Introduction
Answering "why would you want this job" shows interviewers whether your motivation, skills, and goals align with the role—and it can determine whether you progress. If you can clearly explain why you want this job, you connect your experience to the company’s needs, reduce hiring risk, and make it easy for interviewers to picture you succeeding.
This article explains why answering "why would you want this job" matters, how to structure compelling answers using behavioral frameworks, sample responses you can adapt, common mistakes to avoid, and quick practice prompts you can use today to improve interview performance.
Why would you want this job: what interviewers are really assessing
Answer: Interviewers ask "why would you want this job" to evaluate fit, motivation, and long-term intent.
Interviewers want evidence that your reasons go beyond compensation and convenience: they look for alignment with the team’s priorities, a match to the role’s core responsibilities, and signals of growth potential. A focused answer demonstrates self-awareness, research, and sincerity—qualities that reduce perceived hiring risk. Research-driven guidance on motivation questions can be found in resources like Metaview’s self-motivation guide and employer-focused behavioral question lists such as the University of Virginia’s PDF.
Takeaway: Connect one clear professional reason to the company’s need to show desirable, hireable motivation.
How to structure a strong "why would you want this job" answer
Answer: Use a concise structure that links your strengths to the role’s goals and the company’s mission.
Start with a one-line hook (role alignment), follow with a short example of relevant experience or achievement, and finish by explaining how you’ll contribute and grow. The STAR method is useful for the example portion—describe the Situation, the Task, the Action you took, and the Result—to provide behavioral evidence rather than empty claims (MIT STAR method). Employers favor answers that show both competence and cultural fit, so include one sentence about why the company culture or mission matters to you, supported by a specific detail you discovered in your research. Practical templates and behavioral question lists from Michael Page and the Arizona GradCenter can help you practice tight, example-backed responses.
Takeaway: Structure = hook + evidence (STAR) + contribution; practice until it feels natural, not scripted.
Behavioral frameworks that strengthen motivation answers
Answer: Behavioral frameworks force specificity and measurable impact.
Use STAR for a one-sentence accomplishment, CAR (Context, Action, Result) for role fit stories, and weave in motivation statements about the company’s mission or product. The University of Virginia behavioral questions PDF and SJSU’s repo of behavioral questions offer prompts to build STAR examples.
Takeaway: Behavior-first answers prove motivation with results, not adjectives.
Common mistakes when answering "why would you want this job"
Answer: The biggest errors are vague motivations, overemphasizing pay, and failing to tie answers to the role’s outcomes.
Candidates often deliver generic lines like “I’m passionate” without backing them up, or they repeat things listed in the job description without showing how their experience maps to the company’s needs. Avoid overlong personal stories that don’t end with a contribution to the employer. The Kentucky Personnel behavioral guide highlights common pitfalls and suggests concise, role-focused answers. Practice trimming your answer to one minute while keeping one concrete example and one specific company detail.
Takeaway: Replace generic passion with a short example and a clear connection to how you’ll add value.
Practical "why would you want this job" examples you can adapt
Answer: Concrete sample answers model tone, length, and focus for your own role.
Q: Why would you want this job?
A: I want this role because it combines product strategy and data analysis, which I’ve practiced leading to a 20% engagement lift at my last company; I’m excited to bring that approach to your team’s roadmap.
Q: Why would you want this job?
A: The role’s emphasis on cross-functional leadership fits my experience building launch plans with engineers and designers; I’m motivated by your focus on scalable features and would prioritize measurable adoption.
Q: Why would you want this job?
A: I admire your company’s mission to improve accessibility; in my last role I led an accessibility audit and increased compliant pages by 40%, and I’d bring that experience here.
Q: Why would you want this job?
A: This position’s emphasis on client outcomes aligns with my background in customer success, where I reduced churn by 15% through proactive engagement and tailored onboarding.
Q: Why would you want this job?
A: I’m excited by the opportunity to grow into a people-lead role after mentoring junior engineers and delivering two major releases ahead of schedule.
Each example pairs a concise reason with a measurable result or a company-specific motivation, following advice from Michael Page.
Takeaway: Frame a brief reason, support it with evidence, and end with the value you’ll bring.
Interview question bank for practicing motivation questions
Answer: Practicing a variety of motivation prompts builds flexibility under pressure.
Q: Tell me why you want this job.
A: I want it because the role matches my proven skills and the team’s mission to scale product-market fit.
Q: What drew you to our company?
A: Your product’s focus on enterprise security aligns with my two years in security compliance and my desire to protect user data.
Q: How does this job fit your career goals?
A: It provides the technical leadership path I’m pursuing, with opportunities to manage cross-functional projects.
Q: Why should we hire you for this role?
A: I deliver results under tight timelines and can immediately contribute to your next release cycle.
Use the Arizona GradCenter 30-question list and SJSU’s behavioral questions to expand your practice set.
Takeaway: Drill multiple prompts until you can pivot to role-specific examples confidently.
How Verve AI Interview Copilot Can Help You With This
Answer: Verve AI Interview Copilot gives real-time structure, feedback, and examples to sharpen your "why would you want this job" answers. Verve AI Interview Copilot listens to your practice answer, suggests STAR-based improvements, and highlights missing company-specific details so you can tighten motivation and contribution statements. Verve AI Interview Copilot adapts recommendations to the role and helps reduce rehearsal anxiety with live prompts and pacing cues. This focused practice cuts preparation time while improving clarity and impact.
What Are the Most Common Questions About This Topic
Q: Can Verve AI help with behavioral interviews?
A: Yes. It applies STAR and CAR frameworks to guide real-time answers.
Q: How long should my "why" answer be?
A: Aim for 45–60 seconds with one specific example and one company detail.
Q: Is it OK to mention career growth?
A: Yes—tie growth to how it will help you contribute to this role.
Q: How do I avoid sounding rehearsed?
A: Use bullet points in prep, not scripts; practice variations out loud.
Q: Should I talk about salary?
A: Not in this answer—focus on fit and contribution instead.
Conclusion
Answering "why would you want this job" well signals fit, motivation, and the likelihood you’ll succeed—three variables hiring teams weigh heavily. Use a tight structure: a one-line hook, a short STAR example, and a clear contribution tied to company priorities. Practice focused, evidence-backed responses to build confidence and clarity.
Try Verve AI Interview Copilot to feel confident and prepared for every interview.
