How did you learn about the position? It may seem fairly simple to respond to given that it’s one of the most typical interview questions. While this question may seem straightforward, remember that a thorough response is necessary to ensure that you truly shine in the interview.
This is not a trick question, so relax.
Why are you asking me this?
There are actually two basic explanations for this.
A recruiting manager is first and foremost very interested in learning which of his hiring initiatives have been most successful from an HR standpoint. This aids in their evaluation of potential staffing plans and their prudent investment in effective sourcing techniques.
The second reason, which is frequently less clear, is that the employer will be able to gauge your preference for and interest in the organization by learning how you learned about the position.
For instance, an excellent interview response will outline both how and why to apply for the position. This indicates that you have a natural desire to work for that particular company if you frequently check the jobs page for openings.
Which will be used as a further inquiry to ascertain “Why do you wish to work here?”
Describe how you learned about the position, answer examples.
- “I discovered this employment on a specialized job network for marketing and digital jobs. It immediately drew my attention because the duties centered on SEO and keyword content marketing made me confident that I would be able to apply my core competencies in these fields to this employment.
- “I knew I wanted to work at this company even as I was actively looking for a new position. I even registered for job notifications to be notified when a position in my industry became available while routinely monitoring the jobs website for new positions. For my benefit, it did. And it finished quickly!
- The marketing division is where my pal Dan works. He regularly updates me on his work and how much he likes working with the organization. He knows I’m interested in working here, and if there’s a Marketing Director post available, please consider me. He was kind and assured me that I would blend in well with the staff they had at the time.
- “To assist me in locating my next career option, I worked with a recruitment firm. To discuss the kind of job I was interested in, as well as my abilities and expertise, I personally met with them. They offered a variety of choices for positions, but I didn’t think any of them were appropriate. That is, up until they gave me the job. I could see right away that I would fit in well with it. Working with a team that is motivated and led by technology allows me to really use my skill set in this capacity.
how not to speak.
During my extensive employment search online, I came across it.
What makes it bad?
How did you go about looking for a job? Social networking, a job board, or a jobs page? Who knows since the response is so brief.
I received the link from one of my friends because they believed it would help me advance.
Your friend is brighter than you are! They showed initiative by matching your qualifications and background to the position. This is only seriously detrimental if it’s your only response, though. Avoid this and tell the interviewer that you decided to apply after receiving the engagement from a friend for your own reasons.
Instead, try this:
“I received the job link from a friend via LinkedIn. I informed them that I was seeking employment actively when a contact in their network mentioned this position. I chose to apply after being thoroughly impressed with the organization and position.
The secret to responding well is to acknowledge your friend’s kindness while making sure that the focus of the response remains on you. Even while it may seem self-centered, you must keep in mind that the interview is about you, not your friend.
do you have questions? Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter! Tweet embed.