Motivation & Fit · UK 2026
How to answer "Why do you want this role?"
Interviewers also phrase it as:
- "Why are you interested in this position?"
- "What attracted you to this job?"
- "Why this role specifically?"
Why interviewers ask
Interviewers use this to test whether you've actually read the job description and researched the company, or whether you're spray-applying. The question separates serious candidates from time-wasters within 30 seconds. Strong answers connect 2-3 specific aspects of the role to specific aspects of your experience or career direction. Generic 'great opportunity' answers signal poor preparation and usually end the interview without a second round.
Model answer
Three things drew me to this role specifically. First, the role spec mentions [specific responsibility from JD] — that's exactly the work I've been leading at my current company for [X months/years], and it's the part I want to keep doing. Second, the company is [specific thing about the company that's true and verifiable from their public content], and I'd want to be part of where that's going. Third, [a specific aspect of the team, manager, or technology in the JD] is something I've been working towards rather than working on, so this is a stretch in the right direction. That combination doesn't come up often.
What to avoid (common bad answer)
I'm looking for a great opportunity where I can grow my career and work with a strong team. Your company has a great reputation and I think I'd be a good fit. Plus the location works for me. Generic, mirrors the JD vocabulary back at the interviewer, and contains zero information the interviewer doesn't already know. Almost certainly an auto-rejection unless the rest of the interview is exceptional.
Structure of a good answer
- 1 Three reasons — specific not generic
- 2 Reason 1: Direct overlap between a JD responsibility and your current work
- 3 Reason 2: Something about the company that proves you researched it (recent product launch, blog post, public statement, leadership change)
- 4 Reason 3: A growth or stretch element — what makes this role advance your trajectory
- 5 Land in 60-90 seconds maximum
Common mistakes
- ✗ 'Great opportunity' or 'great team' language — every candidate says this; it signals nothing
- ✗ Mentioning compensation as a reason — even if true, save it for the offer stage
- ✗ Reciting the JD back — interviewers wrote it; they know what's in it
- ✗ Generic praise of the company without one specific verifiable detail — flags zero research
- ✗ Talking about the role's prestige or company size as the main driver — sounds status-driven, not work-driven
Recruiter pro tip
I tell candidates to research the company for 20-30 minutes before the interview specifically to find one or two non-obvious facts. Read the careers blog, look at the CEO's recent LinkedIn posts, check the latest product launch page. Drop one of those facts into your answer naturally. Hiring managers notice when candidates have actually engaged with the company beyond the JD — and they reject the candidates who haven't.
FAQ
Should I mention the salary or benefits? ▼
No. Save compensation discussion for offer stage. Mentioning it as a motivation flags wrong priorities to most UK hiring managers.
What if the role is mostly a step up — can I just say that? ▼
Yes, but specifically. 'I want to step into managing a team' is fine if you connect it to specific elements of the JD that enable that.
How specific should my company research be? ▼
One non-obvious fact you can reference confidently — recent product launch, leadership change, public statement. Not their Wikipedia page.