the day, no employer thinks that you're sitting their for their benefit - you're there for yours.
    The main thing is to show you've put some thought into the answer and don't just say 'well, it's a job innit and I'm desperate'.

    But think to yourself - why do you want the job?
    Good salary, pension, healthcare, opportunities for promotion, respected brand image, access to the latest technologies, stable business unlikely to go bust, look good on your CV, chance to work abroad, good training prospects etc.

    Then just massage their egos a bit and tell them what they get in return and how you can work together etc.

    I've seen people massively overdo it. Sure, research the company before hand but they're going to know that at the end of the day, you saw their job ad and quite fancied it. You haven't been tracking them on the stock market or anything.

    It's a good idea to speak to an employee if you can - if they are customer facing like retail then it's easy, other times it can be harder. But that then allows you to be able to judge if they sound happy there and try to find out why. Even if it is a PS3 in the staff room.

    I was once interviewing for a retailer and I asked an applicant if he'd ever visited one of the stores in question. He had, so I asked what sort of impression he'd formed about the place. His answer was 'I didn't go in for an impression, I went in for a bag of screws'.

    My how we all laughed - I thought it was quite a good answer.
    Didn't give him the job though, cheeky f***er.

    :biggrin
     
    Certifications: MCT, MCTS, i-Net+, CIW CI, Prince2, MSP, MCSD
  4. JonnyMX

    JonnyMX Petabyte Poster

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    Ha ha!
    Brilliant.

    8)
     
    Certifications: MCT, MCTS, i-Net+, CIW CI, Prince2, MSP, MCSD
  5. BosonMichael
    Honorary Member Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Why not? I would. No sense in beating around the bush.

    For the record, that strategy seems to have done me quite well in my career. ;)
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  6. Zainek

    Zainek Nibble Poster

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    Background:

    During this crap period i got an interveiw offer for a psuedo charity.
    Rate was well below std and also it was a first line role for a fixed 3 month contract.
    Had to dumb my CV down and myself too

    Them: Tell me why do you want to work for us (they meant why do you want to work for this charity)

    ME: Because its a recession and i have bils to pay, but realising how bad it sounded in my mind, i started laughing so much at them during the interveiw it was unbareable I nearly had tears come out.

    Moral of the story: sometimes telling the truth is not welcomed , best practise you have to tell the most friendly version of the truth and lie **** loads on what you think of the company. Being a contractor i come into do a job get on well with everyone and get called back again.

    fin.
     
    Certifications: MCTS, ITILv3 F, MCTS, MBCS, MCITP:EA C&G
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  7. dalsoth

    dalsoth Kilobyte Poster

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    Why do you want to work for any company?

    To improve your own skills, do something you enjoy and provide for yourself and your family. By performing to the best of your own abilities in the role provided you will help the company progress and that will mutally benefit both parties.

    Why do you want to work for that specific company?

    In many cases you can use the stuff above and get away with it anyway. Rarely have i ever picked a specific company and tried to get a position. Usually it is something that comes up that looks better for my future than where i am at currently.

    But...... I would perhaps explain that i have researched them and point out some of their successes or even claim to have heard a former employee or something talking and how he praised the company and the friendly atmosphere and positive vibe it gives out. The last bit may still work if it is a horrible place to work at as some managers are oblivious to the truth and love being praised.

    Tell a few white lies about the reasoning if you really have nothing else to say than it is for the money and you feel that you can't pitch that the right way.

    Just my opinion.
     
    Certifications: MCSE, MCP, MCDST, MCSA, ITIL v3
    WIP: MCITP EA

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