Latest / Interview Prep with Fexingo: Behavioral Questions, Case Studies, and Hiring Manager Insights / Answering the Why Do You Want to Work Here Question
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's this question that hiring managers say is the easiest to answer — and yet about seventy percent of candidates get it wrong. It's 'Why do you want to work here?' Luna: And by 'wrong' you mean they make it all about themselves, right? I've interviewed people who essentially said 'Because I need a job.' Lucas: Exactly. Or they say 'Because I love your brand' — which is nice, but it tells me nothing. The worst version I ever saw was a candidate who said 'Because I heard you have good work-life balance.' Luna: Oof. That's an instant no from most managers. You're essentially saying 'I want to work less.' Lucas: Right. So let's be specific. I want to use a real example from a friend who recently got hired at Stitch Fix — the personal styling company. She told me how she prepared for that exact question. Luna: Okay, I'm listening. What did she do? Lucas: First, she didn't just browse the website. She read the last two earnings transcripts, looked at their investor presentations, and identified a strategic challenge: Stitch Fix had been trying to grow their men's segment, but it was still a small fraction of revenue. Luna: So she went deep. That's smart — it shows you care enough to do real homework. Lucas: Right. Then she built her answer around three pillars. Pillar one: company-specific research. She mentioned their men's growth initiative and said she had ideas for improving the styling algorithm for men's inventory. Luna: That's pillar one. What's pillar two? Lucas: Role fit. She explained why her background in data science and her personal interest in fashion made her a good match. She didn't just say 'I have the skills' — she connected her past project on recommendation systems directly to Stitch Fix's product. Luna: So she's answering the hidden question: 'Why you, specifically, for this role at this company?' Lucas: Exactly. And pillar three: cultural resonance. She didn't just say 'I love your culture.' She referenced their value of 'client-first' and gave an example from her own experience where she had prioritized customer feedback over her own assumptions. Luna: That's the trifecta. Company, role, culture. I think most people stop at one — usually the culture part, but vaguely. Lucas: Right. And here's the thing: even if you're interviewing at two similar companies — say, two SaaS firms — you cannot reuse the same answer. You have to find something distinct about each one. Luna: How do you do that without sounding fake? I mean, if both are tech companies with strong cultures, what's the differentiator? Lucas: Look at their recent product launches, their blog posts about engineering challenges, their Glassdoor reviews about management style. One might be more remote-friendly, the other might have a stronger mentorship program. Pick something real. Luna: And if you can't find any difference? Maybe it's a generic role in a generic company? Lucas: Then you focus on the role itself — the specific projects you'd be working on, the team you'd join. That's still specific. The trap is saying 'I want to work here because it's a great company.' That's a non-answer. Luna: What about when you're underqualified? Like, you're applying for a stretch role. How do you answer why you want to work there without sounding desperate or out of your depth? Lucas: Great question. You pivot to growth. You say something like: 'I know I don't tick every box today, but here's what I bring — and here's why I'm excited to grow into this role at this company because of the specific learning opportunities it offers.' Luna: That's honest but forward-looking. I think hiring managers appreciate that more than someone pretending to be a perfect fit. Lucas: Exactly. Now, there's one sentence that can elevate your entire answer. I call it the 'connective sentence.' Luna: Tell me. Lucas: After you've done your three pillars, you close with something like: 'And that's why I'm not just looking for any job — I'm looking for this one, at this company, right now.' It signals intentionality. Luna: That's strong. It shows you've thought about it and you're not just casting a wide net. Lucas: Speaking of intentionality — if you're listening and these episodes have helped you land a job or even just feel more confident going into an interview, that's exactly why we make them. And we keep them ad-free. Luna: Yeah, no sponsor breaks, no annoying mid-roll ads. It's just us and the content. And that's entirely because of listeners who choose to support the show. Lucas: If you've gotten value — even if it's just one tip that made a difference — a couple of dollars a month genuinely keeps these going. You can find us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Yeah, no pressure at all. But if you're able, it makes a real difference for a small independent show like ours. Lucas: So back to the 'why us' question. One last thing: never, ever mention that you want the job because it's a stepping stone to something else. Even if it is. Luna: Right. You can think that, but don't say it. Frame it as a place you want to contribute and grow, not a place you'll leave in eighteen months. Lucas: Exactly. So to recap: research the company's specific challenges, connect your skills to the role, show cultural fit with a real example, and end with that connective sentence. That's how you turn a generic question into a standout answer. Luna: And if you're preparing for an interview this week, try writing down your answer using that three-pillar structure. See if it feels more focused. Lucas: Good luck out there. We'll be back next episode with another common question — 'Where do you see yourself in five years?'