"Where Do You See Yourself In 5 Years?" How To Answer (2024)

“Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”

First off, you can set aside your crystal ball and tea leaves. Recruiters don’t want you to predict your future career in full detail.

Instead, they want to understand if you have a sense of direction of where you want to go. It’s like they’re saying “let’s talk about all the potential paths you envision for your career and how you plan to get there.” So, they’re interested in your long-term professional goals in the broad sense.

“Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” is a question that’s slowly becoming outdated, but you might still hear it. It’s just that the expectations for a good answer have changed significantly.

In this article, you’ll learn:

• Why interviewers ask “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”
• How to prepare an answer that stands out (and the most common mistakes people make)
• Sample answers to “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” and a template for creating your own answer

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Why Do Interviewers Ask “Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?”

There are several reasons why interviewers might ask you questions about your 3–5 year career plans.

To check if you know what you want

A lot of candidates, especially those with limited experience, have no career plans whatsoever.

Interviewers want to make sure you’re not one of those people.

Why?

Because if you show you have a well-defined sense of direction you want to take, it will indicate your proactive approach to career planning and personal development. And such candidates are more likely to be more motivated, productive, independent, and engaged in the workplace. Interviewers love people like this, and it might even raise your chances of landing a job.

So make sure you have the answer to this question for yourself before discussing it with the interviewer.

To check your growth mindset and strategic thinking

“Where do you see yourself in 5 years” is a question that dives deep into whether you have a genuine eagerness to learn, evolve, and challenge yourself — and this growth mindset is important to interviewers because it will spill into your everyday work and positively affect your performance.

If you’re able to articulate your vision and plans, you’ll show your readiness to adapt and grow. You’ll be perceived as an asset who can meaningfully contribute to the company’s goals.

✅ Pro tip: You don’t have to have a strict, super detailed plan. Nowadays, we’re seeing rapid changes in technologies and job markets which make it hard to plan in advance. Remember the pandemic, AI craze, The Great Resignation, and the rise of remote work and the gig economy. There are too many factors at play and making strict plans in such a climate might not always be a good idea.

To check if you’re a good fit for the company and role

This is where it gets specific: in addition to being a strategic thinker and decisive individual, interviewers want to know if your education and experience, along with your skills and personality, are a good fit for the role in that company.

This alignment is important because it will indicate:

• That you’ll fit in with the company and the team.
• You share their values and mission.
• You’re going to be successful in the role and stay with the company for a long time.

Keep reading for tips on how to highlight this alignment.

How to Answer “Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?”

Here’s what you need to cover when answering this question:

• Show that you’re thinking about your future and have a plan in place.
• Prove you’re aligned with the company and communicate key skills that will make you successful in the position.
• Show you have specific plans, but keep it flexible: have a plan B in place in case plan A gets derailed.
• Practice your answer for a confident, high-quality delivery.

Let’s dive deeper into each element.

Show self-awareness

It’s simple: know yourself and know what you want.

Show them that you’ve been thinking about your future, and you have a plan in place.

This would mean that you:

• Are aware of your strengths and interests
• Understand your weaknesses and know how to work on them
• Know how to use the experience you gained so far to apply it to new situations and contexts
• Know what roles and industries interest you and are a fit for your career
• Are sure about what kind of work you find fulfilling
• Are clear on your mission and values

Easier said than done. A lot of this you’ll learn through your mistakes or jobs that are not a good fit. Even then, it might be difficult for you to stay objective on your skills and strengths/weaknesses, so here are a few tips you can use:

1. Talk to your (ex) coworkers, friends, and family about your strengths and weaknesses.
2. Write down notes from each performance review at work, because it can be a great source of insight and it’ll make progress tracking easier.
3. Try personality tests (like Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or StrengthsFinder) and skill assessments to gain insight into your natural interests and inclinations.
4. Speak to a professional, like a career coach counselor or a therapist (a lot of therapists are equipped with HR knowledge and would be able to help you career-wise).
5. Try journaling with a twist — keep track of different projects you worked on, what tasks and skills they required from you, how they made you feel, and which aspects of those experiences were enjoyable vs. difficult.

