How to Answer “How Did You Hear About This Position?”  

We all know the standard interview questions, such as, “Where do you see yourself,” or even, “What questions do you have for us?” However, there are other subtle questions that might be thrown in mid-conversation which might seem insignificant, but do carry a bit of weight to them. One of these questions is “How did you hear about this job opening?”

This is a great question to show your employers that you are serious about your career journey, but it can also help your future employer improve their outreach efforts. On the other hand, it can also help your company avoid being accused of nepotism if you do have a possible conflict of interest. For more information on the how did you hear about this job best answer, read more below!

Table of Contents

• What are Interviewers Looking For In How Did You Hear About This Position Answer?
• How to Answer How Did You Hear About This Position
• How Did You Hear About This Job Examples
• Alternative How Did You Hear About This Job Options

What are Interviewers Looking For In How Did You Hear About This Position Answer?

When interviewers ask you “How did you hear about this position,” keep in mind that they’re using this question to:

• Gauge your enthusiasm: Employers want to see that you are actively looking for a job and want to make a change for the positive. For instance, you might have found the job because you were looking for a change in your career, so adding that small bit of information could be useful in helping you land the gig.
• Understand how to improve their outreach and job posting efforts: Companies have to spend a good amount of time, money, and manpower on job postings. They want to know that their outreach efforts are working, so this question might be part of a bigger survey for the company.
• Trying to avoid nepotism: In some instances, it is against company policy to hire an employee if a relative works in a separate position that is above them, such as a supervisor. Companies will save themselves the headache of trying to find a replacement later on by asking this question.

Unlike other job interview questions, this is a fairly straightforward answer, so don’t spend too much time lingering on the question.

How to Answer How Did You Hear About This Position

First and foremost, DO answer the question succinctly. If you found it in an online job posting, DON’T go into a tangent about how hard it was for you to find this job or other failed job listings.

DO let your employer know the truth about any personal conflicts of interest. For instance, if your spouse or romantic partner works as a supervisor, let them know ahead of time.

DO tell your employer about being recommended by an employee who is a friend. Usually, being recommended by a friend or ex co-worker is a good way to get an employer to trust you, and does not count as nepotism. For instance, if your friend told you to apply to an open position, say, “My old co-worker recommended this position and said I’d be a great fit because of my skills, so I went on your website to apply.”

DON’T seem disinterested in the position, and say something such as, “Well it’s just one of the many jobs I applied to on a random website.” While this might be true, it can also make an employer feel as if they are unimportant and you don’t care about their mission or values.

DO answer why you applied to the job specifically. Was it the company’s history, pay, or values?

How Did You Hear About This Job Examples

“I was searching through a job list website because I was looking specifically for a supervisory role as my next career move.”

“My friend from college recommended this company and said I’d be a good fit because of my education, so I visited your site.”

“I submitted my application through your ad in the paper. It caught my eye because I’ve heard your business has a great reputation for sales and customer service.”

“I was researching the best companies to work for in my field and in my city, so I searched on the web and found your company.”

“I was at a job fair intended for college graduates, and your representative caught my attention because of their professionalism.”

Alternative How Did You Hear About This Job Options

• “What made you want to apply with our company?”
• “Was it difficult to find our job listing?”
• “How did you hear about our company?”
• “What made you want to apply to this job specifically?