What is your dream job and why

Sample Answers to “What Is Your Dream Job?”

Employers like to ask, “what is your dream job?” or “describe your dream job” for a few reasons… and there are some critical mistakes to avoid when answering this question in your job search.

You don’t need to tell a hiring manager that their position is your exact dream job in the job interview, but you do need to show that your dream job involves responsibilities that their work environment can offer.

Employers aren’t going to hire you if it seems like your dream job is completely opposite to what they offer.

That’s why it’s critical to answer this interview question correctly.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the best ways to answer this interview question, plus word-for-word sample answers that will impress a potential employer.

Why Employers Ask “What Is Your Dream Job?”

What hiring managers really want to find out is what you’re passionate about and what you enjoy. That’s why they ask you to describe your ideal job.

They want to make sure they’re hiring a job seeker who will be interested/engaged in this new job.

And the last thing they want is to hire someone who won’t be satisfied or interested in performing the duties in the job posting, since that person is likely to leave the role quickly.

So, employers ask you about your dream job or dream career to learn about your long-term career goals and what motivates you. They want to determine whether you’ll be happy in this job or not.

Companies don’t expect or need to hear that their job is your dream position. However, they’d ideally like to hear that there are some similarities.

For example, if you say your dream job would involve never stepping into an office again, and you’ve applied for an office job, it’s going to cause some concerns and probably cost you the job offer!

Don’t worry if this sounds tough to navigate… we’ll talk about how to answer, “tell me about your dream job” step-by-step now…

How to Answer: “What Is Your Dream Job?”

1. Give a General Description, Not a Job Title

The first trick to answering this question without raising any red flags is to NEVER give a job title. Instead, tell them about your dream job’s characteristics.

Characteristics are things like this: a job that involves helping people, a job that will let you work with cutting edge technology, a job that is meaningful to you, etc. And you want to combine multiple characteristics, at least two.

I’ll give you a full example answer coming up soon if you’re still not sure exactly what I mean. But for now, the important thing to understand is that you do not want to name a job title when describing your dream job. So don’t say things like “Pilot, Doctor, Director of Sales, etc.”

Let’s continue with the next step to answering this question.

2. Tailor Your Answer to Fit the Job You’re Interviewing For

The next step when answering, “what is your dream job?” is to adjust your answer to make sure you’re showing some overlap between the qualities you want in a “dream job”, and the characteristics of the position you’re interviewing for.

Study the job description and know about the company before your interview. That way, you can name a few things that your dream job would have, that also seem to exist in THIS job.

That’s how to give an honest, upfront answer that also shows the hiring manager why you want their job.

This step is very important, and not showing some overlap between your dream job and this job can cost you the offer!

If the job you’re interviewing for is focused on managing a team and you talk about how your dream job would involve working independently and only being responsible for your own goals, that’s going to kill your chances of getting hired.

So if you’re interviewing for a leadership job, talk about what type of leadership your dream job would involve.

If you’re interviewing for a highly technical role, talk about what types of technical challenges you enjoy.

Hiring managers get excited when you show them some overlap between their job and what you enjoy doing… because that means you’re more likely to be motivated and stick around longer if they hire you.

3. Explain Why You Want Their Job

To wrap up your answer, tell the interviewer exactly what you read or saw about their company that excited you. That’s how to put their mind at ease in terms of why you wanted this job.

For example, you might say:

“So that’s why I applied for this position. I saw the job description mentioned that this team is working to create life-saving medicines, and that’s something I’m really passionate about and motivated to work on.”

We’ll look at more sample answers in the next section, so keep reading.

Example Answers to “What Is Your Dream Job?”

Now that we’ve looked at the three key steps to follow when answering, “what is your dream job?”, I also want to give you a couple of word-for-word answer samples to help you create your own answer.

Example Answer #1

“My dream job would be a combination of creating products that are making a difference in the world and getting a chance to share them with as many people as possible. I was excited about this position because I read that millions of people use your company’s products each day and it seems like the work you’re doing is having a big impact in the world.”

