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"Where do you see yourself in X years?"
2

"Where do you see yourself in X years?"

"Where do you see yourself in X years?"

(OP)
How in hell does anyone answer this question in anything but the vaguest terms?

If I like where I'm at, I stay.  If I don't, I won't.  And if I don't stay, then where I go will depend on the opportunities available, which will be different X years from now.

Some people definitely know they want to be in management or independent consulting within X years.  I don't know that.  What else is there to say?

Hg

Eng-Tips policies:  FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

This and other questions of its ilk don't have a correct answer, and the test is really whether you can answer at all, and how well you answer.  No one's really recording your answer, so pretty much any answer that answers the mail will do.  That said, this is an opportunity for you to differentiate yourself from your competition.

I would probably want to have 3 different responses, depending on the company environment, and the way the interview progresses.

TTFN

FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

I've always thought that was a bit of an odd question.  The way I answered it (not that it's worth much given it was in interviews for my first job out of college) is to say that I'd like to be taking on more responsibility on projects and very general (as you say, vague) things like that.

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

No one who asks that question cares about the answer--they ask it to get a reaction.  There is no right answer.  The wrongest answer is "who the hell knows?".  If you answer with something like "after spending 5-10 years as an individual contributor, I hope to have moved into a supervisory role where I can pass my learnings onto the next generation of Engineers while staying in touch with day to day Engineering activities", they will move on to the next question and never remember your answer.

David

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

My response is to see where I've been and what I've done in the previous X years and to extrapolate based on that interval.   

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

The rate staring at computers are degrading my eyesight, I won't see myself in X years...
Hopefully I'll still be working in X (ten?) years.

Chris
SolidWorks 09 SP4.1
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

If I could see X years into the future, I would tell them I see myself working for the Psychic Hotline. If they are still interested, I'd quote some Zappa.

 

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

Where do you see yourself in X years?"

with y options.

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

David's right...there is no right answer to that question.  

The last time I answered that question, I told the guy that I should be in his job by that time.....I got hired and 3 weeks after being hired I had his job!  Unusual, but he actually wanted out of his job at the time (and didn't bother to tell me!).  So he was actually interviewing me for a job different than what I was after at the time.  He moved up then and within a couple of years became company president.  A great guy to work for.

Kenat...I like your answer, but it probably wouldn't get you hired!!

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

That's like the story about the Medical School applicant who was asked; "Where do expect to be in 20 years?"

He looked down at his watch and then replied; "Since it's Wednesday afternoon, 20 years from now I expect to be on the golf course."

Not sure if they accepted him or not.


Personally, if someone were to ask me a question like that, my reply would be that in 4 years I expect to be retired and spending more time with my grandkids smile

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
http://www.siemens.com/plm
http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
 

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

I ask this question with young engineers, and am looking for them to tell me that they plan on becoming chartered ect.

Arguing with an engineer is like wrestling with a pig in mud. After a while you realize that they like it

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

When I was finishing my MSCE, I got taken by surprise by this same question.  I had nice, friendly interviews (including technical discussions and a visit to a local project - in my 3-piece suit and shiny shoes) with the principals of the firm and another senior guy.  Then, we went to lunch with the business manager, who took a somewhat agressive tone.  My answer was along the lines of "Well, I...uh...don't really know for sure, but I'm...uh...hoping for some...uh...good interesting projects to work on."  The place was noisy, and I don't know if either of the principals even heard any of that, but they hired me, and it was a great job, with good interesting projects.  Sometimes wonder why I left.

I would liked to have said "Sitting in a corner office, with you fetching my coffee." tongue

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

I asked this question in an interview a couple of days ago. I wanted to know if the guy wanted to move up to Management or whether we could count on him remaining a Technical Specialist after the effort we will go through to train him in our company procedures and turn him into a Technical asset.

The guy's answer was that he doesn't have Management aspirations in the near future, however, he was honest and said he'd leave if someone offered him double the salary. No surprise there...

I'm surprised at the amount of people who consider this question a silly HR question. A lot can be told about an applicant from how they answer this question. Among them, a clear career path they wish to follow. If they dont know the answer to this question, then it shows they are just wondering midlessly and just going for who pays more, rather than doing what they love, and aiming at obtaining their dream job one day.

Dreams jobs generally dont fall out of the sky. You need to have a pretty good idea of what you will do tomorrow, the week after, the month after that, 6 months from now, 3 years from now, 5, 10 and 20 so that you can plan for it.

Romulus

 

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

Hang on, to me at least, there's a difference between asking "Where do you see yourself in X years?" and asking "Where would you like to be/what would you like to be doing in X years?".

One requires the skills of Sylvia Brown, the latter just some idea of what you think you'd like to do.

If you really whether he wants to move into management or stay technical why not ask that question?  Or are you concerned you may lead the question?

