Focus your answer on professional goals rather than personal goals. The interviewer is concerned with your professional goals and wants to hear that you see yourself growing with the FBI. It costs the bureau a lot of money to interview, hire, and train their agents, and they want to make sure you are not planning on using your training to leave for another agency.

When responding to this question, avoid saying that you have not thought that far ahead. The interviewer wants to hire driven individuals who have specific goals they are working to achieve. You should also avoid saying you see yourself working for another agency other than the FBI.

Remember to have your five-year path planned. Describe exactly where you see yourself on that path and how you will achieve your goals. For example, suppose you want to work as a Supervisory Special Agent in the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU). When you do your research, you will see that you need to work as a Nonsupervisory Agent for seven to 15 years before applying to serve in the BAU. So, you would describe to the interviewer your long-term goals and how in five years, you will be that much closer to achieving them by gaining experience as a Special Agent.

"In five years, I see myself working and gaining experience as a Special Agent with the bureau. My long-term goals are to work as a Supervisory Agent with the BAU, and I need to gain a lot of experience as a Special Agent before applying to that position. In five years, I would like to be working in the missing person unit so that I can gain valuable experience in investigations."

"My five-year goal with the FBI is to promote to Supervisory Special Agent, supervising a squad that investigates foreign counterintelligence. I know that position is quite competitive to achieve, and I plan on using my experience as a Counterintelligence Agent in the Army and my quality work as a Special Agent to advance to that position."