How to answer "Why do you want to work for us?"
Name two or three things that are only true of this employer, and link each one to something you've actually done or want to learn. If your answer would still make sense with another company's name in it, it's too generic.
What recruiters look for
- Research beyond the homepage. A project, product, team, training programme or recent news story, not "a leading global company".
- A personal reason. Why that fact matters to you, backed by your own course, project, job or interest.
- Commitment. Signs that you'd want to stay and grow there, such as interest in the graduate route after a placement.
- Fit with the role. The reason should connect to the work you'd be doing, not only to the company's reputation.
A structure to follow
- The hook: one specific thing the employer does that drew you in.
- The link: something you've done that connects to it, such as a module, project, job or society.
- The second reason: how they train or develop people, such as rotations, mentoring or the team you'd join.
- The close: what you want to learn or contribute there.
At 250 words, give each part two or three sentences. Cut adjectives before you cut facts.
Example answer
Sam is a fictional second-year mechanical engineering student. Harbourline Rail is a fictional employer. The details are invented to show the shape of a good answer. Use your own.
Harbourline's work on predictive maintenance for its train fleet is the main reason I'm applying. In my second-year dynamics module I analysed vibration data from a test rig to spot bearing wear early, and I enjoyed turning messy data into a decision. Reading about your fleet monitoring programme, I realised the same idea is being used at full scale to keep trains running. I'm also drawn to how your placement is structured: students rotate between depot engineering and the reliability team, so I'd see both the hardware and the data. Through my part-time job at a bike repair shop I've learned I work best when I can diagnose a fault, fix it and check it stays fixed. I'd like to bring that habit to Harbourline and, if the placement goes well, apply for your graduate scheme.
About 140 words.
Common mistakes
- Praise with no facts. "Innovative", "industry-leading" and "great culture" score nothing on their own.
- Repeating their values back to them. Copying the values page without saying what's true about you.
- Only talking about what you'll get. Salary, location or prestige as the main reason.
- One answer for every company. Recruiters can tell when only the name has changed.
- An AI-written first draft left as it is. Generic tools tend to produce the same stock phrases for everyone. Start from your own facts and keep your own words.
FAQs
How long should a "Why us?" answer be?
Use the word limit you're given. 250 words is common, and some employers allow 300. Aim for 80–90% of the limit.
What if I don't know much about the company?
Look at their careers pages, recent news, annual report highlights and the programme description. Find one thing you can genuinely connect to your own experience.
Can I reuse my answer for other applications?
You can reuse the structure and your examples, but rewrite the facts about the employer every time.