How do you keep up to speed with the commercial developments in your field?
This question is often used to determine how serious or passionate you are about your career. They want to know if you can talk the talk and walk the walk. They want to know if you pursued this career or just fell into it. It will also offer you an opportunity to show off your knowledge of your industry and how up-to-date you are.
Industries are rapidly changing and innovating. A proactive candidate that keeps up with industry changes and macro trends. Therefore it's important to demonstrate yourself as a proactive worker rather than a reactive follower. You want to exhibit a growth mindset at all times. If you take advantage of learning through continuing education credits, seminars, conferences, journals, and any other means of staying educated in your line of work, let them know.
Remember, they are specifically looking for someone with a "fiery ambition to find answers to questions which affect society and mankind as a whole." Refresh so they're fresh in your mind prior to the interview. This could branch off into excellent conversation points. Establishing a rapport with your interviewer translates to a likelihood of doing the same with the members of their team and is always a good selling point.
"Reading and research. It's all about asking questions... the more I know, the more I realize how little I understand. It's that common thirst for knowledge. So whether it is research, or reading the periodicals I follow, active learning, and an active interest. This leads to an eagerness to share. Anytime I share something, I stand the potential to learn something new when someone reciprocates and shares something I wasn't aware of. So, answering your question, I stay up-to-date every which way I can."
