Why What Interested Might Be The Most Underrated Interview Skill You Need
Written by
James Miller, Career Coach
In the landscape of job interviews, college admissions, and even sales calls, one question often appears deceptively simple: "What interested you?" Yet, your ability to articulate what interested you can be the secret weapon that sets you apart. This isn't just a casual query; it's a strategic opening for you to demonstrate your genuine motivation, preparedness, and alignment with the opportunity at hand. Mastering this response transforms a routine question into a powerful moment to showcase your value.
Why Do Interviewers Ask About What Interested You?
When an interviewer probes what interested you, they're looking far beyond a surface-level answer. This question serves as a diagnostic tool, designed to assess several critical aspects of your candidacy or potential engagement. Interviewers want to gauge your skills fit, attitude, motivation, and cultural alignment with the organization or opportunity. They're trying to understand if you’ve done your homework and if your aspirations genuinely align with what they offer.
Sales Calls: A salesperson asking "what interested you in learning more about X?" seeks to understand a prospect's pain points and specific needs, demonstrating a genuine interest in solving their problems.
College Admissions: Admissions committees use this to discern your passion for a specific program or the institution's values, and how you envision your growth within their community.
Beyond traditional job interviews, the underlying intent of "what interested you" extends to various professional communication scenarios:
Essentially, it's about uncovering your genuine passion, preparedness, and potential for long-term engagement, whether as an employee, student, or client.
How Do You Prepare for What Interested You?
Effective preparation is the bedrock of a compelling answer to what interested you. It’s not about memorizing a script, but internalizing key insights that allow for an authentic and impactful response.
Research the Organization and Opportunity: Dive deep into the company’s mission, values, culture, recent achievements, and key challenges [2]. For a specific role, meticulously analyze the job description to understand its core responsibilities, required skills, and team dynamics. For a college, explore its unique programs, faculty research, and student life.
Reflect on Your Genuine Interests and Motivations: Before you can tell someone else what interested you, you need to understand it yourself. What genuinely excites you about this specific role, program, or product? What problems do you love solving? What kind of environment do you thrive in?
Align Your Skills, Values, and Goals: Connect your personal and professional journey to the opportunity. How do your past experiences, skills, and future aspirations align with what they are offering? This alignment signals not just competence but also commitment and a strong potential for sustained engagement.
Here’s how to approach your preparation:
Thorough research helps reduce the risk of generic or unaligned answers, which can raise doubts about your commitment [3].
What Are Common Pitfalls When Answering What Interested You?
Despite its apparent simplicity, many individuals stumble when asked what interested them. Being aware of these common challenges can help you avoid them and craft a more impactful response.
Being Too Vague or Generic: Answers like "I just need a job" or "any opportunity works" are red flags. Hiring managers are wary of unspecific reasons, as they cast doubt on a candidate's commitment and genuine interest [3]. Such responses signal a lack of effort and enthusiasm.
Focusing Only on Compensation: While salary and benefits are important, making them the sole reason for your interest demonstrates a lack of understanding of the role's broader value or the company's mission. Speak about what excites you about the job’s tasks, team, or impact rather than superficial aspects like salary alone [1, 3].
Failing to Express Genuine Enthusiasm or Passion: A monotone delivery or a lack of positive body language can undermine even the most well-prepared answer. Enthusiasm signals you'll be a reliable and engaged team member or participant [1, 3].
Overthinking and Becoming Nervous or Insincere: Interview nerves can lead to overly rehearsed, unnatural answers or cause you to miss the chance to convey genuine enthusiasm [1]. Striking a balance between honesty and strategic communication is crucial; your answer should highlight the connections between your background and the opportunity’s specifics [2, 4].
How Do You Craft an Effective Answer to What Interested You?
Crafting a powerful response to what interested you requires a blend of substance, authenticity, and strategic communication. Your goal is to not only explain your interest but to demonstrate your potential value.
Here's how to structure an effective answer:
Start with Specificity: Begin by highlighting a concrete aspect of the role, company, or program that genuinely captured your attention. This immediately signals that you've done your research.
Showcase Relevant Qualifications and Experience: Briefly connect your skills and past experiences to the requirements or challenges of the opportunity. This is where you demonstrate your capability.
