This is one of the toughest interview questions. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most popular with interviewers so expect to be asked this question everytime you attend an interview. As with many tricky interview questions, it is possible to immediately shoot yourself in the foot, so you need to be a little bit careful here. Answers such as “I plan to complete my higher studies” or “I would like to be the boss of my own company one day” do not really fit in their image of a perfect employee, as these suggest that you don’t intend to stay with the organisation. Basically, your answer should reflect that your future goals are parallel with that of the company and demonstrate that you are motivated to succeed there.

In asking this question, the interviewer is trying to evaluate your thinking, your future aspirations and level of ambition. First, are you the type of person who plans ahead and sets goals? Second, do your goals match those of the company and the position? Your goals should be in conformity with the company’s growth and goals. They don’t want you gone within a year or two. The interviewer also wants to see if you’re simply settling for this position, using it merely as a stepping stone or stopover until something better comes along.

If you aim too high and say something like, “I just want to get started and get promoted as soon as possible.” You may come across as being too ambitious and probably won’t be around long enough to cover the cost of training. ”On the other hand if you say something like “I’m looking for a job that I can stay at for the next 10 years”, you’ll actually seem lacking in ambition or direction. That would also imply that you lack initiative and won’t work hard to own or master whatever task you’re employed to do.

Recruiting managers prefer employees who are going to first take ownership of their job and learn it well, then achieve mastery of the job, then actively improve how the company performs the job, and then finally seek advancement to repeat the process in an area of greater scope and influence. And any answer that you give has to tie into this process somehow.

Begin your answer by letting the interviewer know that five years seems a long time and that you haven’t considered a specific plan. However you feel that it would depend on your individual performance and on the opportunities you are presented with, but you hope to build a good knowledge of the company and your job. Emphasize that the position entails exactly what you’re looking to do and that you will endeavor to do it to the best of your ability. Say that you will keep your eyes open for opportunities to advance within the organization. Use timelines effectively in your answer. For example, “I want to first of all master my job and then hopefully, begin taking on additional responsibilities that are related to my job – that might take a year or two.” Add that you’d want to apply what you’ve learned to improve the way the job is performed at the company, hopefully in the capacity of manager in order to deliver better and more value to the company’s objective and future goals, which might take another two or three years. Such an answer will reassure the interviewer that you’re in for the long haul, and project you as a focused individual who has vision and good planning skills.