“What is your dream job?” can be a tricky interview question if you are not prepared to answer it. Your dream job may have nothing to do with the position you are interviewing for, so it is a good idea not to mention it in that case. Instead, connecting your answer to aspects of the position that appeal to you enables the interviewer to determine if you are a good fit for the job.
In addition to accessing if you have the right skills to be successful in the job, the interviewer is also interested in finding out how motivated you are, and if you will be satisfied with the role. Your response should reflect your skills, interests, and values as an employee.
As you prepare for the interview, consider what appeals to you about the job and align yourself with it. The answer to this question is not a job title – it is a reflection of self-awareness.
Skills: Consider the position you are interviewing for in relation to what you excel at and enjoy doing. Then tailor your response to include some components of that role. For example, if the position is a customer service job and you are a people person, you might say that your dream job would have a high level of interaction with customers.
Interests: Talk about why the industry or positon interests you. For example, if you are applying for a job at an environmental nonprofit, you can mention your passion for conservation and social responsibility.
Values: Another option is to structure your answer to reflect your ideal company culture or work environment. For instance, you might say you value a creative environment and are excited to be interviewing for a role within a dynamic company that encourages innovation.
The idea is to show the interviewer a link between their job and what you enjoy doing or value most. It reveals that you have done your research, you have a legitimate reason for wanting to work for them and a genuine passion for the job.
You might wrap up your response to this question by reaffirming the points you have made and letting the interviewer know you read or saw this about their company and that prompted you to want to work for them. For example, you could say: “I am excited to see that this is equally important to your company.”
For more tips that lead to a successful interview, check out this article on how to respond to “Tell me about yourself.”
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