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Tough Interview Question 6: Why do you want to work from home?


by Chris Durst

When applying for a home-based position, many interviewers will ask why you want to work from home.

Far too often, applicants who are caught off guard reply with an answer that doesn’t favor their chances of being hired.

For example, a “bad” answer might be:

“I really need the flexibility so I can juggle my children’s school and sports commitments.”

(In the ears of an interviewer, this sounds like, “My home and head may be filled with distractions.”)

HOW YOU SHOULD ANSWER!!

If an employer asks why you want to work from home, it’s really important to turn your answer into a selling point.

For example:

“While I work well as part of a team, I’ve found that I am most productive when I free from the distractions of a traditional office and where I have more control of my work environment.”

In this answer, you’re pointing out that (1) you can work as part of a team, (2) you will be productive working from home, and (3) you understand the importance of a distraction-free work environment and will create one in your home.

You can revise your answer depending on the type of company you’re applying to as well.

For example, let’s say you’re applying for a job with a company that has made the fight against climate change one of their missions. In this case, you can still use the answer above, but you might want to add something like:

“Further, a home-base eliminates my commute and reduces my carbon footprint, and that’s really important to me.”

You get the gist – make it positive and make it about what THEY gain by hiring you, not what YOU gain by working from home!


YOUR TURN! Hop over to our Facebook page and you’ll see a post on this topic. Give the question some thought, then tell us how you’d reply to it in the comments section!

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