For those who may consider it as such, this is not an interview question for you to navigate with or memorized lines that have been structured to impress the interviewer. Rather this is a major point of introspection for every job seeker.
Providing an honest answer to this question and confronting the reality which it presents, holds the key to deciding whether or not a job is suitable for one and whether or not one will perform maximally on the job or find it satisfying.
Oftentimes, respondents’ answer to the question would be either of the following:
- need for money;
- need for a pay raise;
- need for a job, any job; or
- discontentment with current, etc.
While these responses may suit one’s circumstance, they are hardly the ideal reasons for wanting a job and in answering ideally, it is imperative to first understand why the job opening exists.
A vacancy or job opening is an indication of an existing gap in some other individual or company’s value offering. A job opening indicates the existence of a need by the proposed employer. So in answering the question as to why you need the job, you must first answer why your employer needs you. In summary, the ideal reason why you should want a job is to fill this gap in value. Satisfy that need which your employer has identified. Ultimately, you should want a job for the sole purpose of providing value.
Value creation is the chief purpose of every planned or existing engagement. Prior to seeking employment or applying to an open vacancy, first ask yourself if you have all it takes (mindset inclusive) to provide value to your employer. Value here is not determined by you, but by the person who created the need. It is this need that is often defined in a job description, which also provides an initial basis of assessment of your capacity to provide the value as needed by your prospective employer.
Not many applicants, if any at all, view getting a job from the perspective of providing value to their employer. Essentially, more focus is placed on just getting entitled to a salary, not on earning it and it is only through the creation of sufficient value for occupied positions that salary entitlements are duly justified.
It is also possible to provide value beyond the employer’s expected threshold and when this is done, the individual job holder becomes a prized asset to his/her employer and thus attracts treatment of a preferential nature. Thus, value creation holds the key to getting a job, retaining it and enjoying the benefits. And not until applicants begin to prepare themselves for creating or providing justifiable value in their target jobs will they find desired satisfaction in the said jobs and even justifications for improved welfare.
Pivotage Consulting Learning & Development unit ensures that employees are infused with a culture of work with a focus on value creation. Not just vaguely mentioning value in the program, but helping participants identify value oriented activities within their job descriptions while helping them develop approaches to enhancing these in their daily routine.
By; OBIORAH OKECHUKWU