"Why did you apply to work with us?" – 5 Best Responses

“Why did you apply to work for us?” — A classic question that comes up in almost every job interview and one in which there is no perfect answer.

To ensure that you still have a good response to this question and are able to show the interviewer why you are interested in the job opportunity, we will delve into the topic and help you craft the best answer for your situation.

First, we should clarify what companies want to find out by asking, “Why do you want to work for us?”. If you can identify the purpose of this question, it will be easier to give a targeted answer.

What companies don't want to know

Many applicants believe that recruiters want to hear that the job is the "end all be all" opportunity, and the company is the only one they can imagine working for.

However, recruiters know that the job search is rarely done with just one application and one interview. You may have been asked the day before in another interview why you applied to that company.

Therefore, you do not need to prove that you did not apply anywhere else—especially since this is rarely true.

What is the question “Why this company?” aimed at?

At its core, recruiters want to find out whether you are suitable for the job, fit into the team, and can see yourself working at the company. In addition, the question tests whether you have really looked into the job and know what to expect.

• Which of your interests, values, and goals are reflected in the job?
• Do you have a genuine interest in the position, or is the employment just meant to be a temporary solution for you?
• What motivates you to get up every day and work at this company?

You should touch upon all of these questions (directly or indirectly) when you respond to the question “Why this company?”

Company structures, working methods, culture, products, services, future opportunities, vision, goals, and values—how many similarities or overlaps are there with your personal talents, strengths, experiences, goals, and desires?

You can probably already guess that the standard question “Why do you want to work for us?” is quite complex and requires anything but a standard answer.

In any case, you should think about how you will answer the question “Why this company?” before an interview. The best way to do this is by following these three steps:

Step 1: Research/Information

Find out about the company in detail. This is the only way you'll gather reasons why you'd be interested in working for the company (and in turn, why the company would be interested in having you on their team).

Sources of information:

• Company website
• Corporate philosophy
• Type of company (corporation vs. start-up)
• Company brochures or press articles
• Google
• Personal experiences
• Employee or customer experiences
• Employer reviews (on the Internet)
• Job advertisements
• Positioning
• Products and services

Step 2: Commonalities

In the next step, highlight commonalities and define what excites you about the company.

These questions will help you get started:

• What made you apply for the job?
• What do you find admirable about the company?
• Why is the company a good fit for your career goals?
• What challenges do you want to face?
• What strengths do you bring to the table that will benefit the company?
• What do you find fascinating about the company's products and services?
• What values do you have and are they reflected in the company?
• Do the corporate culture and working atmosphere suit you?
• Which tasks suit you best?

Step 3: Phrasing

The third and final step is about finding the right way to phrase your response to the question “Why this company?”.

There is no one perfect answer. However, using the below guidelines can help you in forming the right structure:

• A good answer should definitely focus on the benefits to the employer.
• In addition, you should convey your professional experience and motivation convincingly and credibly.
• Feel free to answer in detail and address more than one of the suggested points.
• Give reasons for your answer.
• Finally, do not speak negatively about your previous employer.

Everything always sounds simple in theory. That is why we have created some sample answers for practical use. Please do not adopt these answers one-to-one under any circumstances! We only want to give you a better understanding and provide helpful hints. Feel free to add more detail as needed.

Products/Services

“I develop my full potential above all when I would also recommend a product to my best friend. This is the case with your products because I have already used them myself and found them useful. That's why I'm very eager to join the team.”

Company structure

“I like that there is a dedicated social media marketing department. In previous companies, I was the only person responsible for this within the marketing agency. I see the opportunity here to contribute my all-around knowledge and to deepen my skills in my favorite area.”

Work culture

“I have heard from acquaintances that the work culture here is very open and leaves room for creative ideas. That inspires me, and I also really appreciate that kind of thing. I find that employees deliver much better results when this is the case. I want to work in a company that recognizes that.”

Company values

“When I read the job posting, I immediately thought the requirements fit me perfectly. Then I read up on your company and could see myself in the company values and how they are implemented. I am a courageous person, open to new things, and do not make false compromises. That's why I believe I'll feel at home in your company and achieve great things.”.

Future perspective

“Lifelong learning is simply part of life these days, even in companies. That's why I find it inspiring that in your company, the continuous training of your employees is so important. In a company like yours, I can imagine growing in the long term and taking on more responsibility.”

When applying for a job, if you answer the question “Why this company?” with any of the following phrases, you are not doing yourself justice and are hurting your chances of landing the job.

“I've always wanted to have as many vacation days as your company offers.”

“It says so in my cover letter.”

“I'll be happy if I get an offer at all.”

“Your company's good reputation looks good on my resume.”

“It will be better than at my last employer.”

In all seriousness, we'd be shocked if anyone answered with any of the above responses.

What if the company, its products and services, goals, values, or culture do not appeal to you directly at all? Well, then you should consider whether the company can actually be your ideal next employer.

If so, you can skillfully answer the question “Why this company?” by elaborating on the job, activities, and areas of responsibility. What expertise can you bring to the table and what would you like to learn in this position?.

Another option is to state your interest and challenges in the industry in general. What excites you, why do you want to work in this field in particular, and why is this a benefit to the company you want to work for?

Conclusion: answer the standard question individually.

Do you now feel you can better prepare yourself for the job application question, “Why this company?”

By all means, don't copy standard answers, but invest the time to formulate the perfect individual answer.

This not only makes you look more authentic, but is also more convincing — this increases the likelihood that you will actually secure your dream job in the end.

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