Where do you see yourself in X years?

I don\'t know why my post automatically asterisked the word that comes after freshman and before junior. I didn\'t put a bad word there.

Many times, the person doing the interview doesn\'t have a clue what else to ask you. It\'s really a throw-away/ time filler question. If you can get around the awkwardness of the \\"interview\\" and be comfortable with the person asking the questions, you\'re way ahead of the game. I\'ve always answered the question with something along the lines of \\"I don\'t presume to have that much control over the future - however, if you\'re asking me what I dream about, I can tell you what I would like my world to be like in ten years.\\" I\'ve found that this approach removed the pressure from the interviewer as well, and made it more appealing for him/her to listen to what I had to say.

the asterisks were bleeping out a word for \\"not hetero\\" why not answer with a general goal? In 10 years, honestly, truthfully, sincerely (insert adverbs) I see myself as being married with a couple of kids. I don\'t have complete control over this - God does... but if it were my choice, that\'s what I\'d choose.... I don\'t think it\'s necessary to be so literal about such questions... nor is it second-guessing your Creator to have some desire to do something within the great generosity of His creation... I used to get so hung up on so many details as being \\"conflicting with my faith\\" in my former (maybe still current) convertitis... and just try to see things and answer things as simply as possible... I think if your goal is innocent enough to be non-conflicting with Christianity, then maybe an interviewer would see it as noble - especially if you\'re in the teaching field (I\'m in the ESL field in Korea, and they love to hear that my goals are family-oriented - and I\'m not just giving them what they want to hear, it\'s what I really want to do with my life....) for me... what do you see yourself doing in 10 years? -be a husband and a father 5 years? -be a husband and a father 3 years? -be a husband and a father 1 year? -be a husband and a father (although, at the rate things are going, not likely, haha)

Well in about four years I see myself retired from the Army, working a new job and going to law school part time. Dave

Hi there St George. Artintel gave you very good advice. If you are interviewing for an office type setting in a place with a Human Resources department or person the question is NOT a filler/time waster. People are professionals, have interviewed hundreds of people, have gone through the drill themselves. Do a google search and find some good advice on how to approach the subject. If you feel comfortable rapport with the HIRING manager or person who will be your boss you can answer somewhat personally to show your values (are you a type A - will do anything for success, are you maybe motivated by knowing you are contributing) etc. Every question is an opportunity to \\"sell\\" yourself. Not in a bad way, it\'s an opportunity to tell them why they should hire you. If you lack some of the skills they seek (and they almost never find the perfect candidate so don\'t worry too much about that) it\'s your opportunity to say that you work hard, want to learn and grow, and say something to the effect that you hope through your work and personal activities to grow enough to fulfill a goal (it\'s ok to make up a goal that suits you. Don\'t take the conversation to family or God, those subjects are not for the workplace - definitely NOT for the interview!) God be with you! I pray you will have good rapport - but again, HR are professionals. They\'re there to fill the position with the best match possible - and as good people as they can be, noone is hiring \\"friends\\" they hire a workforce to do some work.. Best wishes! (from an engineer in industry)

Hi Hope. Good to \\"see\\" you again. BTW, StGeorge got the job (he mentioned it on another thread somewhere). Congratulations! But yes, you and artintel are right about the question not necessarily being a throw-away. I was writing from my own experience, which is from both sides of the interview table over the course of about twenty years. I am not in HR, so I don\'t see the question in the same way as someone screening through a long list of candidates. But I do think that the question is an old one and as such, it is an expected question and many times will be answered with a rehearsed response. Whether that is productive or a waste of time depends on the interviewer. I wouldn\'t use the question since it seems to be a rather clumsy tool to get to know someone\'s work habits. It seems to me that the best way to have a productive interview is to relax and be yourself - to research the employer and be confident that you would be a good fit for the job.

Hi John! Am glad to hear StGeorge got the job! I just noticed the topic is a month old! ooops! Hope you and yours are well. Especially with school season!