Q: How should I answer the infamous "Why are you interested in this field?" question?

First off, the general reason for this question is that the interviewer wants to determine how serious you are about the particular field he or she is interviewing you for. You typically will get this question if you are new to the field (for example, a career-changer or recent graduate). This is the number one uncertainty that we recruiters face with first-time job seekers; are they really serious about a career in health care or consulting or zoology? You guys are a big risk because most of you lack a track record that we can point to for guidance.

We are looking for you to mitigate this risk with your answer.

You want to address this concern head-on with proof that you understand what it means to be “a health care professional” or “zoologist”. You can do this by reiterating past experiences--or even conversations--that you have had that show that you are aware of what it will take to be successful in this career path. If you can speak to your passions and how this particular field touches them, all the better.

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