How to Answer: What are You Looking for in Your Next Role

06-01-23

In every interview, hiring managers almost always ask, “what are you looking for in your next role?” Your answer could mean the difference between getting a job offer or not.

If your first interview is a phone call, read 20 phone interview tips that will get you a second interview.

Undoubtedly, your answer is individual to you, certain things are best not said if you want to secure a job position. Above all, in this post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of how to respond positively and help you stand out from other candidates.

Firstly, what are you looking for in your next job? Before attending a phone interview or a face-to-face meeting with a hiring manager, it’s helpful to be 100% clear so that you can easily describe what you are looking for in your next job.

Secondly, the trick is to know what you want from a new position combined with what the company is looking for. For example, answering “I want to work remotely three days a week and have free coffee for the rest of my life” isn’t going to work if the job description states that the new position is 100% office based (and no free coffee).

Yes, it may seem obvious, but you might be surprised how often candidates mess up their answers and blow the chance of getting a great job offer. Moreover, hiring managers often ask about the reason for job change in interviews.

Contents

What Does the Hiring Manager Really Want to Know?

When a hiring manager asks, “what are you looking for in this job?” they want to know if you are the right person for the role. A hiring manager’s job might seem like a cushy number, but interviewing dozens of people and trying to filter the BS from the genuine candidates is no easy task.

Above all, hiring managers have an important job to do. Undoubtedly, they need to hire the best candidate as efficiently as possible and determine if the person they employ is likely to: –

Fit in with the company and culture
Do a great job: Be up and running ASAP
Can work without constant supervision
Add value to an existing team or project
Not jump ship a few months down the line
Be adaptable to change
Retain the enthusiastic attitude noted in the interview
Become an overall valuable contributor to the workforce

Above all, how you respond to the question tells the hiring manager if your goals, skills, and interests align with the organisation. If your answer misaligns, don’t expect a second interview or a job offer.

Never Assume What the Hiring Manager Wants to Hear

Assumptions are the killer of dreams. Answering “what are you looking for in your next job” with stock replies such as wanting to grow with the company and become CEO within six months may show ambition. However, if you failed to research the company, you might have missed that they rarely promote from within.

How to Answer: What Are You Looking For in Your Next Role?

First and foremost, you must thoroughly research the company before attending the interview. Secondly, print off the job description, browse the website and social media channels, read the whitepaper and any other information available. Yes, this task is time-consuming and annoying if you send dozens of job applications weekly.

Still, you only need to do this task when you have an interview date. It’s a good exercise for establishing if the company is the right fit for your goals. When you genuinely find an organisation that aligns with your values, there’s a much greater chance of a successful interview, job offer and career progression within the company.

Create a 4-step checklist pre-interview. Here are a few ideas: –

Research the company story, which you might find on the About page on the website
Locate the LinkedIn profiles for the company and founders
Follow threads on social media channels like Twitter, Discord and Facebook: How do the company respond to followers? Are they engaging, helpful and present for all comments?
Read case studies, reviews, and testimonials

After that, collate the information, and you should get an overall picture of the organisation’s workplace culture, levels of customer service and efficiency in navigating complaints.

Use the Job Description to Create Your Edge

The job description should be your bible pre-interview. Learn the core prerequisites, keywords and terms used to describe the ideal candidate. It could be you! Ideally, print the job description and learn it by heart so you can casually refer to essential items during the interview.

After that, you can start putting together a pitch for when the hiring manager asks, “what are you looking for in your next role?”

Examples of Ideal Answers to What are You Looking for?

Of course, you must use your own words, but the following answers are great examples of how to use your research to create a unique response to “what are you looking for in this job?

Example Job #1

Job Description: Metaverse Developer
Keywords: Web3, Problem-solving, critical thinker, team player, innovative
Research: Promote from within, encourage autonomy, and benevolent leadership, look for ambitious staff, remote working, and excellent customer service. The founders are self-starters with a mission to take its unique metaverse project to the top

Example Answer #1

I’m looking for a position where I can use my critical thinking skills to help develop a solution to problems in a metaverse project. In addition, I enjoy working with a team and want to work with an organisation that rewards innovation and encourages autonomy.

