For anyone who doesn’t know by now, Listen Money Matters is an outstanding Personal Finance Website and Podcast hosted by Andrew Fiebert and Thomas Frank discussing anything from financial “hacks,” personal productivity, career growth, in addition to conversations regarding their passion for craft beers.
During a recent podcast episode focused around career growth, amongst other topics the two discussed dealing with the infamous “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years” question that commonly arrises during professional interviews.
While the question is fair, the response is typically a rehearsed and edited version where the candidate tells the Manager what they think they want to hear (still at this company in a Senior role) rather than what they are really thinking (working for myself on a beach after leaving your company three years prior.)
When Co-Host Andrew Fiebert posed the question to his podcast partner Thomas Frank, Thomas thoughtfully provided the most honest and complete answer I have come across.
“For me five years is too long…In 5 years I am going to be helping people somehow, and I am going to be doing something that challenges me and that requires me to learn new things.”
First the acknowledgment that five years is indeed a long period of time, technology in five years will be more advanced and look very different than it does today. Companies will be created and jobs will be developed that have not yet been thought of (see “Social Media Managers” years ago) so it is not fair for a candidate should be expected to have an exact job in mind where they will actually be, even if this is just a thought exercise.
In addition, rather than simply pledging a blind allegiance to the company and saying that they (as a candidate) will still be employed there, Thomas lets the would be Manager know that he wants to be helping people, constantly challenged and learning new things, thus putting the pressure back on the Hiring Manager and allowing Thomas to ask the important follow up question…“would this position and company allow me to do this?”
This follow up question shows the Manager that growth and development is important to the candidate and they now have to respond and sell the candidate on the opportunity at hand, rather than the candidate only having to sell themselves.
If nothing else, this moment will allow the Manager to sell the position to the candidate which is a great opportunity for the candidate to realize if there is actually any interest from the Manager, and also if the Manager seems to actually have a passion for the company and it’s future. A subdued response that does not give a positive outlook of the company can be a red flag to the candidate realizing that long term growth might not actually be an option here.
This response will hopefully lead to an honest moment between the candidate and the Manager where they have to both consider if the expectations are realistic. Ideally the response will bring the two together for a great opportunity, or it will help at least one of them realize that the position might not be the best match and move on from each other.
Either way both parties win as expectations are set and future growth and development plans can be created for a productive employment opportunity within the new organization.
As you were taught years ago, honesty truly is the best policy so don’t try to oversell yourself and say what you think the Hiring Manager wants to hear. If you are not honest with yourself and your Manager upfront about what you want to do with your career, you can find yourself in a negative situation without any productive ways out that could derail your growth and career path all by not setting honest expectations from the beginning when given the opportunity to.
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