But many times, companies are happy to let you explore a new role if it means they get to retain a valued employee. Tough Interview Question: Why are you applying for a job in a field outside your current career or college major? Having people with different backgrounds, skills, and experience guarantees that a team will be able to approach problems from different angles and come up with unique solutions. Any personal story for why you care about a topic or are fascinated by a topic will make a good answer for why you chose this job you’re interviewing for. "Well, I found out that my degree is pretty much useless for getting a job, so I’m pretty much applying for any job that I can get. If you can effectively make your case, there’s a good chance you’ll be considered for a position outside the team you interned with. Working with what you’ve already got in your arsenal is a great way to shift careers with the least chance of backward movement (i.e., landing in an entry level job), but if you really want to make forward progress, you’re going to have to learn some new tricks. After literally spending years studying one thing, I was dismayed to realize that I didn’t want to go in that direction. It's always a good idea to take time to explore career opportunities, regardless of whether you're just starting out or at mid-career looking for something different the next time around. You can work in clinics, homes, hospitals, labs, or even directly with the patients, such as a Patient Care Technician. You need to do your best to connect your experience and/or education to the role, even though they may not necessarily be directly related in a traditional sense. How do your qualifications cross over into this field or industry? In fact, you don’t need any contacts at all – you can make them all on your own (see this article for a step-by-step guide) You don’t need a degree in the field you want to Thanks to advances in the Internet, microelectronics, and telecommunications, computers and technology continue to be a very hot career category. If you want to make sure you’re definitely ready for the interview, check out our complete list of 35+ common interview questions and answers to help you prepare even more. My background and training gives me special insights which will be highly beneficial for the role. But at a certain point, you need to stay true to how you want to spend your day, which problems you want to solve, and what you want to learn. Why the interviewer is asking this question: This question is asked by employers in specific industries such as tech, finance, insurance, retail, manufacturing, etc. As hard as it was to resist a ringing endorsement like that, I passed. In other words, you're going toward something rather than running away from your current work. Since I wasn’t sure about which field I wanted to go into yet, I just let her know that I would be interested in any position outside of the engineering department. How Did You Do? They make you more of a mature person. You were the first ones to actually call me back for an interview, so here I am…". If you find yourself wondering why you majored in psychology, philosophy, or biology, when the truth is, none of those are fields you care to pursue, you’re in good company. An example of how to best answer this question for experienced candidates: If these five reasons have piqued your interest, you may want to further explore how to get started on this career path. Why the interviewer is asking this question: The question is being asked because you are perceived to be a non-traditional candidate. 10 Answers. For example, if you find that you like to work directly with patients, you may pursue an education in nursing. Ideally, use this as a platform to discuss how your background makes you unique for the role. This means that the farmer works in the place referred to as the field. Computer systems design and information services are expanding rapidly. I hope that you feel this way as well. Talk to your manager (and HR department) about your interest in pursuing something else within the organization, and explain why you think you’d be great at it. You’re always putting others before yourself. When I realized I didn’t want to go into programming, I knew I had to focus on why I felt that way. What do you know about our industry? Start by opening up your Google calendar and finding a 1.5 hour block of time that works for you at least 5 days every week (yes, that includes weekends). That just explains why you’re interested in tech – after that, you would then go on to state all the usual reasons about why you want to do PE. “Why do you want this job” is another version of this question. Once you reach a certain level of skill in your field (this will be long before you are the best at it), start teaching others. As an example, during my recent audit of __________, I was able to identify…", "My degree in communications has given me a broad foundation for being successful in a Sales role with your firm. The nagging feeling that you’re not suited for what you just spent four or more years studying doesn’t often go away—it just continues to grow with time. I hope they’ll help you on your career path, no matter what you majored in and what you’d like to do instead. You can’t ignore it. 1. Countless Opportunities: When you decide to enter the health care field, you can choose from a variety of different opportunities. As an example, during my recent audit of __________, I was able to identify…", An example of how to best answer this question for entry level candidates: So I just became stabilized recently after being mentally unstable for most of my life, and now I want to get my shit back in order. Some fields such as the medical profession, accounting or information technology may require specific technical training for you to complete before you can begin working. The most notable example of this was the warning I received from a hiring manager in an interview. Your saving grace is if a company already knows what a bright, hard-working, and talented employee you are since it’ll be a lot easier to get convince it of your value. Finally connect your story and motivation to this job, the one you are interviewing for. He told me that I’d be working in a quiet lab and probably wouldn’t