What Do You Hope to Gain From This Experience - Interview Question

What do you hope to gain from this experience? A job interview or internship interview frequently contains basic questions that assist the hiring manager to understand why you applied for the position. Preparing in advance for questions such as "What do you expect to gain from this experience?" will assist you in expressing your professional goals eloquently and precisely.

Assessing your professional objectives and evaluating their alignment with the work is a smart method to begin planning your response to this question.

Why do hiring managers ask, "What do you hope to gain from this experience?"

To set you apart from other entry-level or internship job applicants, a prospective employer can inquire about your expectations for the offered position. Your responses can assist the interviewer in determining if you and the organization are a suitable fit for on-the-job training and experience.

When you initially join the job market, whether for a permanent position or as an intern, intelligent responses to interview questions can often give a more accurate picture of your career prospects than your resume/CV. Without relevant work experience to discuss, an interviewer can be interested in learning about your long-term professional objectives, both for the position for which you are seeking and for the future. When your objectives coincide with the job and the company's mission statement, you are a more attractive prospect.

Along with listening to your response, the interviewer is likely to assess your composure and confidence when you explain your career goals.

Before answering, consider the following questions

To prepare a great answer during your job search, consider the following:

• What soft skills you currently have and hope to achieve. For example, "I feel strongly about my collaboration skills. Though, this job seems like it will expose me to the customer service department. I'm looking to develop my customer service skills virtually and in-person."
• What you hope to achieve in your future career. And how that aligns with the job.
• The skills posted in the job description and how you plan to achieve soft skills that will further your career.

How to answer, "What do you hope to gain from this experience?"

Your interview with a prospective employer provides the hiring manager with an opportunity to assess the kind of expectations and results you have for your employment.

The following are some actions you can take to prepare an answer that will assist you in properly explaining yourself:

Explain the interest in the job

When you display an in-depth grasp of the job and its duties, you indicate to the hiring manager that you applied deliberately and prepared well for the interview. Utilize precise language from the job description and discuss what piqued your interest or excitement.

Explain motivations

You can explain why you believe this position at this company will help you develop certain talents or is an excellent example of the type of work environment that matches your personality. For instance, if you're applying for a position at a social media marketing business, you can discuss parts of the company's social media strategy that you love and explain why you believe you can benefit from that approach.

Additionally, you can speak candidly about any managers or workers who have received accolades you admire and discuss how the company's goal statement and culture align with your own personal beliefs.

Mention your career objectives or career aspirations

By expressing your passion and motivation for a great job, you can demonstrate your zeal and readiness to work hard. When applying for a position while still in school or shortly after graduation, you can describe classes or instructors that inspired or guided you toward a certain career path and how it matches with the work this company does.

Be meaningful with your answer

While it is necessary to look enthusiastic and driven, keep in mind the internship's limited duration or the reality of entry-level employment. For instance, you can demonstrate to the hiring manager your ability to set achievable objectives by stating, "I'm curious about the ways in which this position might help me develop personally and professionally. I'm thrilled to practice teamwork with others and to get a look into my future professional path."

When responding to this question, it can also be beneficial to emphasize your willingness to grow and improve as a professional. Even if you lack prior job experience, you can still impress the recruiting manager by emphasizing your excellent work ethic.

Related: Common interview questions

Example answers to, "What do you hope to gain from this experience?"

Consider the following examples of responses to this interview question:

Example 1

"I contacted various past interns via my college's counseling office while I contemplated where to apply for an internship. Of the five interns I spoke with, those who worked at your company had nothing but nice things to say and thought they received the most significant professional growth experience working under the supervision of the person who taught them. I'm hoping to receive similar training and a better knowledge of how this industry functions."

Example 2

"I am proficient in Spanish, having spent two years in Mexico. I applied to your company due to its presence in South and Central America, and I'm interested in learning more about how your company does business abroad. I am interested in establishing a career in international business, and your company exemplifies how to do it ethically and sustainably."

Example 3

"While in school, I interned at a major business. I gained valuable knowledge about how businesses function, but my experience was limited to a single department, with little crossover into other sectors. I chatted with an alumna who previously worked here, and she expressed how much she appreciated having exposure to the various components that make a small company function. That type of work atmosphere, I feel, plays to my strengths as a flexible and cooperative individual. I'm prepared to perform whatever task that is required."

Example 4

"I've discovered that conflict resolution is one of the most useful talents a human resources practitioner can possess. I attended one of your company's seminars in college to learn effective management and intervention methods, and I thoroughly liked learning about your approach. I'm hoping to engage with the course's developers to further enhance my abilities for a future job in human resources."