What is one strategy for answering the interview question, "How did you hear about this position?"

This interview question is pretty basic, but it can help you dive into your deeper story. For example, were you browsing an industry jobs board or did you hear about it through a trusted person in the industry? If so, then talk about other ways you follow along with what's happening in the industry. That shows you're keeping up with what's current and important before you discuss your background experience more. Having a career path in which you're seen as a knowledgable resource is really important.

Rather than answering this question in a brief and concise manner, use it as an opportunity to showcase your excitement about the job. Your answer matters little here so it could be that you found the job through a former colleague, a mentor, a LinkedIn search query, an ad that you saw online — at the end of the day, the hiring team simply wants to see how enthusiastic you are about the job and the confidence you display about becoming a new employee. You could even highlight why this opportunity is a great match for you or how the news of the position simply reached you at the right time.

In the event you didn’t have a personal contact at the company, or any other engaging story for what drew you to this specific position, before your interview, run a quick Google search to see if there are any articles on the business. That way, if you’re asked this question, you can mention the article piqued your interest in the company. Interviewers love to hear that applicants are showing interest in their particular company, not just casting a wide net with their applications and hoping something works out.

Always attempt to give thoughtful answers to all questions. If a hiring manager asks you how you learned about the position, don’t let them think you came upon the job listing by chance and applied for the position on a whim. Make them think you searched for that job specifically, or better yet, make them think you searched for a job with that company specifically. If it’s a company you hadn’t previously known much about, make sure you learn about the company’s background. Research and take notes and pull out one or two examples of why you think working for that company is something that would be good for you. They often want to hear that you found the job during a targeted, deliberate search.

Let a potential employer know that you are extremely interested in their niche by implying you've always been drawn to it. Elaborate by informing them that you've scoured job boards in search of this kind of opportunity, and that you feel you're a perfect fit based on your skills and experience. Through this approach, the hiring manager will likely see you as a natural fit who is passionate and ready to take on whatever challenges the role brings.

One tip for answering the interview question, "How did you hear about this position?" is to highlight the qualities you find attractive in the organization rather than the process of discovering the posting. For instance, "I was searching for an employer that values innovation and gives employees input on shaping projects, which is how I came to find your company." This answer reveals insights into your character and motivations, and is much more interesting and enlightening than "I found the listing on Indeed."

An easily underrated strategy for answering the interview question, "How did you hear about this position?", is to always make sure to name-drop and tell them who told you about it. If you've ever heard or known about the employment opportunity from someone influential or who already works in that company, drop their name! Your connection’s name is a proof that you already have strong professional contacts within their organization and shows just how interested you are in the company by asking their friend or colleague about them. Also, it shows proof that you took initiative to network within the company before joining.

If you are an active job seeker and after applying for a role at a company that is potentially a good fit for you make sure to express these thoughts during the interview. First, think of the specific reason the role description attracted you and read over the company’s mission. You can answer the question like this: “I’m actively job searching and found this posting on [job site name] while searching for my dream role as a [role being offered]. I reviewed the job description and specifically loved that the job description includes [task you enjoy]. After reading [company name]’s mission to [mission], I knew this would be a great fit for me so I applied to learn more about this opportunity.”. My name is Liz Hogan and I am a career expert, job search strategist and CPRW at Find My Profession. Website: https://www.findmyprofession.com/career-advice/

Be direct about what caught your eye about the position. Describe yourself and your intention to be passionate about the work you are about to perform. Offer a convincing reason why should they hire you and what skills you have to bring to the role and show your enthusiasm about the possibility of joining the company.

Firstly, the question is asking more than who sent you. Briefly, mention the source from which you heard of the position, whether the name of the individual, company or resource. Then go on to explain why you applied for the position and how you have the skills required. Adding this to your response can help to avoid awkward additional questions and perhaps help you to secure the position.

The best way to answer this interview question is to be truthful on how you heard about this position. Let them know whether you found the posting on an online job board or through a recommendation by a friend or colleague, for example. You do not need to go into depth about the other positions you have applied to through these avenues, but instead focus on what attracted you to the position and how you saw yourself succeeding in the role.

