How to answer "Where do you see yourself in five years"

Question

What's a good response to the question "Where do you see yourself in five years?"? I actually don't really know yet (just starting my career), and will they notice when my answer is too polished?

Answer 1

Completely understand your concerns about a too polished answer. Just quickly drafted an answer, maybe you can use parts of it:

“That’s a great question, and to be honest, as someone just starting my career, I’m still exploring where my strengths and passions might lead me. What I do know is that I’m really motivated to grow and develop in a role like this, where I can build my skills and make a meaningful impact. Over the next five years, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of this industry, take on new challenges, and work toward becoming a valuable team member who contributes to bigger projects.”

Not sure though if something like this works..

Answer 2

I recommend taking a look at the career steps in IB and figuring out where you would land in 5 years if you deliver a solid performance. That plus a good argumentation on your ambition to learn and develop should most likely do the job. ?

Answer 3

Having worked in both consulting and finance, I’d say the main difference is the focus. In consulting, it’s about big... (read entire answer)

Having worked in both consulting and finance, I’d say the main difference is the focus. In consulting, it’s about big-picture problem-solving, like helping a client expand into... (read entire answer)