It takes a bit of introspection, but it pays off because you’ll have a clear picture of yourself and your abilities — and this will help you figure out your plans and answer the tricky 5-year question.

✅ Pro tip: Don’t focus only on what’s in it for you. Sure, the question asks about your goals in the next 5 years, but remember that recruiters are trying to check if you and the company are the right fit for each other. So you need to show the alignment between your plans and the company’s goals to display you’re the right match — which brings us to our next point.

Prove you’re aligned with the role and the company

For this, you’ll have to do a bit of research and strategic communication.

Step 1: Start by researching the company, its mission and vision, values, reputation, any relevant news, and goals. You can browse the Internet and social media, company website, and company reputation platforms like Glassdoor. You can also talk to someone from that company if you have connections.

Step 2: Study the job description and identify key skills, experiences, and qualities that the company values and are needed for the position.

Step 3: Think about your skills and experiences that align with what you found during the research, as well as the ones you wish to develop, and the contributions you want to make using those skills.

Step 4: In your answer, weave together the findings from your research (information about the company) and your personal qualities and goals. For example, you could pick something interesting you read about the company, like a long-term goal, and think of ways how you can fit in and contribute. When talking about your 5-year plan, make sure it reflects both your career goals AND the company’s direction and vision for the role.

✅ Pro tip: Don’t make up experiences or exaggerate your skills and accomplishments in order to prove you’re a good fit for the company. Additionally, don’t overpromise or set unrealistic goals when talking about how you can contribute to the company with your skills. If you can’t fulfill them and deliver on your promises and goals, you’ll end up looking bad.

Display flexibility

Be specific about the direction you want to take (field, industry, expertise/leadership) and steps that could get you there. But don’t go into too much detail if you’re unsure about the company or industry or if they obviously don’t tick your boxes. It would also be great to hint that you have a plan B in place, just in case your initial plans get derailed.

Let’s see some examples:

“I want to continue learning and become a senior writer/project manager/QA engineer.”

This is not an ideal answer. The reasoning is good, but you need to add to it by explaining in more detail what you’ll do to get there. You need to be able to provide more specific information.

Another bad example:

“In 5 years, I want to become a Head of People and Culture, leading a team of at least 4 recruiters and 2 managers, working in a B2B SaaS company that’s also strictly remote and from the US.”

You’ve placed yourself in too many boxes here. You got so specific that there’s only a limited number of such companies, and, likely, the one you’re interviewing with will simply not check all of your boxes. Plus, you’re saying nothing about how you plan to get there.

And now, a good example:

“I want to participate in at least 2 workshops/meetups/seminars per year that would help me further expand my operational knowledge and make meaningful connections in the industry. I also plan to find a mentor and I’m currently speaking to several people I admire and would love to work with. And with the training courses I planned, I think in 5 years’ time I’ll have acquired a lot of new skills and will be ready to expand my scope of duties. I want to be able to start working on the strategic side of things and dip my toes into leadership.”

This is a much better answer because it outlines what particular steps you’ll take and where you expect them to lead you. It’s specific because it talks about very concrete steps you plan to take, but it’s also flexible because it doesn’t mention particular roles, industries, or companies.

For more tips and another example, check out this video:

Practice

The only way to leave a good impression is to prepare your answer in advance and practice.

When going through the tips described above, write down your main points. Do a bit of brainstorming and rearranging, and then pick the most important and impactful elements, like key skills, main areas of alignment between yourself and the company, how you can contribute, and similar.

Then put them into a single, coherent answer and start practicing.

Don’t learn your answer by heart (you don’t want to sound robotic). But memorize the main points that cover what you want to talk about.

