Have you ever taken a role in a company that hasn't fit into your long-term career plans?
One's career path is rarely a straight line. Sometimes what we thought was an opportunity to advance our career ends up being a detour or not the investment we thought it would be. This question serves to answer two questions. It aims to inform how proactive you are in mapping out your career, and how aligned your goals are to what working for them could offer your career.
"Yes, you will see that from March to May 2007 I held a role as Executive Business Development Manager with Company XYZ. This particular role was not what I was expecting and had little to do with management and more to do with cold calling onto C-suite level clients. This wasn't nurturing my plan to grow the management side of my career, so I resigned after just 2 months. Luckily I landed a wonderful job immediately after and grew with that company for the following 6 years."
"Fortunately, no. I have been very conscious of the changes and moves that I have made in my career so far. I would rather have a period of unemployment than choose the wrong employer."
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
I have been calculating the roles I've taken during my career. I would say that the average length of a position I've been in has been about 2.5-3 years and I've then taken a step forward into the next role that would be a good career fit and to keep gathering different experiences. Going from Supply Chain Operations to IT consulting was one that really helped.
Stephanie's Feedback
Great start, but I suggest adding a closing sentence that loops back to the prompt. For example, "All of my jobs have taught me new skills and given me meaningful opportunities; they've all helped to prepare me for my long-term career plans in different ways."
Anonymous Answer
During my stint with XYZ Co. I had taken the role of an Internal Auditor for 6 months. This role gave me an opportunity to learn about internal controls and streamline policies. I enjoy a lot when it comes to number crunching, analysis, and working closely with business partners to make a direct impact on the organization's growth. Since then I had taken roles in FP&A and business finance.
Marcie's Feedback
Did this internal auditor role not fit into your long-term career plans? How come? Why did you take it if it didn't apply to your long-term goal? Giving some additional details will further build out your answer. Nice job!
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