Think Like An Investor
Why do you want to work for us? This is the question that will always be asked in interviews in some way, shape or form. It might get asked by the critical decision-maker or by every interviewer on the agenda. The answer to this question is very often a make-or-break data point in hiring decisions.
Why would I hire anyone who wasn’t passionate about my company? And, where should their passion drive from? Hearsay? Simple brand recognition?
Candidates often tell me, “I want to work for XYZ Corp. because they are a solid, well-regarded company and they will offer me opportunities to grow my career.” When asked how they know it is a solid, well-regarded company, the answer is usually superficial, based on common knowledge about the company. The opportunity to grow one’s career is a personal objective, but it is not an answer to the question of “Why do you want to work for us?” that is going to inspire a hiring manager to make an offer.
If you had $500,000 to invest right now in a major company, what kind of analysis would you do and what would your investment rationale consist of?
Why do I throw out $500,000? Because if you are an experienced IT Audit, IT GRC, or IT Security professional, and you stay with your next employer for 5 years, you are looking at an investment of about a cool half a million in gross salary (give or take a few thousand depending on what side of the experience spectrum you are on).
That’s a hefty chunk of change, not to mention that we all spend as much, or more, time at work, than we do at home
Back to the investment decision. You would do a lot of due diligence, right? Read the financials, track the stock, and scope out the competition. You would read what the CEO and CFO have to say about the health of the company and their strategy; study what the analysts and stock pundits are saying; and so forth. By the time you were ready to buy the stock, you would be pretty well versed in the company and would probably have prepared something close to an MBA case study.
Let’s say you then had to justify your investment rationale of that $500K to Warren Buffet. Standing in front of this renowned investment giant, you would roll out your laundry list of reasons, prioritized by importance, and you would lay out a convincing business case that would earn a thumbs-up from Mr. Buffet.
A green light from your spouse, your folks, or a career-savvy friend on your business case for your employer of choice, is worth just as much, and probably more.
The investor mindset is exactly what you are going for when you are researching a prospective employer and developing your personal answer to the inevitable question, “Why do you want to work for us?”
You need at least three solid business reasons for why you want to work for the company. They need to be concrete, based on solid facts you have read and could list, and they need to signal your personal passion and the investment you will bring to the team if hired.
The reasons can include specific items about corporate strategy, leadership strength, profitability and business position, corporate culture, social responsibility, inclusiveness, specific departmental strategy, and so forth. You choose, but select a group of items that when put together provide a clear picture and solid business case. Not only are you commenting on the company when you give your answer, you are also giving the hiring managers insight into your thought processes, analytical skills, and personal values. You want to represent yourself authentically and well.
The investment of your time to do the research and craft a business-case based answer to “Why us?” is absolutely worth it. This is a critical part of your strategy for winning job offers. Once the offer is in hand, you will be in a good place to make your decision with peace of mind. And if you are lucky enough to win multiple offers, you can go back to your research, together with the new information you will have gained through your interviews, and be in a strong position to make the right choice.