Where Do Employers Want You to Be in 10 Years?

By Michelle Barbeau Published February 24, 2010 | 438 Views

Where Do Employers Want You to Be in 10 Years - Guy Looking At Clock

From Our "In the Hot Seat" Series.

Our generation is notorious for jumping from job to job and switching careers several times, often before we even hit 30. They call it the quarter-life crisis. That’s why (if you’re anything like me) you’re perplexed when you get this question in an interview:“If you could picture yourself 10 years from now, where would you be and what would you be doing?”

Are we really supposed to know this or answer whole heartedly? Most 20-somethings have no idea.

The main things you want to avoid are sounding like you definitely won’t be at their company in 10 years, or that you have a wishy-washy mindset. This seems like common sense, but when you’re in the hot seat (a.k.a. the interview chair), your nerves can take over and you’ll start rambling and digging yourself into a hole before you know it.

If you dread this question too, I recommend you heed the following advice:

DON’T hint that you might want to switch fields from the one in which you are applying to.
DON’T imply that you might take the skills you would learn in this job to go on to do bigger and better things. They want to see someone who at least plans on sticking around. (Employers know the reality of how long you really might stay.)
DON’T talk about non-work-related goals (e.g., starting a family, taking up guitar lessons).
DO show that you desire a company in which you can work your way up the ladder (i.e., stick around and develop as an employee).
DO express interest in furthering your education if this is one of your goals. (Especially if tuition reimbursement is one of the benefits the company provides, because if this is so, they obviously view this as a positive thing.)
DO mention that you want to develop an expertise or niche in your field. For instance, you’re applying to work in a lab to study diseases, but you want to focus on studying the meiosis of brain cancer cells. (Plus, this makes you a more indispensible employee down the road!)

My Canned Response:

I always go for something such as, “I’d like to grow alongside your company and take advantage of the opportunity for promotion.” It may be cheesy, but it’ll make the employer happy, and it’s an honest way of stating my goals without making impossible commitments.

Got a great answer for this question (or an answer we should NEVER use)? Share your interview tips with us!

About The Author Michelle Barbeau

Michelle Barbeau graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2006 with a B.A. in English and minor in Professional Writing. She is currently in graduate school working toward a Masters in Rhetoric and Writing. Michelle has worked as an editor and writer for four years and teaches Freshman Composition at a local university. She also considers herself an authority in resume writing and acing the GRE, and provides free resume critiques to potential clients. Read her career advice blog, follow her on Twitter, or connect on LinkedIn.

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