Tidbit 2: The Worst Answer to the 5 Years Interview Question

2010-06-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

The worst answer you can give to the "Where do you see yourself in 5 years" question (or any time iteration of this same question) is often the truthful one.

Other examples of this same question, phrased differently:

-- What are you goals, short and long term?
-- What do you want to be doing in 10 years?
-- Tell me about your dreams, your plans for yourself.

Etc., yada yada yada, so forth and so on.

There are 3 typical answers to this question, given the current economy. Which one do you think is the right answer, most likely to land you the job?

1. The Commitment-Phobe Answer
Symptoms: Rents an apartment, preferably with a month-to-month lease. No sign of a steady significant other. Loves dogs, but probably has a cat because it's less commitment and hassle to care for it. Smart & versatile.
Response: Wow. 5 years is a long way away. I can't say 100% what I'll be doing then, because who really knows where life will take you, but if I had to venture a guess, I'd say I'd be moving up in the company I'm at and possibly starting a small side business.

(I, for a large part of my early 20's, really did feel this way. I wasn't ready to commit to the job or the place.)

2. The Truthful Dreamer Answer
Symptoms: They have realized they can't get a job in their field of choice or city of choice at the moment and are interviewing other places, but just haven't let it go yet.
Response: I'd love to see myself as a director in a totally different field living in a completely different city from where your company is located.

(I've been here too)

3. The I Really Want this Job Answer
Symptoms: This guy is a hard read. Sometimes they really do want that job. And sometimes it is the perfect match for them, which is why they are so natural and happy in the interview. But sometimes, it's a person who knows how to interview well.
Response: In 5 years, I'd love to see myself here, growing at this company. I'd love to take on more responsibility and grow the business.

OK, if you haven't figured it out, you want to use number 3. That's going to get you further in the interviewing process than anything else. It's not that companies don't care what your long term goals and dreams are for yourself. They probably want to know as a biotechnology company that your dream is to own a landscaping company because it means you aren't passionate about their product.

The real goal with that question is to see if you are smart enough to play the game. And yes, when I'm asking you that question, I'm aware I'm not getting the truth all of the time, but I like that you are smart enough to tell me what I want to hear. Getting ahead often requires you to be able to play the game with a kick-ass game face, so show me you can do it.

When I used to do phone screens for interviews, I always asked them where they wanted to be in 5 years just to see if they would be honest with me or if they could figure out what I wanted to hear. I've been appalled listening to the introduction of interns to higher ups in companies. The interns blather about wanting to move to another state and pursue a small business of their own. Really? Than why intern there?

Tidbit 1: Appearing Confident > Sounding Smart > Actually Knowing the Answer

2010-06-14T12:05:00.000-07:00

When you are sitting in an important meeting and you are called upon to participate with information relevant (or irrelevant really) to the topic and you don't know the answer right then, just know that;

Appearing confident is better than sounding smart and that is better than actually knowing the answer.

Who knew, right?

The truth is that as a human, most of us are not blessed with photographic memories. Although as smart business people, we are coming to meetings with what we think will prepare us (sometimes), we know in our guts that inevitably that meeting you are in is going to go off topic. When this happens, we need a moment to look over the billion emails and excel files we have to give the specific, qualified answers. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, "Why should I remember anything if I can just look it up?" The chances are, that tidbit they are asking for isn't always going to be on call in your brain and you aren't always going to have the file you need on hand to answer adequately.

A few things to remember when you are put on the spot. First, BE CONFIDENT. For those of you who aren't sure how to accomplish that when you don't know the answer, here's how:

1. Breathe normally, try to be nonchalant.

2. Sit up straight and be engaged- use your body language. Lean forward to the table or speaker and remain open- don't cross your arms.

3. Be concise. Nothing shows you don't know what you are talking about more than rambling on without answering the question, and the smart guy in the room is going to notice that.

4. Try not to insert weird buzz words into your answer. Speaking directly and clearly demonstrates that you are confident in yourself and your knowledge on the subject.

5. Choose one of two routes to respond: The polite I-don't-know-but-will-find-out-ASAP or the I-know-enough-to-BS-a-little. I've done both, but I think the former is the most honest answer that is accepted with a higher degree of respect. But sometimes the people in the room want something, so if you feel confident enough you can try the latter.

Here's a sample of the I-don't-know response:

I'm not 100% sure on those figures (or whatever they are asking you about), but I know I have some solid numbers to share at my desk. I can send those through to the team with my analysis as a follow up directly after this meeting or I can run and get them now if that would be helpful.

Here's a sample of the I-know-enough-to-BS response:

Recently we've seen solid performance on Brand X in Q1. The numbers have been up overall, with some dips in categories y and z, but the more specific analytics I'd need to forward to you are on my desk. I'll be sure to pass those along as soon as possible.

When said confidently, either of these responses will buy you the time you need to give a solid, specific answer (now, if you aren't doing your job and you actually don't know, this isn't going to help you all that much. It will buy you an hour or so, but it won't fix the fact that you didn't do your work).

The worst thing you can do is scramble and fidget and attempt to fudge your way to an impromptu answer. And don't use buzzwords. Although it seems like the trendy thing to do, it's not going to earn you a reputation for communicating clearly. Does it make sense or sound smart when you use acronyms instead of words or try to achieve the possimpible?

The smartest thing you can do is be honest when you don't know, but speak up and show them that you are confident that you'll have the answers they need quickly.

20 Tidbits for Business Survival

Tidbit 2: The Worst Answer to the 5 Years Interview Question

Tidbit 1: Appearing Confident > Sounding Smart > Actually Knowing the Answer