Demonstrate Motivation and Excitement: Articulate how the role or opportunity excites and motivates you. This isn't just about what you can do, but what you want to do. Speak about the job's tasks, the team, or the potential impact that genuinely excites you [1, 3].
Explain Your Contribution: Clearly state how you can contribute to the organization or succeed in the role. This shifts the focus from your needs to their benefits.
Balance Professionalism with Authenticity: While professionalism is key, allow your genuine enthusiasm to shine through. Authenticity makes your answer memorable and believable.
Use the STAR Technique: When discussing past experiences that highlight your interest, structure your answer using the Situation, Task, Action, and Result (STAR) framework. This helps create a clear, concise narrative that demonstrates your fit and interest.
Show Passion and Positivity: Your enthusiasm is contagious and signals that you'll be an engaged and valuable addition [1, 3].
Prepare Multiple Versions: Tailor your response slightly depending on the industry, interviewer, or the specific communication type.
Practice Confidently: Rehearse your answer with a friend or mentor to gain fluency without sounding overly memorized.
Actionable Advice to Succeed:
How Does "What Interested You" Adapt to Different Professional Scenarios?
The core question, what interested you, remains consistent, but the nuances of your answer must adapt to the specific context.
Job Interviews: Emphasize fit with the specific role, the company culture, and your long-term commitment. Discuss how your skills directly address the job requirements and how the company's mission aligns with your career aspirations. This signals you're looking for more than just a paycheck.
Sales Calls: Here, your genuine interest lies in solving the prospect’s problems or understanding their needs. Frame your "what interested you" around how their expressed challenges or goals resonate with solutions you can provide. This builds rapport and trust by showing empathy and understanding.
College Interviews: Share your passion for the specific program, the school’s values, and how you envision your personal and academic growth there. Discuss specific courses, professors, research opportunities, or campus organizations that genuinely excite you and align with your future goals.
Tailoring your response to what interested you for each scenario ensures your message is relevant and impactful, whether you’re seeking employment, a customer, or an academic opportunity.
What Are the Most Common Questions About What Interested You?
Q: How specific should I be when asked what interested you?
A: Be specific with details from your research (e.g., a project, value, or challenge), but keep it concise and relevant to your strengths.
Q: Is it okay to say I was referred by someone?
A: Yes, but follow up by explaining what specifically about the referral or opportunity appealed to you, not just the connection.
Q: What if my honest answer to what interested you is just the compensation or benefits?
A: While compensation is a factor, focus on how the role or environment fulfills your professional growth and how you can contribute, not just what you gain.
Q: Should I mention future career goals in my answer to what interested you?
A: Yes, if those goals align with the opportunity and show long-term potential within the organization. It signals commitment.
Q: What if I don't have direct experience in the field of what interested me?
A: Focus on transferable skills, a strong desire to learn, and how your unique perspective can still add value to the role or program.
Q: How do I avoid sounding rehearsed when answering what interested you?
A: Practice key points, not a script. Focus on conveying genuine enthusiasm and making eye contact, allowing your personality to shine through.
How Can Verve AI Copilot Help You With What Interested You?
Preparing a compelling answer to what interested you can feel daunting, especially when trying to balance authenticity with strategic communication. This is where the Verve AI Interview Copilot becomes an invaluable tool. The Verve AI Interview Copilot offers real-time coaching and feedback, allowing you to practice your responses and refine your delivery. You can rehearse answers to questions like what interested you, receiving immediate insights on your clarity, tone, and confidence. This personalized practice helps you sound polished yet authentic, ensuring your genuine enthusiasm for what interested you comes across powerfully. Elevate your interview game with Verve AI Interview Copilot at https://vervecopilot.com.
In summary, the "What Interested You?" question is designed to uncover your genuine passion, preparedness, skills fit, and long-term engagement. Crafting a thoughtful, tailored, and authentic response can significantly boost your success in job interviews and other professional communications. This involves thorough research, reflection on your values, and clear communication of how your goals and experience align with the opportunity presented. This approach not only helps to impress employers or interviewers but also enables a meaningful dialogue that benefits both parties.
