sujata1jan
3

Hi All
I know this subject has been discussed earlier also.
I would be requiring concrete answer for this question since we cannot give false statement for the same. The earlier discussion didn't give me satisfied result. :D
What would be best answer according to you?
Would be requiring reply from some seniors for the same.
Regards
Sujata

From India, Faridabad
mallet
40

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?



By: Kunal Guha

Source:ET

If a poll was conducted on ‘worst interview questions’, this one would probably top the list. And as pointless as it may seem, recruiters don’t seem to tire of asking the question- ‘where do you see yourself five years from now?’ Let’s find out why your answer to the above is so important.Contrary to technical questions that could be answered with mechanical ease, this one requires one to think, unless you’ve subscribed to ‘Accepted interview answers digest’. Recruiters, however, can easily see through rehearsed answers and pick out the genuine ones. “A lot of interview questions are based on the person’s accomplishments and choices. Answers to these questions demonstrate a pattern, on the basis of which one can evaluate the applicant’s future aspirations. The trick is to observe how well the applicant’s responses tie in with what one has done, and how well one is able to logically break down one’s career steps. I have seen candidates who broke down their long-term goals into small logical steps,” explains Manoj Varghese, HR Head, Google India.Recruiters also pay a lot of attention to a candidate’s career record. “Responses backed by a documented track record are valued most. The response may be rehearsed, but the same can be easily validated against the candidate’s track record,” explains M V Subramanian, Director- Staffing, HP India. Satish Venkatachaliah, HR Head, SAP Labs, seconds the thought, “We believe that past behaviour is the most reasonable predictor of future behaviour. In case of freshers, we try and look back at the nature of the candidates’ college behaviour - whether he/she was interactive and enterprising, has participated in extra-curricular activities and worked in teams for campus projects.”Since where you see yourself in the future is based on your imagination, your answer could divulge vital learnings about your thinking pattern and how you would respond to any given situation. These factors could be crucial in evaluating a candidates’ potential. “In our case, if we ask this question, the reason would be to understand the individual’s thinking and quality of reasoning, self awareness, etc. For example, the person may not know the mechanism of the organisation.Therefore, if he/ she responds to the question in the context of the organisation without asking exploratory questions regarding career growth in that organisation, then the person is obviously shooting from the hip. On the other hand, if the person responds generically, then it is important to understand why the person considers that path and not other alternatives. This will give an idea of the person’s self-evaluation,” explains Pankaj Bhargava-HR Head Marico Limited.It is crucial to understand how realistic a candidate’s expectations are and whether there is a match between the candidate’s goals and the organisations’. “Investigating a prospective candidate’s future aspirations tells us in advance about the candidates personal goals. This helps us match the candidates’ personal goals with those that we have set out for the role and the organisation. If we find a strong dissonance with the two, it would definitely affect the selection process,” explains Mona Cheriyan, General Manager, Employee Engagement & Europe Liaison, i-flex solutions limited.

Subramanian elaborates, “This question actually attempts to co-relate the candidate’s aspirational level with that of his/her potential. The belief here is that an employee is motivated when he/she sees the role in question as a path toward a larger career goal.”You may say that you see yourself as a delivery head or a project director in 3 years, but unless you are able to logically break down your aspirations, it will be a lost cause. So, where you see yourself in the future must have a strong link with the current capacity being offered to you. “Aspirations should be always linked with the role and what the applicant would like to do within a period of time. I have seen candidates create a very good impression with the interviewers by spending time in understanding what their current role is going to be and thinking about ways to add value to that.Even titles can be misleading from organisation to organisation; hence an applicant expressing a desire to be a senior manager in five years may sometimes not make sense in the context of the organisation one is interviewing with,” elucidates Varghese.

So, now the next time you appear for an interview, make sure you’re honest, reasonably ambitious but not overtly aggressive and it should work out just fine!

From India, Hyderabad
sujata1jan
3

Hi Thanks for your reply. It is nice information. I agree that there should be link with the current capacity being offered. Would be looking for more answers. Regards Sujata
From India, Faridabad
Paladin
9

I expect to have sufficient exposure to, and experience in. a diverse range of situations which will allow me to grow and understand the responsibilities of the position. In five years, I hope to be making a significant contribution to the organization, using the acquired knowledge and experience, and would hope that the organization would recognize those contributions.
But for now, I want to demonstrate my initiative, skill and enthusiasm.

From United States,
paromita101
hello MALLET
i want know how to answer the same question wen asked

WHERE DO U SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS DOWN THE LINE" ........??
my query is........
1)Should i say i want to be in top management or b polite to day i will in somewhere in middle level management........
2)Should i really quantify in what position..leading a team of how many members (10 members or 100 members)
3)I do not want to sound vague by uttering very generalised answers still want to sound honest,apt & project achievable goals........
how do i go about it....!!!!!!!!!!!
please help..................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From India, Calcutta
priya_sharma
Hi,
Interviewer asked this questions to check your future goals and career path. Each individual has own goals to be achieved so answer is also varies from individual to individual. Be confident design your career path. We all see big dreams bt keep in touch with earth. & You will get your answer.
All the Best:
Priya

From India, Delhi
arun29478
3

Hi All,

The basic idea behind asking this question is to understand if the candidate has the required focus. Ther may not be any right or wrong answer to this question. More so, it also depends on the person interviewing you.

Saying senior management / CXO wont really make much of sense if u r applying for a junior level. I mean, do you really think that in 5 years time, an executive can become a CXO or join the senior management?

The answer should sound convincing. I suggest you ask this question to yourself before someone else asks you this. The answer to such questions should be framed with SMART rule in mind.

SMART is nothing but, Specific - Measurable - Achievable - Realistic - Time Bound. The "T" is already answered in the question. So what you have to think while framing the answer are the SMAR aspects. I am sure, no one will be able to tell you where you can be or wanna be after 1/2/5/10 years...Its for you to decide. Set your objective and move on to achieve it.

Moreover, The question continues....Where do you see yourself 5 years down the line....and how are you ensuring that you reach that position. So you have to have answers for this continuing question as well.

Also, i dont agree with mallet on this being the worst question. If you think a little, this is one of the most sensible questions to understand the thought of the candidate better.

Regards,

Arun

From India, Bangalore
Community Support and Knowledge-base on business, career and organisational prospects and issues - Register and Log In to CiteHR and post your query, download formats and be part of a fostered community of professionals.





Contact Us Privacy Policy Disclaimer Terms Of Service

All rights reserved @ 2024 CiteHR ®

All Copyright And Trademarks in Posts Held By Respective Owners.