Here's what the resume advice company Resume Edge recommends as a
sample answer to the question, "Where do you see yourself in ten
years?"
In ten years, I endeavor to have refined my strategic and
client relations skills. I intend to be a leading expert in estate
planning. After having proven myself as a senior manager, I hope to
help shape the strategic direction of estate planning services. I could
do this in any number of official roles. The important thing is that I
will continue contributing my abilities in a challenging and rewarding
environment.
More advice
- While it is not usually a good idea to try to be a Jim
Carey in an interview, depending on how things have gone and who you
are dealing with, you might inject a little humour here and ask: "When
do you expect to be promoted?" ....or "When are you moving on?... This
could easily break the ice. Seriously, you can easily respond that you
have no idea as you have no idea what you are capable of so far,
although you know it is a lot. Therefore, you want to make sure you are
open and flexible to whatever opportunites present themselves. If you
actually know what you want to be when you grow up, you could offer to
conduct a seminar on how to actuate that.
- You know when you come to that common situation where
someone asks you "Where do you see yourself in five years?" Yea you
should call a person on that because that question is silly! You have
no idea where you'll be in five years nor should you worry. I mean how
depressing can that question actually be? If someone asked me that
question five years ago I wouldn't have predicted my life to be like
this nor would I have wanted to say my life would be like this, I'm not
saying I'm unhappy with my life necessarily its just that in a span of
five years a persons likes and dislikes change, the people around them
either disappear, reappear, or show up for the first time. The things
you once loved could become something you hate or vice versa.
Aspirations change and feelings lose their magic. Yes you can say what
you'd like to see happen in five years but I'm pretty sure it won't and
five years from now when you look back on yourself answering that
question you'll probably no longer want the same things. There's always
hope but no definite so all you can do is live life like you have those
five years to look back on...
- When an interviewer asks this question, they're asking
where you see yourself within a company. They don't want to hear you
say, "Well, in five years, I will be married to a handsome European
man, touring the South Pacific in our yacht with a maitai in my hand."
They want something like, "Well, that will depend on my individual
performance and on the opportunities I'm presented with, but ideally, I
will be..." Even if you're going, "Yeah, like I'll be here in 5
years..." act like you will be. They don't want to hear you saying
you'll essentially use them to get where you want, and the minute the
opportunity is presented jump ship.
- Some might think that you should not tell the interviewer
that you want to move up the ladder of success, because they will fear
that you might replace them or move on to another job. However, most
would recommend that you answer with just the opposite: that you do
want to be successful. A good manager wants his employees to be
successful and grow in their careers because that benefits the whole
company. If they don't want this, you don't want to work for them. As
for the actual standards of success and specific career paths, they are
very different for different people and different industries. It is
most important to show that you do want to be successful.
- Think educationally-- higher degree? certification? Think leadership-- at least one step up from where you are at now.
Where will you be in five years?
This is a very common job interview question. Think carefully about
your plans. Really answer it for yourself, Where do you see yourself in
five years? Where do you hope to be?
The interviewer is looking to find out a few things with this
question. First, are you the type of person who plans ahead and sets
goals? You should be. Second, do your goals match those of the company
and the position? Your goals need to fit the career path for the job.
They don't want to lose you in a year or two.