"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
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
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RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
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?"
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
David
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
"answering the same stupid BS HR inspired questions to HR peons five years younger than you"
Probably isn't the correct response?
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: "Where do you see yourself 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?"
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
with y options.
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
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?"
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
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?"
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?"
I would liked to have said "Sitting in a corner office, with you fetching my coffee."
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
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?"
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?
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
My preference is in a molten steel ladle or tundish.
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
"...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?"
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?"
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
Response = "In therapy so that I don't become a bitter, burned-out, cynical engineer on Eng-Tips Forums."
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?"
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?"
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
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?"
- Steve
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
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?"
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?"
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
RE: "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 you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"
RE: "Where do you see yourself in X years?"