Notice you’re not telling them your dream job in terms of a job title… like I mentioned earlier. You’re only sharing characteristics to describe your dream job, like your desire to make a difference and your interest in having a large number of people see and use your work.

And then you’re completing your answer by relating it back to what the company is offering, and showing you did a bit of research about them!

Let’s look at three more sample answers now…

Example Answer #2

“My dream job would be leading a team that’s creating cutting-edge technologies that are used by millions. I read on your job description that this Supervisor role has a chance to grow into a Manager in the next 1-2 years, and it seems like the apps your company is building are having a big impact on the business world already, so I knew I should apply!”

Example Answer #3

“I would describe my dream job as a mix of my last two positions. In my last role, I had the chance to lead a couple of challenging projects and coordinate across multiple teams, but I didn’t get to do as much hands-on work as I would have liked. In my prior role, I was doing the type of hands-on work that I enjoy most: product design and development. However, at that point in my career, I wasn’t doing any leadership tasks. I’m looking for a chance to combine those two areas now and I was excited to see this type of mix mentioned on the job description, which is one reason I applied for the position here.”

Example Answer #4

“My dream job is a position that combines my customer service skills but also places me in a leadership position where I can facilitate the career growth of others. I enjoy leading and began to take on some training and mentorship duties in my last two jobs.

I applied to this specific job because it seems like it’d provide an ideal career step, allowing me to keep working in customer service while also leading a small team and providing a positive impact as a leader.

In general, I like a challenge, too. So I’m looking for a position that gives me the opportunity to take on more or different responsibilities than my last job. I don’t like to stay stagnant and not be growing. I love that this position builds on my existing skills but also would allow me to hone new skills.”

Note how the example answer above shows the employer quite clearly why you’re interested in the job you’re applying for.

You can pick and choose which aspects of the position to discuss, but it’s always a good idea to spend time sharing why their specific position interests you when interviewing. You can do this in response to a variety of interview questions.

And you can talk about a range of job features/aspects, from company culture to day-to-day duties.

Always do something to show that you truly understand and want this job, though. That’s one of the more important final thoughts that I want to leave you with.

Conclusion: Key Steps to Remember When You Describe Your Dream Job

Now that we’ve looked at word-for-word example answers, here’s a quick recap of the method I recommend:

If you follow these guidelines, you will keep your answer relevant to the job you’re applying for and deliver a convincing response to, “what is your dream job?”

Just make sure you practice your answer a few times, too (with a peer/friend, or by recording yourself talking with your phone’s sound recorder app). That way, you’ll be sure you sound confident and clear when you describe your dream job.

If you want more tips, here are three other great interview resources to help you win more job offers:

Hold Up! Before you go on an interview.

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Interview Question: «What Is Your Dream Job?»

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«Tell me about your dream job» can be a tricky interview question. Even though your dream job might have nothing to do with the job you’re interviewing for, don’t mention this if it’s not related. Instead, make an effort to connect your answer to the position you’re interviewing for.

Learn more about what information interviewers hope to discover through your response, along with some do’s and don’ts for answering this question.

What the Interviewer Wants to Know

In the interview, your potential employer will likely focus on figuring out whether or not you have the right skills to be successful in the job.

However, they’ll also be interested in how motivated you are to perform the job, and whether or not you will be satisfied with the position. This interview question helps interviewers assess your motivation. Your response may also offer a glimpse into your values, passions, and priorities as an employee.

How to Answer «What Is Your Dream Job»

Ideally, your response to the question should reference some elements of the job at hand. For example, if the position is a customer service job, you might say that your dream job would have a high level of interaction with customers.

You can also focus on the industry in your response to this question: If you are applying for a job at an environmental nonprofit, for example, you can mention your passion for environmentalism.

Another option is to frame your answer around your ideal company culture and work environment. For instance, you might say you’re eager to work in a collaborative environment or to be a part of a passionate team. Just make sure the environment you mention is a match for the culture in the position’s workplace.

