By Lekshmy Sankar | 31-Jul-2018
"Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?"
I dread hearing that question in an interview. And as an interviewer, I never really knew exactly what answer I should be looking for. I was once in an interview where the interviewee replied: "I want to win the medal of honor." I was dumbfounded and had no idea how to respond to that as they were a bit old to begin in the military and we weren't a military organization.
When answering the question, if you say 'I want to be xxx' could you come off as too bold? And what about the safe, fluffy answers such as 'I want to be somewhere that I'm still learning' - is that too unsubstantial? I once replied with 'retired,' and we all laughed and thankfully moved on from the question.
The reality is that it's not realistic to expect someone to plan their life 5 or 10 years ahead. And if they indeed did, wouldn't that actually be disconcerting? Does having a solid plan in actuality mean they are not able to pivot quickly and are rigid?
Ten years ago, if someone asked me the question I probably would have responded that I wanted to be 'a kick butt chemical engineer' because I would have just finished my undergraduate degree in chemical engineering. I learned quickly by trying that chemical engineering actually isn't for me. Trial and error is a fantastic thing, and it's landed me in a perfect place.
In the last ten years, there have been many ups and downs, but that's the beauty of uncertainty. It leads you to places that you would not have planned for yourself, and it helps you be more open to change. Doubt also enables you to prioritize what is essential in your life. Sometimes it's my career. Sometimes it's my family. Sometimes it's buying a new company. The point is, priorities change and we should celebrate that.
So instead of asking about someone's 5 or 10-year goal, let's ask them what kind of adventure they want to have this year? If you are looking for a deeper goal planning article, here is one I wrote at the beginning of the year.
Having a few goals for the year helps set a direction for daily life. It can inspire you to wake up in the morning and do something every day that might be considered mundane.
So let's stop asking interview questions that no one really cares about and ask questions that will build relationships and connect you with the other person.
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