have a lot of fun when I come into the office, but the job was mine if I wanted it. When asked why you want to work somewhere, you actually need to address two questions instead of one. You've dug deep enough to know the pros and cons of this field, and you still want to take the plunge. Responsibilities in the workplace teach you to tackle even the harshest of situations, with patience. Diversity in the workplace is critical—and not just when it comes to race, gender, and age. Look for the aspects of your experience and/or your education that connect you to this role. It’s critical to identify why you’re unhappy with your current career path to figure out next steps. Near the end of my college career, I took an internship in tech support at a company I really enjoyed. Sales success is about the ability to communicate with the customer and close the sale. Sales success is about the ability to communicate with the customer and close the sale. The farmer works on the field. Why would you leave behind all of your prior experience and education to do this work? Maybe you have a cause or charity that’s close to your heart. Early on in my career, I faced this exact dilemma when I graduated with a degree and background in computer science, yet no desire to enter the field. But in the programming classes and jobs I’d taken, I never felt very comfortable. The interviewer wants to know how your previous background in non-related roles and/or education may tie in with the role as well as your motivations for pursuing such a role. One of the best ways to get a job in a different field from what you studied is to get a postgraduate degree such as an MBA, MA or MSc. Often, you run into a paradox where you need relevant experience to get a job, but you need a job to get relevant experience. Read More: Are You Secretly Unhappy at Work? And if you’re not finding that in your current position, it’s time to make a change. 3 No-Fluff Fixes, What Actually Happened When I Transferred to a Different Team at My Company. Nisha Ahluwalia is the Chief Marketing Officer at, 10% off Career Coaching | Use code NEWYEAR10 thru Jan 17th |, Are You Secretly Unhappy at Work? So while my background may not be traditional for the role, it has prepared me with a unique set of skills which few candidates would bring to the role. It can refer to the farmer himself being on the field while he works, or it can refer to the crops or livestock that are on the field. As an experienced Auditor, I know what to look for underneath the numbers which most Financial Analyst candidates simply accept at face value. I selected this major as soon as I entered Penn State University in 1996. This position at your company is offering a decent amount of scope to portray responsibility. So while my background may not be traditional for the role, it has prepared me with a unique set of skills which few candidates would bring to the role. When you’re competing against dozens of other applicants, it’s a surefire way to stand out and gain an edge of the other candidates. There is something for everyone’s interest. Here’s a real example from a past customer, who was asked, “Why do you want to be a mental health nurse?” Mental health is an important issue for me. Being a problem solver in the classroom and at work can lead to you being a problem solver in life as well. Consider some of the awesome things about working in the medical field listed below. Before you walk into the interview, you should already have an answer to this question. When you don’t have much (or any) background in your desired field, it can be tough to get companies to take a chance on you. Although the department wasn’t ideal, I loved the people, culture, and product. Answer Save. If you can identify what you want, leverage established relationships, and sell others on your past experience, you’ll be that much closer to discovering where you’re truly meant to be and what you’re truly meant to be doing. This isn’t really what the question is about, though; they’re asking why you want to work for them, not why they should hire you. ~~~ What is your motivation for switching careers? Then discuss your motivation for the role as a long-term player, not just as a stepping stone role. These are my reasons why I am passionate about working in the compliance field and why I find the work so meaningful. College isn’t about learning the laser-focused skills you need for your future career—it’s about developing and enhancing your critical thinking and problem-solving ability, which is applicable to any number of jobs. Read More: Ask a Recruiter: How Can I Figure Out a Career Path When I've Had So Many Jobs? Or if you prefer the administrative side, you may seek to advance your career as an office manager. Read More: What Actually Happened When I Transferred to a Different Team at My Company. Every university will screen and evaluate every applicant to ensure that the candidate will be able to adapt, undertake and succeed in the chosen field of studies. Why the interviewer is asking this question: "My work experience in auditing is related to the financial work required for this Financial Analyst role. Instead of ditching my background and skills and pretending that I wasn’t knowledgeable in computer science, I found a way to navigate the job search based on what I knew about myself and what I wanted to do with my life. Instead of memorizing it, remember a couple of key points you want to address. Choices. If you are interested in that you might like my story. You were the first ones to actually call me back for an interview, so here I am…". If you want to provide direct patient care, you can work in a variety of jobs, such as … Teaching forces you to learn even more, and build more experience. There are different ways to respond when a hiring manager asks you, “Why do you want to work here?” The most important thing is to be authentic. You will deal with many different circumstances, situations and people, and each of these is unique. I would like to work in audio/video editing/engineering, massage therapy, journalism, or graphic design; which of these is the easiest field to work in? "My work experience in auditing is related to the financial work required for this Financial Analyst role. 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