In order to prepare your answer, brainstorm what appeals to you about the job:

Go back to the job listing, and look through the job description and requirements to find what most excites and interests you about the position.

In your answer, you can refer both to skills you currently have and want to use, and ones that you think you’ll be able to develop in the position.

Create a Job Profile to Help Solidify Your Answer

Think of what you want in a job, and create a “profile” of your ideal job that includes some of those functions.

Your “dream job” doesn’t have to be a specific position, like “Account Executive” or “Public Relations Director,” but can instead include different responsibilities you would enjoy having as part of your position. Your profile can also include skills you enjoy using and the type of company culture you thrive in.

Make sure some of those elements match the description of the job for which you are applying.

Mention How You’ve Used Your Skills

Your answer will be more convincing if you reflect on why you found these types of activities rewarding in the past, and how your skill set matches the type of job you’re after. Be ready to share some examples of how you have enjoyed utilizing those skills in the past.

Focus on the Present and the Future

Another way to answer the question is to mention a certain goal you would like to reach through your “dream job.” For example, if you’re applying for a job with a nonprofit environmental organization, you might mention that an essential element of your dream career would be a role that advances the green agenda.

Ultimately, the key to answering, “Tell me about your dream job?» is to convey your long-term interest in a high-level position, without overshadowing your interest in the job you’re applying for.

Examples of the Best Answers

Here are three examples of responses you could give during an interview when the interviewer has asked you the question, “Tell me about your dream job.” Use these as models to create your own answer.

Example Answer #1

What I look for in a job, and what I love about this customer service representative position, is the ability to utilize my communication and customer service skills. I love interacting with customers and quickly and effectively problem-solving with them. Down the road, after becoming an expert in your product line and developing strong relationships with your customers, I would love to work in sales.

Why It Works: This answer works well because the candidate both showcases the customer service skills he would bring to the position and also alludes to a relevant career trajectory. He makes it clear that he is enthusiastic about the primary job responsibilities and would be likely to stick around for a while.

Example Answer #2

My dream job involves an extensive amount of teamwork, such as regular staff meetings and group projects. I love that this job emphasizes communication among colleagues and between management and staff. My previous job was 50% team projects, and I am excited to continue that kind of teamwork and open communication here.

Why It Works: This candidate does an excellent job of connecting her answer to the job she is applying for, offering good examples of how she is well-versed in the collaborative teamwork skills the position will demand.

Example Answer #3

My dream job would allow me to develop web content for a variety of companies. I love getting to know different clients and developing content to suit their unique needs. For example, in my last job, I worked for clients in industries ranging from healthcare to education and received praise for my work with a variety of companies. I love that this job would allow me to work with a range of clients.

Why It Works: This candidate, too, has researched the employer and has a solid grasp of what his new job will entail: client relations skills, multi-tasking, and flexibility. He thus is able to leverage his previous client relations experience as a persuasive “selling point” for his candidacy.

What Not to Say

As with any open-ended questions, it’s easy to feel like anything goes. But you’re still in a job interview, and your responses will be closely examined. Answers that are overly grandiose—“My dream job is CEO,” for instance—are off-putting. And if your dream job is to write novels professionally or become a sommelier, that’s information best kept to yourself during an interview for a staff accountant position.

Here are some other things to avoid in your response:

Possible Follow-Up Questions

Key Takeaways

KEEP YOUR RESPONSE RELEVANT: Make sure that the elements you list as part of your “dream job” are work conditions and functions relevant to the job you are interviewing for.

SHOWCASE YOUR SKILLSET: Use your response as an opportunity to emphasize the key skills and experience that you would bring to the employer. Align these skills to the most important “preferred qualifications” listed in the job posting.

EXPRESS YOUR ENTHUSIASM: Keep your tone of voice and your facial expression upbeat and positive as you describe your “dream job.” Your interviewer will be gauging the amount of interest and dedication you can offer their organization.

What is your dream job?

This question can be a bit tricky to answer since you don’t want to give a reply that will make you seem like a bad fit for this role. A general rule of thumb, if it isn’t related to your current career path, you probably should not mention it in an interview. It’s fun to think about off-the-wall dreams like becoming a dolphin trainer, but an interview is not the time to express those dreams.

