I felt the need to share something from my daily Quora email digest. This answer came from a Gent called Tom Allen and I reference it here because it could quite possibly be not only one of the funniest answers I have seen, but it is also clever without being completely glib.
The Question:
During an interview what’s an appropriate answer when asked “where do you see yourself in 5 years?”
The Answer: “That depends on where this company will be in four.”
I wrote about changing the interview dynamic in the room back in 2011 and it this answer would fit nicely with the approach and while your first reaction may be not to agree, I believe the question to be so crass as to deserve the answer!
Tom rounds out his thought process with his answer for what happens if the interviewer persists with requiring a definitive retort:
“Well, now it depends on whether you’ve just given me the job…”
I have to agree with him once more as he makes a valid point. This led me to consider of another alternative which could be used in place of both answers:
“If you have not given me the role then I will probably be with your main competitor taking away your market share”
That should seal it!