Then head to the Interview Simulator and record your answer. You’ll get instant feedback on your performance and how to improve it (word choice, power words you used, speaking speed, filler words you used, eye contact…).

Now, we know practicing can sometimes feel awkward, especially if you’re not used to it. But it will make a huge difference. See how the Interview Simulator helped Abby land an internship with Goldman Sachs:

“Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?” — Answer Template and Sample Answers

Let’s take a look at some examples. At the bottom of this section, you’ll find a template you can use to come up with your own answer.

“Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?” — Sample Answer for Freshers

In five years, I see myself having significantly expanded my expertise related to human resources and development. I want to take all the theoretical knowledge and skills acquired during college and apply them in new contexts and settings. By that time, I hope to perfect my sourcing, hiring, and administration skills and start focusing on employee retention and development, which are my passions. Of course, I want to align my personal development goals with the strategic objectives of the environment I’m in, and considering the reputation and impact this company has made on the industry in recent years, I think it is the perfect place for me to learn and contribute.

“Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?” — Sales Representative Sample Answer

Having just switched to Sales from Customer Service, I know I have a lot to learn. So my main goal for the next few years is to learn as much as I can about this product and the industry, find a mentor to help me hone my persuasive skills, and master platforms such as Hubspot and Salesforce. Within a few years, I see myself as a top sales performer settled in a company with a strong mission like yours, with clear processes and data to work with.

“Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?” — Software Developer Sample Answer

One of my biggest career goals in the next 5 years is to dive as deep as possible into full-stack development but also to fill in a leadership position. Additionally, I want to improve my soft skills such as communication, presentation skills, and public speaking. There’s an imbalance between my technical knowledge and the way I organize and verbalize my thoughts. Getting good at interpersonal communication and organization could help me get a leadership position and expand my duties.

“Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?” — Project Manager Sample Answer

I’m looking to deepen my skills in Project Management and become certified in Agile, Scrum, and Waterfall methodologies, as well as take additional courses in communication, negotiation, and presenting. Additionally, it’s important to me to work somewhere where I’ll have opportunities to take on interesting projects and work with people I can really learn from. Some of the most innovative thinkers in the industry work here and that’s a big reason why I would love to build a career here.

“Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?” — Teacher Sample Answer

I’d like to work in an institution that places equal focus on the educational and pedagogical aspects of teaching. Which is why this institution seems like a great fit. I’m not too hung up on titles, the only thing that’s important to me is that I have the space and the means to dive deeper into the expertise and become a trusted member of the community.

“Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?” — Template

If you’re unsure how to create your own answer and use these sample answers as inspiration, here’s a template we created that combines all the best techniques:

In the next [X] years I plan to grow in [area 1] and [area 2] and pursue [goal 1] and [goal 2]. I’d also like to master [set of needed skills]. As for what comes next, I’m considering a few best-case scenarios that seem great at the moment. Right now, my ideal situation would be [scenario 1]. But I’ll know which one is best later on, once I gain a better understanding of how my skills evolve and where the market is at.

“Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?” — Popular Opinion vs. Expert Advice

Now, let’s analyze some popular advice on social sites like TikTok, Reddit, YouTube, or Quora.

We asked our two experts, Big Interview’s co-founder and Chief Career Coach with 15+ years of experience, Pamela Skillings, and Michael Tomaszewski, a Certified Professional Resume Writer, to analyze the tips given by the community.

A Reddit user asked: All my interviewers have asked “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”, but I still haven’t come up with a good way to answer it apart from the joking “still here, I hope”. The truth is that I don’t really know how far I can get in five years.

Here’s what the most upvoted advice by johnnychimpo017 was:

You could say something like: “In 5 years I want to be known as a Subject Matter Expert, who my peers look to based on my knowledge and ability to coach/mentor.” This answer works no matter what the job: be an expert in a process, a product, a technology, or an architecture. Think of it less of “how far I can get” and more “what kind of responsibilities I want to have”. Or say you’d like foreign experience if the company has foreign offices. The key is to paint a positive future with yourself being a valuable employee. Saying stuff like “still here I hope” makes it seem to the interviewer that you have no aspirations.