Instead, focus on what you aim to gain from this particular company. Perhaps you see yourself in that shiny corner office, or you want to work your way into a territory manager role, jet-setting all over the country to give client presentations and perform essential negotiations. Or, maybe you are already looking at your dream career! Be brief in your answer and express how you plan to see this dream job realized.

«My dream is to be the Controller of this company one day. I plan to start in this cost accountant role and work my way up over the years. It’s exciting for me to think about all of the possibilities present in your company.»

«I am looking to make my way into an executive assistant position. Supporting your c-suite would be a dream position for me, and I look forward to earning my way into a role like this with your organization.»

«I thoroughly enjoy being a manager and a dream role for me would include leading a bigger team, within the production industry. Your position caught my eye because you offer these opportunities and more.»

«My dream is to be a marketing director. To get there, I am committed to continued education, taking courses on leadership, and gaining more project management experience. I see that your agency has a few paths available to reach a goal like this one, which is very exciting to me.»

«I am very analytically minded and have my eye on becoming a strategic buyer for a large retailer like yours. I look forward to learning the business with your corporation, and earning my way into a buyer position.»

«My dream job is one that takes me traveling, offers me a great lifestyle, and opportunity for uncapped commission. I am thrilled that your organization offers all three of these factors and I look forward to showing you what I can do as a business development professional.»

«My dream job is being an educator, and I am thrilled that I have made this dream come true for myself. In my opinion, no career path is more gratifying than being an elementary school teacher.»

Advice and Examples: What is your dream job?

What is your dream job?

How to Answer

This question can be a bit tricky to answer since you don’t want to give a reply that will make you seem like a bad fit for this role. A general rule of thumb, if it isn’t related to your current career path, you probably should not mention it in an interview. It’s fun to think about off-the-wall dreams like becoming a dolphin trainer, but an interview is not the time to express those dreams.

Instead, focus on what you aim to gain from this particular company. Perhaps you see yourself in that shiny corner office, or you want to work your way into a territory manager role, jet-setting all over the country to give client presentations and perform essential negotiations. Or, maybe you are already looking at your dream career! Be brief in your answer and express how you plan to see this dream job realized.

«My dream is to be the Controller of this company one day. I plan to start in this cost accountant role and work my way up over the years. It’s exciting for me to think about all of the possibilities present in your company.»

Rachelle’s Answer for an Admin Interview

«I am looking to make my way into an executive assistant position. Supporting your c-suite would be a dream position for me, and I look forward to earning my way into a role like this with your organization.»

Rachelle’s Answer for a Manager Interview

«I thoroughly enjoy being a manager and a dream role for me would include leading a bigger team, within the production industry. Your position caught my eye because you offer these opportunities and more.»

«My dream is to be a marketing director. To get there, I am committed to continued education, taking courses on leadership, and gaining more project management experience. I see that your agency has a few paths available to reach a goal like this one, which is very exciting to me.»

Rachelle’s Answer for a Retail Interview

«I am very analytically minded and have my eye on becoming a strategic buyer for a large retailer like yours. I look forward to learning the business with your corporation, and earning my way into a buyer position.»

Rachelle’s Answer for a Sales Interview

«My dream job is one that takes me traveling, offers me a great lifestyle, and opportunity for uncapped commission. I am thrilled that your organization offers all three of these factors and I look forward to showing you what I can do as a business development professional.»

Rachelle’s Answer for a Teacher Interview

«My dream job is being an educator, and I am thrilled that I have made this dream come true for myself. In my opinion, no career path is more gratifying than being an elementary school teacher.»

Next Career Goals Interview Question

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Interview questions answered: What Is Your Dream Job?

We are young until we dare to dream. So what would you love to do, if no limits existed? If you could break all the chains of your inner prison? Perhaps you’d love to preside a big corporation, or an entire economy? Or you’d run your own business? Maybe you would change roles with Rafa Nadal, hitting a tennis ball, having a gorgeous wife, and earning millions of dollars each month just because you wear a certain brand of shoes or watch?