Posting guidelines FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm? (probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

A pine box.

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

Quote:

A pine box.

My preference is in a molten steel ladle or tundish.

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

From the movie "Patch Adams":

"...and if they bury you a$# up, I'll have a place to park my bike"

JWB

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

As a graduate, I was on the third round of interviews with an Aussie engineering group, this time in front of three divisional general managers.

One asked that question, and I responded with a smirk, "I guess the standard answer is - your job".  He grinned back as if to say "touche" (for such a corny question).  I ended up getting the job in his division which turned out to be the most interesting (pressure vessel and heat exchanger design and fabrication).   

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

"Doing your wife" is always a funny answer to that question.

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

"...in X years?"

Response = "In therapy so that I don't become a bitter, burned-out, cynical engineer on Eng-Tips Forums." happy shades

But seriously, that question is only to serve two purposes.  But most interviewers don't have a clue what they are:

(1)  can you think on your feet, be creative, etc., and deliver an impromtu response?  This kind of silliness was dreamed up by HR Weasels.

(2)  to determine if you have any aspirations for moving up into management.  Which, in this job climate, seems to be a moot question these days.  Who the heck is actually moving up into management?

It's a boilerplate question, develop your own boilerplate answer and practice your delivery until it sounds spontaneous.  My most successful response was something like:

"I'd like to continue developing my technical skills, with the hope of eventually moving into a team leadership or technical management role.  But the way the working world is nowadays, I realize one has to be very nimble and flexible in their career goals."

That pretty much covers all the bases.

 

TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Virtuoso Robotics Engineering
www.bluetechnik.com

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

In 5 years

Obeying our evil alien overlords

In 20 years

Working hand in hand with our former alien overlords while obeying our sentient robotic overlords.

-Kirby

Kirby Wilkerson

Remember, first define the problem, then solve it.

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

Working as a motivational speaker, living in a trailer by the river.

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

tygerdawg:
I don't disagree with it all. I especially like the way you point out the way the question is completely soaked in irony...

Can you come up with an impromptu response? ... to a question that is so common it gets discussed on forums like eng-tips. If somebody actually walks into an interiew with no forethought of how to answer that exact question...

Designed to show YOUR creativity in response... So the HR department feels that creativity is important, and looks for it with the "standard checklist" of questions? Very creative indeed.

-- MechEng2005

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

When asked to a youngster (2-3 years in the job) it's  a perfectly legitimate question in some environments.  I was asked something similar, which translated to: Do you want to be a technical specialist or a department manger?  Those two job roles had the same grade and the same-ish pay.

- Steve

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

Yup, pretty much a trick question to get you to divulge your real aspirations.  As in "you guys are just my backup to pay the bills until I get the gig I really want".

 

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

It's a legit question to ask, but you'd have to be naive to expect a straight, honest and uncalculated answer.

That's true of any question you might ask which is intended to reveal how long a candidate would be interested in staying in the position you're offering, rather than some imaginary future position the company may have to fill.

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

Where do I see myself in 5 years?

With company XYZ (which ever one you are interviewing for) as a respected and admired leader.

What do you see yourself doing?

Mentoring and inspiring those around me to do the best that they possibly can.


If they inquire more tell them that a leader can either be someone who manages individuals or someone who manages projects, either way their power base has to be drawn from somewhere.  In your experience you have found that your basis of power is X and Y (relationships, technological know-how, experience, ability to learn, etc.) and that different people need different leaders in different roles.  Your goal is to be looked on as a leader, and not necessarilly as a manager.

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

I had to answer this question for real a few years ago.  I was right in the middle of an intense design/build bridge construction project.  Construction had started and there were lots of major field issues to deal with.  As tough as it was, I was really enjoying it.  Then my manager came to me and told me that I was to be taken off that project and named the project manager of another project.  He considered it a big opportunity, but to me it looked like an administrative and bureaucratic nightmare.  I realized that it was unlikely that I would ever want to cross over to project management.  I wanted to stay technical and had to say so.  In X years I see myself continuing on this way - as Japher noted - a technical leader but not a manager.

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

Ahhh, the X years.  I remember my X years fondly.  Working with Dr. Xavier flying around in that cool jet, keeping the world safe for humans and mutants alike.  Good times.

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

"Where do you see yourself in X years?"

Celebrating the X anniversary of meeting you of course! Is there something on my nose?

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

If I were the one doing the interview and KENAT gave me his answer to this question, I'd hire him on the spot.  

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

Cass - KENAT's first response or second?

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

When I was in GE, HR would circulate that kind of question. They probably studied the responses to separate the men from the boys. OR, if I said that I would be occupying my boss's position, and the powers that be did not see it that way, you were on your way out, sooner or later.

RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"

At my age; semi-retired, retired, taking the long dirt nap.

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