How did you hear about this position?
Interviewers often ask this question to job applicants in a pre-screen phone or video interview. They want to know which talent attraction strategies are delivering the best results. They also want to see if you have a genuine interest in pursuing the role rather than simply applying because the job posting came up. The goal of your response is to tell the interviewer how you became aware of the open position while expressing your enthusiasm for the opportunity.
"I learned about this role from Indeed when searching for internship opportunities. The keywords that I used were 'recent graduate' and 'business development.' I was thrilled to see this opportunity come up and am eager to learn more while showing you how my skills can be a strong match for this internship."
"The position details were sent to me by a former colleague who knew that I was looking for a role within the oil and energy industry. I believe she saw your job posting on an industry-specific job board and felt that my skills and experiences were a strong fit. I am thankful for the opportunity to meet with you today to learn more about how I can add value to Company ABC."
"I was referred to this position by your Team Lead, John Doeadeer. He mentioned that Company ABC was searching externally for someone to fill this floor manager position, and he thought of me right away. I am glad he thought of me! The more I learn about this role and the organization, the more enthusiastic I feel about the opportunity."
"A recruiter from ABC Recruitment firm approached me regarding this role. After meeting with her and reviewing all of the details, I knew this position was a fantastic fit for me, which is when I chose to apply."
"When shopping in the mall last weekend, I noticed the 'Now Hiring' sign in the store window. I came by the next day and dropped my resume off with your assistant manager. Thank you for seeing me so quickly! I'm eager to learn more about the position and how I can contribute to your team."
"I worked with one of Company ABC's clients on a major project a couple of months ago. The project manager recently mentioned that the organization was hiring a full-time sales manager. This PM knew that I was looking for career growth and a change. I am thrilled he thought of me for the role, and thank you for the opportunity to meet with you today."
"I applied to School ABC shortly after relocating to this city. The school is just a few blocks from my home! The location is convenient, and I have heard great things about this school after getting to know a few members of your teaching community."
Avoid sounding cavalier about the opportunity. For instance, saying, 'I've put in so many online job applications lately I can't even remember where I heard about this position!' will likely result in a job rejection.
Instead, you could say, 'I have been actively searching for suitable roles online using Indeed and LinkedIn. I believe it was Indeed that sent me the posting via email as a recommended job. I read the description, researched the company, and felt compelled to apply. I'm happy I did!'
If an employee of the hiring company referred you to the role, be sure to let the interviewer know. Hiring authorities often give preference to employee referrals since they are statistically a more successful hire.
Start by explaining how you first heard about the job. The most common avenues for job discovery include:
- Employee referrals
- Online job boards
- Emails from job boards pushing out recommended job matches
- Searching on LinkedIn or other popular social media sites
- Visiting the company's careers page and browsing open jobs
- College job boards or alumni support services
Once you've identified how you heard about the job, briefly describe your enthusiasm for the role and the company.
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 read about it on Indeed.
Ryan's Feedback
Even though it's a basic question, more information and a general sense of enthusiasm would go a long way.
"I came across your position on Indeed after searching for {job title} positions. I was excited to see you were hiring, because I always wanted to work with your company."
Anonymous Answer
My mail carrier referred the USPS to me as a statistically happier and more successful employee position, who plans to stay with the USPS for a long time because of the working environments, the job stability, and the opportunities for promotion.
Kristine's Feedback
Great answer! Here, you can be a bit more specific. I updated with a sample response.
I have always been aware that USPS offers excellent employment opportunities and found this specific opportunity listed on the USPS Job site. I would be thrilled to have the chance to work with such a successful organization. I would feel pride in working for your company.
Anonymous Answer
I was referred by my friend, who also works here at Kaiser.
Lauren's Feedback
Great response; it would be helpful to remark positively about your friend's experience as a current employee.
I was referred by a friend who is currently a Lab Tech employed by Kaiser. I have heard many great things about the work environment, and wish to experience the culture.
Anonymous Answer
I came across the job listing on Glassdoor.
Rachelle's Feedback
Good! This information is always helpful for organizations to know where to spend recruitment dollars. If you want to get super detailed, you could also include which keywords you used to find this posting.
Anonymous Answer
I learned about this role on Glassdoor first, and also looked at LinkedIn. I hope that is helpful!
Rachelle's Feedback
Yes, this will be helpful information for the interviewer. Most companies like to track where their talent attraction dollars are most impactful.
Anonymous Answer
I found the job position on indeed.com. I also checked it on kp.org. Since I am a COA and also have my BLS certification with experience, I was so excited to apply. I have two other friends who are COAS that work for Kaiser; they tell me they love it, and they stay very busy.
Rachelle's Feedback
Awesome response! The detail that you provide will be very helpful for the company to understand where their job postings have the most impact. It's nice that you added in the personal connection with your two friends who work for Kaiser, and their positive feedback.
Anonymous Answer
I learned about this role from LinkedIn while searching for full-time opportunities. I believe the keywords were recent graduate and healthcare management.
Rachelle's Feedback
Fabulous! You are super-specific, which the hiring authority should appreciate.
Anonymous Answer
A State Farm Talent Acquisition personnel notified me.
Rachelle's Feedback
Nice! This information helps the hiring authority know which talent acquisition initiatives have the most impact.
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