No, really — why do you want this job?

Have you ever been stumped by the interview question, “Why do you want this job?”

If so, that’s unfortunate. While potential employers might understand when you stumble over other questions, not knowing why you want the job is definitely not good.

It’s also unfortunate when you answer the question, but entirely from your own interests. Here’s an example of a smooth-sounding, but unimpressive answer:

“I’m at a point in my career where I’d enjoy working with a team. It’s also been one of my goals to work for a large company like this one, and to have opportunities to grow my skills. Since the office is so close to my home, I’d be cutting my commute quite a bit…”

Since there are more pessimistic interviewers in the world than optimistic, candidates answering from a “me” perspective probably won’t fare any better on this question than candidates who have no answer at all.

Let’s start over! This is the kind of interview question you can anticipate, which means it’s something you should be ready to answer. After all, it’s only logical for an employer to want to know why you’re interested in the job.

Preparing this answer is a two-stepper.

First, the content for the answer. Why do you want this job? It may be convenient, high-paying, or a good career move, or it may be this is the only employer showing any interest in you.

Instead, dig deeper to find reasons that encompass the company or something you’d be bringing to them. Ideally, you’ll identify three or more things, which will give you more flexibility during the conversation.

To make this step easier, look for something positive to say about the product or job, about the company itself, and about your fit or goals for the position. This will help steer you away from the self-interest answers that enumerate how the job would benefit you personally.

Second, the structure for the answer. Think of this as a framework, with an introductory sentence, the content points you’ve identified, and a concluding sentence. Here’s an example of a complete answer, broken down so you can see the parts:

“There are three reasons this job interests me.” (introductory sentence)

“First is the product, which I find really intriguing. It’s a good addition to the market, and something I’d be good at selling. The second reason is the company. Your growth has been impressive and I’ve been looking for the opportunity to contribute

to a team that’s already in motion. And third, it’s a good fit for this stage in my career..” (content points)

“I’d be excited to join your sales team and start repping your product line.” (concluding sentence)

This three-part structure is something you can adapt to a variety of questions, by the way. Using it prevents you from wandering along in an answer until you run out of breath or words, or both.

To complete this lesson, let’s parse out the example above. In this answer, the introduction tells the listener that three points are coming, which is a way of keeping their attention. This is a good technique for answers that might be longer than average.

The content follows the job-company-fit equation described in step one, although you can certainly vary this. The points themselves are presented with enthusiasm, for obvious reasons. If you were to strip away that element you’d have, “First is the product. The second reason is the company. And third, it’s a good fit for this stage in my career.” That’s informative but definitely not compelling.

Sticking with the content points, note that they describe something important to the candidate but they’re presented as benefits to the employer. That’s just good strategy, regardless of the question being asked.

And finally, the concluding remark. It’s short, enthusiastic, and makes the point directly about wanting the job.