Latest / Interview Prep with Fexingo: Behavioral Questions, Case Studies, and Hiring Manager Insights / How to Answer the Why This Company Question
Transcript
- Lucas: So you're in the hot seat, the hiring manager looks you in the eye and says, 'Why do you want to work here?' And you give an answer that sounds exactly like every other candidate's. That is the one mistake that can cost you the offer faster than almost any other. Luna: It's such a deceptively simple question. On the surface it feels like a softball, but it's actually a trap for the unprepared. Lucas: Exactly. And we get asked about this all the time by listeners. So today we're going to break down how to answer 'Why this company?' in a way that actually lands. We'll use a real example from a listener who nailed it at Salesforce. Luna: I love that we have a concrete case. But before we dive in — and I know Lucas agrees — if this episode helps you think through your next interview move, consider tossing a coffee our way. It's buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. That's the only reason we keep this ad-free and focused on what actually works. Lucas: Yeah, honestly, it's the smallest ask. But it makes a big difference to us. Okay, so let's talk about the Salesforce example. Our listener — let's call her Priya — was interviewing for a product marketing role. She had done her homework. Luna: What kind of homework? Because most people just glance at the website and call it a day. Lucas: Right. Priya went deeper. She didn't just read the 'About Us' page. She listened to three recent earnings calls, read product reviews on G2, and even followed a few Salesforce product managers on LinkedIn to understand their recent posts. Then she built her answer around three elements: product, people, and path. Luna: Product, people, path. That's a memorable framework. So product being what they actually make? Lucas: Yes. She mentioned specific features in Salesforce's new Data Cloud offering and how it integrates with their existing CRM. That showed she understood their product strategy, not just their product name. People — she referenced a blog post from the VP of Marketing about customer-centricity, and said she admired how the leadership team publicly prioritises user research. And path — she explained how her background in B2B SaaS analytics aligns with a current gap she identified on their team. Luna: That's impressive. But isn't there a risk of sounding like you're name-dropping research just to show off? Lucas: It's a fine line. The key is to connect each research point to something about you. If you just say 'I like your Data Cloud,' that's generic. But if you say 'I saw that Data Cloud now supports real-time segmentation — something I struggled to do in my last role — and I think I can help you refine the go to market messaging for that product,' now you're telling a story about value. Luna: That makes sense. So the product piece is about demonstrating genuine enthusiasm for what they do, not just listing features. What about the people piece — how do you research that without being creepy? Lucas: It's actually easier than you think. Look at their company blog, their LinkedIn posts, any recent media interviews. You're not trying to find out their favorite color — you're looking for cultural signals. For example, if the CEO frequently talks about 'ruthless prioritization,' you know they value focus. If the hiring manager's posts highlight mentorship, you know they care about development. Reference that directly. Luna: And the path piece — that's where you connect your skills to their needs. But what if you're pivoting into a new industry and don't have direct experience? Lucas: Then you talk about adjacent experience. If you're moving from consumer tech to enterprise software, you might say, 'I've spent the last three years scaling user acquisition for a consumer app, and I see that your company is trying to improve its self-serve onboarding. I think I can apply similar experimentation frameworks here.' The key is specificity. Not 'I'm a fast learner,' but 'I did X and it drove Y, and I think that could work for your challenge Z.' Luna: Let's talk about the biggest pitfalls. I've seen people answer this question with generic flattery — 'I've always admired your brand' — and it just evaporates. Lucas: That's number one. Number two is talking only about what the company can do for you — 'I want to work here because you have great benefits and growth opportunities.' That's a sure way to tank your candidacy. The hiring manager wants to hear what you can do for them. And number three is being too vague — using words like 'innovation' or 'disruption' without any concrete reference. Luna: I'd add another one: not tailoring the answer to the interviewer. If you're talking to the VP of Engineering, your product focus might be different than if you're talking to the Head of Sales. Lucas: Great point. Priya did that too. She told us she had different versions of her answer for different interviewers. For the product manager, she emphasised her experience with A/B testing and user research. For the hiring manager, she focused on strategic alignment with company goals. That's advanced level. Luna: So let's say someone is preparing for a startup interview. Does the framework change? Lucas: Slightly. Startups care more about adaptability and ownership. Your product research might be thinner — maybe they only have a landing page — so you focus on their mission and the problem they're solving. The people piece becomes critical: you want to show you've researched the founders and understand their vision. The path piece is about proving you can wear multiple hats. For example, 'I see you're a five-person team, I've built processes from scratch before, and I'm comfortable handling customer support one day and building the marketing funnel the next.' Luna: What about when you get asked 'Why this company?' in a second-round interview after you already answered it in the first round? That's tricky. Lucas: That's a great point. In second rounds, you should go deeper. Reference something you learned between the first and second interviews — maybe a product update they announced, or a new insight from talking to a team member. Or you can say, 'After meeting with your team last week, I've become even more excited about X because I saw how collaborative everyone is.' That shows you're evolving your interest, not just repeating the same speech. Luna: Do you have a go-to structure for the first-round answer? Like a formula people can practice? Lucas: I do. Keep it to three sentences max. Sentence one: state your genuine interest tied to their product or mission. Sentence two: name a specific thing you admire about their culture or team, based on research. Sentence three: explain how your skills fit a specific need they have. That's it. If you can deliver that in under 45 seconds, you're golden. Luna: Let's give listeners a chance to hear Priya's actual phrasing — do you remember how she opened? Lucas: She said something like: 'I’ve been following Salesforce’s Data Cloud launch closely because I think the real-time segmentation feature is a game-changer for marketing teams. I also really admire how your VP of Product talks about building with customers, not just for them — that approach aligns with how I’ve worked in the past. And I believe my experience building go to market campaigns from zero at three B2B startups can help you drive adoption for this new product.' That answer got her to the next round. Luna: That's textbook. And it's specific without being overly rehearsed. So the takeaway: don't just say you want to work there — prove you've already started. Lucas: Right. The best answers make the hiring manager think, 'This person gets us.' And that's the feeling you want to leave. Luna: Next time you're prepping for an interview, spend an hour on that research. It might be the highest roi hour of your job search. Lucas: Absolutely. And if you have a question about a specific interview scenario, reach out — we might cover it on a future episode.