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Clerical Assistant SampleInterview Answers

Where do you see yourself in five years/what are your long term goals?

Where do you see yourself in five years/what are your long term goals?

The interviewer is not interested in your life goals for the next five years e.g I would love to buy a house in Spain and work as a masseuse on the beach. Specifically He/she is interested in knowing:

1. Are you sufficiently ambitious to have you thought about your future career goals, have you set yourself specific plans and timescales

 

2. Do those plans and goals fit in with the company and the position you are interviewing for. Is it the same as the set career path for the post you are applying for, if not will you leave in a year or two. Does the post even have a career path, somepositions offer very good opportunity for advancement and a clear career path; other jobs do not - there is nowhere else you can go with that job, unless you retrain to do something different. Make sure you know what careers paths are available for your job and phrase your answersaccordingly.
If your internal response to this question is "Yeah, like I'll be here in 5 years..." act like you will be. They don't want to hear that this post will be just a stepping stone or a stop gap job until you can decide what you want to do. They don't they want to wast there time and resources training you. They want to hear that you want to be successful and to grow in advance in your career - all this benefits the company.

It goes without saying that you shouldn't be overambitious "I would like to be managing director of this organisation, head of department" seems a bit overambitious if you are interviewing for a entry level or administration post. Think it but don't say it.

Your response should cover at least two specific area - education (ECDL advance, HND) and advancement ( at least one step up from the post you are applying for.

"Well, that will depend on my individual performance and on the opportunities I'm presented with, but ideally, I will be

I like to continue over the long term to make an ongoing contribution to the organisation success, while continuing to develop my skills as a administrator with the goal of becoming a PA. I intend to further develop my IT skill my taking the ECDL advanced course.