Choosing a career is one of the biggest challenges that every job seeker faces. Your choice can be based on your ambition, your preferences, your parents’ desires, not to mention your qualifications, which determine 70% of your future. If you are still confused about how to decide your career, you can read this; What Career Should You Have. Now, we will jump into another exciting episode related to your career path, which is the job interview. As always, it is better to anticipate some common interview questions that will come to you sooner or after. In today’s article, we will show you how to answer why you intelligently choose this career.

How to Answer this Interview Question?

Revealing your professional choice differs from one applicant to another. The answer would not be the same if you were:

• A fresh graduate
• A previous employee 
• An intern or apprentice
• A volunteer 

Therefore, each applicant would have a different answer related to his/ her professional history.

Also, many factors are leading to this career choice. For example, they can be:

• This job position is near my location ( geographical benefit)
• This job was recommended to me by a friend ( thanks to a professional network, I chose this job)
• This job has always been my dream job ( personal preference) 
• This job is an opportunity to invest my knowledge and skills ( an enriching experience)

You can also read; How to Decide Your Career?

Whatever are the reasons and the encouraging factors, your answer should be convincing enough.

What to Avoid While Answering this Question;

1.         Exaggerations:

Avoid lengthy answers that have no avail. Don’t justify your answer through an anecdotal manner like talking about your childhood or your job-seeking journey. You should not use this method to make a heart-touching impact on employers. Believe me, and employers will not be impressed by this story. You have to be a practical person. Give subtle reasons for your career choice and not drama.

2.         Negativity:

If you have been through a negative experience like being scammed or being rejected, do not mention this inside your answer. Even if you intended to show how much you have faith and trust in this organization, do not relate this by evoking what other companies did to you. The way you would complain about rejection or injustice would not justify your career choice.

3.         Showing that You are Following Someone else’s Footsteps:

It is good to have a role model. But, when it comes to choosing a career, you should not mention that your job is inspired by someone else in the family or inherited. It’s better to be unique and special. Employers would feel that your career choice is based on your parents’ expectations. Therefore, it’s better to avoid answers like, “I wanted to be like my father, who was a teacher, or a doctor or an engineer,” etc…. This is not impressive as an answer.

You should also avoid these 9 Common Interview Mistakes. 

Now, after exploring the flop answers to this interview question, let’s see what works.

How to Answer This Question as a Fresh Candidate?

There are many relevant justifications for your career choice. You can say that you have chosen your college major to get this job in the future. You can also reveal that many close friends and professors noticed that you have the skills of a potential engineer/ advisor/ teacher. Mention first your preferences, then how others professionally perceive you, and if you have any review or any achievement, talk about it in this matter. 

A sample answer: I have always been passionate about computer science. That’s why I chose this as a college major. During college days, I met many computer experts, who saw in me a potential ( for example, a web designer). Their impressions on me contributed to my career choice. They made me more determined about what I want to be in the future. Since then, I started looking for active participation in college events and competitions, Along with applying to an internship to get a hint about how things can be in professional life. Now, I want to culminate my ambitions and achievements in a job like this. That’s why I applied for this position. 

How to Answer This question as an Experienced Candidate?

In this case, your answer should summarize your career path and the way you have shifted from one profession to another to find your vocation. 

A sample answer: I choose this career because it is part of my professional plans and preferences. I have been a teacher for five years. I have had an excellent experience working in primary schools. I love taking junior classes because they are in the first step of the ladder. They are very innocent and ready to learn discipline and the ABCs of reading and writing. I also had a pre-school experience. It’s entertaining to teach children while they are playing at the same time. Now, I am applying as an intermediate school teacher, as I achieved an essential part of my life tutoring online and preparing the intermediate level to graduate. I can see myself advancing in my teaching career, and I want to have a positive impact on all generations, not only juniors. 

These were two sample answers for justifying your career choice. Of course, we need to remind you that your answer should constructively highlight your professional plans. That is, your career choice should be built upon solid reasons. Try to stitch your answer based on your interest in the field for a very long time. Show your employer that this job is your target, and you have been working on it for years.