That one obvious interview question that can cost you some nerves

“Why do you want to work here?”

-> Your interviewer

“Well, I am a web developer, and you are looking for one. Additionally, I need the money.”

-> You

Some interview questions are stupid. But giving answers like the one above doesn’t help.

Let’s see how to tackle this one effectively.

Foreword

I’ve interviewed quite a few times in the last few years, and I also had the honor to interview a few outstanding software engineers. I witnessed this question many times, although I never asked it myself.

I don’t particularly like this question, and I love companies that simply throw such questions into the bin. But, there are still companies out there asking questions like this one. And this is why you should be prepared for it and the reason I share this with you.

Why this question is important

Like any other general question that is asked relatively often, this one is also aimed at giving your potential new employer some key information about you. It aims at providing the following information:

• What is your motivation to work exactly at this company?