Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time? Unless you are a time traveller or have and believe in a crystal ball, it is well nigh impossible to predict where exactly you are going to be in 2, 3 or 5 years’ time. In fact, some of us, we may not even be able to tell where we’ll be next week!

However, it still tends to be something that many interviewers want to know . So today, we are highlighting some basic top tips on how to answer that dreaded question “ Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time? “

Be respectful
Possibly one of the worst responses to give would be to say that you want to be in the interviewer’s job. Of course it shows ambition, however you have to remember that if you are filling the interviewer’s role, where will they be? Many candidates answer this in a slightly joking humorous manner, however the response you get will all depend on the interviewer’s attitude. Gauge this wrong and you could be making a big mistake. There are so many other ways that you can answer this so don’t make the mistake of using this line. And as any interviewer will tell you, they have no doubt heard it countless times before and it has never once impressed them . And that, after all is what you are there to do.

Be ambitious but realistic
All employers want potential employees to demonstrate drive, ambition and a desire to get on. However, what they don’t want is someone who answers this question with an entirely unrealistic response. If it is not at all feasible within the timeframe that they ask, that you could become a Director or the CEO, then don’t make the mistake of saying you will. Make sure that your career ambitions are truly attainable and can be achieved in the time limit you are given if you want to be taken seriously as a candidate.

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