What you dream about (however secretly), and what you should talk about in your job interview, are typically two different things. In this article we will analyze the “What is your dream job?” interview question, starting with 7 sample answers. Enjoy!

7 sample answers to “What is your dream job?” interview question

The best case: You are applying for your dream job

This is the best possible scenario, and the easiest one to address. The job you are applying for right now happens to be your dream job. Teachers, nurses, social workers, and other professionals often find themselves in this enviable position.

They apply for a job with meaningful purpose. They consider it their calling, they always wanted to do the work (since childhood). Now they are finally interviewing for their dream job, in a good institution or company, and they struggle to hide their enthusiasm.

You are lucky if this is also your case. All you have to do is saying that your dream job is exactly the one you are trying to get with the company/organization. You are telling the truth, and the answer makes sense with most jobs in teaching, healthcare, and scientific research.

* Special Tip: This isn’t the most difficult question you will face while interviewing for any decent job. You will face questions about prioritization, dealing with pressure, solving problems, and other tricky scenarios that happen in the workplace. If you want to make sure that you stand out with your answers and outclass your competitors, have a look at our Interview Success Package. Up to 10 premium answers to 50 tricky scenario based questions (+ more) will make your life much easier in the interviews. Thank you for checking it out!

They can help you to get your dream job in the future

Rome wasn’t built in a day. And the same will be true about your castle of gold (or sand).

If you are applying for a typical corporate job, your first position won’t be in the upper management. You have to start somewhere, learn, progress, until you can eventually get the job of your dreams, becoming a big corporate animal, or the wolf of wall street if you want.

This is perfectly fine for the hiring managers, as long as you can reach your desired goal within the company. Let me give you an example:

You dream of a job of a marketing director, running big campaigns which can make an impact in some part of the world. Right now, however, you are applying for a job of a marketing trainee. That’s the first step for almost everyone in marketing.

But there is also a position of a marketing director in the company–maybe the director leads the interview with you. They have been with the business for 20 years, climbed the ladder step by step. Why wouldn’t it be possible for you to have their job, one day in the future? They will eventually retire, and someone will replace them anyway. Why couldn’t it be you?

In this case, you can again talk honestly about your dream job. Everything will make a perfect sense for the interviewers.

More distant connection–one that still makes sense

Let me give you another example. You apply for a job of an accountant in a small business. They do not run an accounting department or anything similar. You will be the only person responsible for keeping the books. And your dream is to become a financial manager one day.

Certainly you can’t reach your dreams within their company–since they have no financial managers, they are just a small company, they need just one accountant.

But working for them, overseeing the entire accounting of the company, you will learn a lot about finances and cash flow, and it will help you immensely in the future, once you are ready to apply for your dream job somewhere else.

Even in this case you can be honest about your dream job, because your answer will make sense for your interviewer(s). Let’s have a look at more difficult scenarios.

Your dream job has nothing to do with the job you are trying to get right now

In many cases, it would sound ridiculous if you claimed that you were applying for your dream job. Sweeping streets, working as a waiter in a busy restaurant, having a simple administrative job, flipping burgers, and so on, and so forth.

These are no dream jobs for anyone. We apply for them simply because we need money to live, and because we can’t get anything better at the moment. So what to do if an interviewer inquires about your dream job in this case? You actually have a few good options.

Tell them that you do not know

You can tell them that you are just starting your career, trying to understand the world and your position in it, trying to find your calling. You need money to live–and a job to make money, of course, but so far you are not sure what your dream job is, what you’d love to do in the future.

They have to accept this answer, and almost always they will be satisfied with your words. Since you do not dream big (or at least pretend not to), you won’t have a reason to quit your new monotonous job with a ridiculous salary. Or at least that’s what they will think when you give them this answer.

Focus on expectations, not job titles

A completely different approach consist in focusing on your expectations, rather than job titles or a dream salary. For example, you can say that a dream job is one in which you’ll grow as a person, or as a manager, accountant, communications specialist, etc. I hope you got the point.

