"So why do you want to work here?"

“为什么你想来这里工作？”

Eventually this question comes up in every interview. Over the course of the last 30 years, I have been and I continue to ask this question all the time.

每次面试最终都会谈到这个问题。在过去30年里，我一直在询问求职者这个问题，也将继续问下去。

I have learned there is a limited set of answers applicants¹ give in response to this question and one particular answer is so much better than all the others. It leaves me with a much more favorable impression than any of the other answers.

求职者听到这个问题时，有几种回答，其中有一种回答明显优于其它，给我留下更好的印象。

When I ask this question, here are some of the more common responses and what I am thinking when I hear each answer:

当我问到这个问题时，以下是一些更常见的回答，以及我听到这种回答时的想法：

第一种回答：

"I have heard the work is challenging and that your company truly invests in providing training and development of its staff."

“我听说这份工作很有挑战性，贵公司也为员工培训和个人发展投入了很多。”

I hear: This candidate values us giving her challenging assignment. And she wants us to invest in her development.

我这样想：这位求职者觉得我们会给她挑战性的工作任务，她还想让我们为她的个人发展投资。

第二种回答：

"I have heard about your company's great team and positive corporate² culture."

“我了解到贵公司的团队很优秀，公司文化也很积极。”

I hear: This candidate wants me to make sure her peers are people she appreciates and wants me to make sure she becomes part of corporate culture she values.

我这样想：这位求职者想让我跟她确认，这里的同事都是她欣赏的人，她也会融入她认为有价值的公司文化。

第三种回答：

"I see your company is growing and creating much opportunity for advancement³."

“我看到贵公司发展很好，也有很多晋升机会。”

I hear: This candidate wants the company to provide opportunities for her advancement.

我这样想：这位求职者想让公司为她提供晋升机会。

There are other responses like these, but some variation of these statements embodies⁴ the typical responses I hear from most people. Fundamentally, the candidate is explaining what they think they are going to get as result of getting this job.

还有些类似的回答，但像上面这样的回答代表了我从大多数求职者那里听来的典型回答。从根本上看，面试者都在解释他们认为受聘后自己能得到什么。

下面就来看看，我认为最理想的答案是什么样的：

第四种回答（完美回答）：

"Simple really. I have read your mission and vision. I have gleaned⁵ information about you and your company through social media, engaging my professional network, and exploring other publicly available information. As a result, I think I can clearly state four things and I would like you to validate⁶ my thinking."

“其实很简单。我看过了你们的职位描述和对聘任者的要求。我利用职业关系网，从社交媒体收集了您和公司的资料，以及其他公开信息。因此，我觉得我能清晰地说明四件事，也想请您确认我的想法。”

This is where research and preparation will make an interviewee stand out in a sea of other candidates. Job candidates need to demonstrate that they understand:

在众多求职者中，你的前期调研和准备将让你脱颖而出。求职者需要讲清楚他们对以下问题的理解：

What the company is trying to accomplish.

公司想要实现的目标。

What is making that hard.

期间存在的困难。

Why this work is so important to the company and to the interviewer personally.

为什么这份工作对公司和面试者个人很重要。

Specific ways to help the company achieve its mission.

帮助公司达成目标的明确方式。

When a candidate responds with this kind of answer, as an interviewer, I hear — This candidate is not here to get something for herself. She is here, well researched and offering specific ways she can give value to me.

当求职者这样回答问题，作为面试者，我会觉得：这位求职者并非只为自己而来。她来到这里，之前还做了详尽的调研，并提供了明确且有价值的办法。

In response number four, I quickly become inclined to believe good things about this candidate including:

如果求职者如上回答，我很快就会认为求职者有如下特质：

Solid communication skills.

可靠的沟通技巧。

Diligent⁷. Worked hard and creatively to understand my situation.

勤勉。努力工作且有创造力，能理解我的处境。

Knows at least the basics of social media.

对社交媒体至少有基本了解。

Has and actively⁸ manages a professional network.

有自己的职业关系网，并积极维护。

Understands my business and my goals and vision.

理解我的业务、目标和期待。

Realizes what's at stake should we fail and the possibilities afforded us when we succeed.

在我们遭遇失败时，明白问题出在哪儿；在我们成功后，知道我们还有哪些机遇。

Understands what is making my path hard.

理解我开展工作过程中的困难。

Has made a compelling case that she has some or part of what I need to be successful.

做出过令人叹服的案例，可以助我一臂之力。

When applicants answer in line with number four, I believe we share some common values like:

当求职者给出第四种回答，我认为我们有一些共同的价值观：

As employees we show up and do what the business needs us to do. Not necessarily what we want to do.

作为员工，要做公司需要我们做的事，而不是我们想做的事。

We become and do what the business needs rather than make the company become and do what we need.

我们为公司做事，成为公司需要的样子，而不是让公司为我们做事，成为我们需要的样子。

We, the employees, are here to serve the business and the business is here to service the customer. If all that goes well the business will take care of us.

员工为公司服务，公司为消费者服务。一切进展顺利，我们会从公司业务的发展中获益。

If you are interviewing candidates, try screening for applicants whose response most closely matches number four. And if you are interviewing for a job do your homework and try answering the "So why do you want to work here?" question as close as you can to number four and be ready when the interviewer says, "How much salary do you need and when can you start?"

如果你正在面试求职者，试着挑选出回答最接近第四种的人。如果你正在面试找工作，先做好功课，尽可能按照第四种答案去回答，然后做好准备，回答面试者“想要多少薪水？何时能入职？”的问题。