Most interview panels will ask job candidates questions about their career aspirations. Understanding your career aspirations and being able to relate them to each position you apply for can help your chances of being hired. When preparing for an interview, you should consider how you would answer this question about your future goals.

Why employers ask about your career aspirations:

Employers ask about your career aspirations to identify how well your goals align with theirs. They want to get an idea of how committed you will be to your job and how long you plan on staying with the company. They also want to see if the position you are applying for makes sense for your ideal career.

Examples of career aspirations:

People develop their career aspirations based on their skills, personal values and other factors. Consider your interests and goals when brainstorming ideas for your response to questions about your goals. Career aspirations can be influenced by whichever factors are most important to you.

Here are some helpful aspirations that you can use to integrate as part of your answer to this interview question:

• Being exposed to managing a team.
• Being exposed to new parts of the business.
• Being able to gain new skill sets that are applicable to future career opportunities.
• Being able to be more hands on with the companies operations.
• Being able to obtain a stronger track record of result making.

Senior management / executive level

• Managing a hotel | Large conference centre | Tourist Attraction
• Executive positions
• Owning a business
• Becoming a consultant
• Managing Director of company.

Talking about your career goals can be challenging, especially if you are still considering different career options. When interviewing for a job, stay focused on how well you would benefit from the job and vice versa. Here are some guidance steps you can take when developing an answer to interview questions about your career aspirations:

1. Consider why you want the job. Think about how this job will support your long-term goals.
2. Relate your aspirations to the position. As you discuss your career goals, relate them back to the job that you are applying for.
3. Focus on your career.When answering this question, avoid mentioning goals that are not related to your career.
4. Show dedication. Telling the interviewer that you plan to commit to a career path for a significant amount of time.
5. Demonstrate ambition and development. Regardless of your aspirations, you should describe some sort of growth in order to show the interviewer your ambition and potential.

When answering this question, try and personalise the answer to the position as much as possible –  having many goals in common with the job description / company values.

Questions about your career aspirations can help employers understand your motivations other than salary and benefits.

IMPORTANT:

Sit down and think through what personal career aspirations you have before coming up with an answer, or even before interviewing. If your career aspiration as a professional doesn't align with the job opportunity why interview? Recognise what your personal career path is, and ensure the job you're interviewing for aligns with that.