Alternatively you can say how such a dream job will impact your life, what options it will give you. Traveling the world, (business trips), getting to know people from different cultures and walks of life (working in a multinational corporation in a diverse team), allowing you to spend enough quality time with your family (short working hours).

The options are endless, and what you talk about really depends on your expectations on life and work…

Final thoughts, next steps

Dreaming shouldn’t be the privilege of children. Each of us can have some dreams, and we shouldn’t be afraid to talk about them in an interview (or anywhere else).

The key is to explain them in a way that our job application will make sense to the interviewers–that we either apply for our dream job, or for one that will allow us to get one step closer to the dream, or that we don’t know…

Think about your life for a while, inspire yourself with our sample answers, and write your answer to the interview question about your dream job. Once done, you can continue your interview preparation, learning how to answer some other tough questions:

What is Your Dream Job?

Jen is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and career expert. Together with Find My Profession, her work has been featured on sites like Forbes, Inc., Times, Fast Company, Zety, and more.

Are you are looking for your first career?

Are you a seasoned professional looking to change career paths?

Regardless of where you are in your career, it is essential to determine what your dream job is.

This question is one of the most important interview questions of all time.

Not only will your answer impact your interview.

Knowing what your dream job is will set you up for success throughout your entire career.

What IS Your Dream Job?

It’s surprising how few people can answer the question, “What is your dream job?”

There is not a right and wrong answer to this question since it is primarily an opinion.

Your dream job may not be the same as someone else’s, but that doesn’t make it wrong.

The first thing you need to do is determine your dream job.

This does not have to be a position that you think you would qualify for right now.

Figure out what your dream job is.

Then you can work backward to find a suitable job that will get you where you want to be.

Once you have done that, you can begin applying for jobs based on the positions that are in line with your dream job.

Set yourself apart from the competition.

Stay Relevant

It’s important when you are applying for jobs that you stay relevant.

If your dream job is to become a doctor, but you are applying for a sales position, that is not the best move to make.

The sales manager interviewing you is going to be skeptical that you won’t be happy at work.

How could you be when your ultimate goal is to be a doctor?

Don’t just apply to jobs to get any old job.

It is going to take you more time, in the long run, to find your dream job if you are settling for less.

Figure out what is your dream job and then research what it takes to get there.

Show Off Your Ambition

Don’t sell yourself short.

Your dream job should be something that might take a few years to achieve.

This depends on your current career level, but for most, you are still looking to climb the corporate ladder.

Is your dream job something that you won’t be qualified to do for another 10 or 20 years?

It is great to have such long-term goals.

Your next employer will love to hear how ambitious you are.

The same goes when answering the question Where Do You See Yourself In 5 Years.

Don’t confuse ambition with arrogance.

Some things you want to avoid saying in an interview:

Saying these things is not the best idea.

This is more arrogance than confidence.

How To Answer This Interview Question

Here are some tips that many people believe to be helpful when being asked what is your dream job in an interview.

Sample Answer

So what’s an example of a good response? Here you go!

From birth, I have always been an animal lover. I like to make animals happy and find valid solutions to any problems that they are having. I thrive in environments that give me the opportunity to work using my problem-solving skills to provide them with the care they need.

My dream job would be in a workplace where I was able to do this and work with animals as much as possible.

Notice how the job applicant never mentioned a job title?

The job applicant kept it open as to not eliminate myself from any great position that is not the exact title I mentioned.

They also gave some points that they love about this type of work.

Why Do Interviewers Ask This Question?

Why do interviewers and employers care about what your dream job is?

We’ve mentioned a few points above in previous sections.

Here are the reasons hiring managers ask this question summed up:

They also know that if you’re working towards something, you’ll ultimately be more motivated.

Plus if your dream job is elsewhere, chances are you won’t be around very long.

This is why considering your answers to possible interview questions is so important.

If you want to prepare for other questions, check out 50 Top Job Interview Questions and Answers.