When a potential employer asks this question, they're looking to see how you approach advancements in your professional career. If you give a cliche answer, interviewers will see it as the first sign that perhaps you aren't interested in this position specifically. Those who are truly dedicated to a career progression don't just stumble into their dream jobs: they seek them out. A tip for answering this question is to be direct and honest about the details, as the interviewer likely knows already the different mediums through which a candidate is likely to have heard of the job. However, also include why this specific job attracted you, what kind of professional achievement it represents to you, and how the position factors into your career journey as a whole.

The best strategy for answering the interview question, "How did you hear about this position?", should never be with lying, but with elaboration and expanding on your answer! This can be done by first stating where you actually found the position, such as on LinkedIn, Indeed, Craigslist, etc. You can then state, and of course you should always do this with any job opportunity, that you also looked on their website and job board for more information! This not only shows how interested you are in the position, but also shows your interest in the company, their website, and their brand image.

If someone recommended you for the position, be sure to say their name. Follow up with how you know the person who referred you. Mention specifics of how you met to give yourself a little more credibility. If this referral happens to work at the company you’re interviewing with, explain why they thought you’d be a perfect fit. If you sought out the role yourself, be clear about what caught your eye — extra bonus points if you can align your values with the company and their mission. Try and convince the hiring manager that you chose their company, over all other companies, for specific reasons. Lastly, if you were recruited, explain what drew your interest. Even if you weren’t familiar with the organization prior to being recruited, be enthusiastic about what you’ve learned and honest about why you’re interested in moving forward.

When asked how they heard about a position opening, a lot of candidates tend to answer with one-word responses, such as “Indeed” or “LinkedIn.” They assume the interviewer is simply collecting data on what channels are reaching applicants and leave it at that. But more often than you might believe, these questions are actually smartly designed to see what types of other jobs you’re looking for, and perhaps more importantly, HOW you’re going about your job search. This is important because if a candidate is tossing out apps to every company with an online job posting, chances are they may not particularly care about this company. Thus, you need to be strategic in how you answer this question. Use this seemingly simple and innocuous question as a means of conveying your thought process and desire to work for this organization specifically. Mention how you've been looking strategically for a company that checks all your boxes and why you think this company made sense to apply to.

The last thing a hiring team wants is to interview a candidate that would literally take any opportunity that comes their way, out of desperation. Which is why you need to be mindful when answering this question and use it to reassure your interviewer that you're not simply going to apply for every job you find. Touch upon the many ways in which this job opportunity resonated with your requirements, skill set, and interests and briefly explain what made you take the decision to apply to the organization.

Make sure your answer shows that you have intent and purpose in your job search, and you didn’t just stumble onto their job randomly. Employers want to hire someone who knows what they want—someone who’s targeted and specific in their job hunt. These individuals are perceived as more motivated, energetic, and trustworthy. Tell the truth, and don’t say anything to make it sound like you are applying for every job you find, and don’t care what job you get as long as you get hired.

When searching for a job, you're always most drawn to positions that you feel a personal connection to. When asked the interview question of how you came to find the position, be sure to emphasize that the company itself is what drew you to apply. Being an interested party prior to an interview is an attractive quality to a hiring manager, and lets them feel like you're already invested in the company's success. In retail, it's often said that customers make the best salespeople, and a hiring manager will resonate with that during the interview process.

Include a thoughtful reference to why the job interests you instead of simply citing the direct source from where you heard about the position. When you anticipate this standard question coming up in a first conversation or interview, you can take time to consider how the potential employer aligns with your personal goals, outlook, and values. A response could sound like “A long-time friend sent the job post to me through LinkedIn; since they know my interests and abilities, I respect their opinion and trust they wouldn’t steer me wrong, so I had a look. When I learned your company cares about X by doing Y, I knew this is somewhere I could see myself working.” Using specific and personal examples to guide your responses helps your personality and perspective shine, no matter how short the interview question.

Don’t make the interviewer think you came upon the open position randomly. If you can legitimately say that you actively searched for an open position at the company because you’ve always wanted to work there, then definitely shape your answer around that. Otherwise, make it known that the position being offered matches well with your skill-set and that you’re excited about joining a terrific, reputable company. Don’t exit the interview making the managers think you stumbled upon the opening on a job site and that the position was one of many that you applied for. Make them feel special.