How to Answer "Why our company?" in a Job Interview | Interview questions and answers
Apr 11, 2022
The question “why Amazon?” “Why Google” “Why Disney” is bound to come up when interviewing, and yet, I’ve found out very few prepare for this question.
Your answer to “Why their company?” can be a make or break in moving forward in the interview process so you gotta know how to answer it well and stand out from other candidates. Today I’ll show you how!
Okay, so I think it helps to first go over what not to do.
It can’t be generic- Amazon ( or whatever company) is the best, it’s a great opportunity, who wouldn’t want to work here.
It can’t be about location or money- it seems obvious but I have heard people share they want to work somewhere because it’s close to their house or because they have good benefits/ pay well- you CAN discuss how they treat employees, but don’t focus on pay.
And last, don’t just tell them who they are. I hear all the time where candidates are sharing with a company what the company is known for, what they’re about etc.
They know who they are. They need to know what that means to you.
To answer this question well focus on 3 things:
- Use their mission, values, principles, and why they matter to you
- Talk about why the department or team is exciting to you
- Connect the dots of how you fit
So that first one- read their core values, mission, vision, etc., and figure out what stands out to you- what do you agree with or gets you excited to work there?
And then talk about why the department or team is exciting- at huge corporations like Google, Amazon, etc. you need to include that it’s not just the company you are excited about but the team you would be working on.
But the last point is the one that really takes your answer from good to great.
A lot of times people imply things in their interview answers- they just state the mission or the greatness of a leadership principle and feel that it’s obvious that they agree or align with these things.
You can’t imply in an interview. You have to verbally connect the dots between what they do that you like and why you like it.
So at Amazon for example- part of my answer would be
“ I love that a leadership principle is bias for action. I don’t want to work somewhere where we discuss a problem to death but don’t work on it. I’m excited to have the opportunity to move forward on a problem and execute a solution. The self-starter mindset of an Amazonian is one I really related to and am excited to work with people who are ready to roll up their sleeves and get the job done.”
You can’t just say you like that they have a bias for action. How would you have a bias for action too?
So, make sure you integrate the mission, vision, values, or leadership principles into your answers. Don’t forget to explain why you are interested in the department - be it the team, the skills you’d get to share and grow, etc. And connect the dots as to WHY these things matter to you.
Two other questions that often trip people up in the interview are “Why are you interested in the position?’ and “Why are you the best fit for the job?” It’s subtle, but there are different answers for both and i’ve got a video to help with them. You can watch it here: https://youtu.be/d-TPUdDQtWU