Next, a popular TikTok where user @millionmilestravelmaker said:

As for me, I’m declaring that in 5 years time I will be packing my bags and chasing my dreams around the globe. So traveling around the world and earning six figures.

In another similar Reddit thread, user punknprncss said:

It’s best to take a step back in this question and ask yourself, why is this question asked in the interview? Hiring managers will be looking for a few things — Does this candidate set realistic goals? Do they have an idea of where their future is going? Are they ambitious? Do they present themselves as someone that will be with us long term?

If I was hiring for an admin or marketing role and a candidate said “In 5 years, I’d love to be working in IT”, I would likely consider them not to be a good fit as it doesn’t align with the role. If they said in 5 years they want to be a vice president, again not a good fit as it’s not realistic.

But I would love answers like “In the next 5 years, I hope to have learned a variety of skills and tasks and be in a position to take on higher level tasks and consider a management role. I hope to be in a company that allows for career growth and provides new opportunities as I enjoy learning new skills”.

Summary of the Main Points

• Recruiters ask “Where do you see yourself in 5 years” to check if you know what you want, if you’re thinking strategically about your career, and if you’re a good fit for the role.
• In your answer to this question, you need to display self-awareness and flexibility.
• You’ll also need to prove your plans and values are aligned with the company and the role.
• Don’t provide too vague or too specific answers; hitting the sweet spot in-between is important, as you need to show you know what you want, but are aware you can’t plan in advance in full detail.
• Practicing your answer in advance is the best way to ensure a smooth delivery and impress the interviewer

FAQ

How do I answer “Where do you see yourself in 5 years” if I’m a recent grad without experience?

Start by considering your career goals and where you want to be a few years from now. Think about the skills you want to develop and the projects you want to work on. Then research the company to understand its goals and values and how the role fits into them. Because you don’t have much experience, you’ll want to focus on continuous learning and development, emphasizing your desire to take on challenges and responsibilities that will help you grow. Finally, show potential commitment to the company and express your interest in building a career with them. And a final piece of advice: show that you have a clear direction in mind, but that you’d also be open to opportunities that may arise along the way.

What if the interviewer asks about where I see myself in 2 years?

Focus on your goals and the skills you wish to acquire that align with the company’s objectives. Emphasize how you plan to contribute to the company’s success and professional growth in that time frame.

What if they ask about where I see myself in 10 years?

Share a long-term vision of your career growth while being flexible, as industries can change rapidly. Demonstrate how you intend to grow within the company and how its growth aligns with your professional aspirations.

What if I don’t have a 5-year plan for myself?

Develop a general but flexible plan that demonstrates your ambition and commitment to growth. Identify the skills you want to develop and where you want to make an impact in the company or industry, leaving room for change as circ*mstances evolve.

Isn’t the “Where do you see yourself in 5 years” question a bit old-school?

While it may seem old-school, this question assesses your ambition, commitment, and compatibility with the company’s future plans. An effective response shows your understanding of the industry, your professional goals, and how well you align with the company.

Do I need to tell them that my plan is to stay with them for the next 5 years?

Show your interest in staying by articulating how you see the company helping you grow professionally and how you plan to contribute to its growth. Conveying mutual benefit and long-term commitment, without rigidly locking yourself in, is key.

What if, within the next 5 years, I plan a career break to start a family? Do I disclose that?

Focus on your professional goals while being mindful of any legal rights or company policies about family planning. Don’t feel obliged to disclose personal plans, but emphasize commitment and dedication to the job during your time with the company.

What if I know I’ll no longer work for them 5 years from now? Do I lie?

Rather than lying, frame your response around your professional growth, immediate goals, and how you can contribute to their company. Focus on the mutual benefits you can bring each other during your time together.