What interested me about this position was the company’s reputation for benevolent leadership, excellent customer service, and fast response times. I am ambitious and am looking for a position where I can channel my passion for the metaverse with a company with a good reputation.

I believe I’m an ambitious self-starter. I’ve spent the last twelve months immersed in gaining qualifications and real-use experience. I’m keen to start with the right company, which I believe is this organisation [name of company].

Example Job #2

Job Description: Video game writer
Keywords: Gaming, problem-solver, narrative storytelling, creative writing character development, collaborative, team player
Research: Results-focused, relaxed workplace culture, funds staff training, rewards excellence, high salaries, and bonuses. Good engagement and retention rates

Example Answer #2

I’m glad you asked. I love gaming and creative writing and want to work with [name of company] as a video game writer, working in a collaborative team.

I am results focused and want a career where I can use my problem-solving skills and utilise my enjoyment of narrative storytelling and character-building.

I understand that [name of company] has an excellent reputation for rewarding excellence and training staff for career progression, which appeals to me. A relaxed workplace culture is also vital in my new job.

I’m looking for a company where I can grow my career, and I’ve learned that [name of company] has excellent staff retention levels. It’s great to get to know colleagues long-term because it helps teamwork.

Example Job #3

Job Description: NFT Art Director
Keywords: Creative design, enthusiastic, excellent communication, mentor at a partnership level, critical thinker, quality control, collaborative, R & D
Research: Remote working, global opportunities, top-tier company

Example Answer #3

I am an enthusiastic NFT Art Director. I’m excited to work for a top-tier company like [name of company] that offers remote working and global opportunities. I want to use my skills, such as critical thinking and exceptional quality control monitoring, to work collaboratively with and mentor others up to the partnership level.

I enjoy R & D and look forward to assisting with your exciting projects [name projects] that I’ve been following for a while.

Hopefully, you get a general idea. It’s the same principle of tailoring your resume for every job instead of sending a generic CV. If you nail your response to “what are you looking for in your next role?” it gets you noticed as a candidate worth pursuing.

How Not to Respond to “What are you Looking for in Your Next Job?”

Tip #1: Do Not Falsify Information

If you do not align with the job requirements, you will probably not enjoy the job if offered. Above all, never lie on your resume or during the interview. Hiring managers usually have a wealth of experience spotting Pinocchio’s among the candidates. Be authentic, open, and honest. It’s not a trick question. Primarily, hiring managers simply want to know if you are the right person for the job.

Tip #2: Don’t Focus on the Salary

Of course, money is important, and you want a good salary to match your experience. However, never lead with money when asked what you are looking for from a job—Focus 100% on demonstrating the value you can bring to the company. If you get a job offer, that’s the time to negotiate salary. However, it’s not unreasonable to ask about pay at the end of your interview, but don’t chase it at that point.

Conclusion: How to Answer: What are You Looking for in Your Next Role

In conclusion, why are you the best person for the job? You may falter in your reply if you don’t know the answer. What are you looking for in your next role and why should the company hire you?

Increase your chances of a job offer by being fully prepared to answer confidently with a 100% focus on combining your needs with the company’s requirements. Above all, many candidates won’t have a clear answer or won’t have done their homework like you.

CB Recruitment is a Web3 specialist with an unrivalled reputation. We work with top-tier clients in the space. If you seek a fantastic career in Web3, contact the CB Recruitment team to discuss your options for 2023.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Testimonials

“Working with Daniel was a pleasure. He identified the perfect candidate for this technical role on the first attempt. Saving both time and energy for our internal technical recruitment team.”

Xiaoyu Sunny Guo
Product Manager | Cloud & DevOps

About Author

Jan Barley

Jan is a SEO copywriter, brand advisor, content strategist & case study specialist writing for crypto, recruitment, and SaaS companies. Jan lives in the Cotswold's UK with two rescue dogs. Since 2020, Jan has written hundreds of SEO articles for various crypto companies including CB Recruitment & Coin Bureau.