Where do you see yourself in five years?
It costs a lot of time and money to interview, hire, and train employees. The interviewer wants to know if you see yourself with their organization in five years or if you plan to move onto another facility or change professions. The interviewer also wants to know if you have set professional goals for yourself and what you will do to achieve your goals. Describe where you see yourself in five years and how you plan to get there.
Focus on where you see yourself professionally rather than personally. The interviewer is not interested in hearing about personal goals at this stage of the interview. They only want to hear if you see yourself at their facility and in what capacity.
Avoid saying that you see yourself at another prison unless that one is associated with the one you are applying with. If the interviewer thinks you are using their facility as a stepping stone to move somewhere else, they may be less likely to offer you the position.
"In five years, I see myself as a senior correction officer with your organization. That was one of the reasons I applied to this job since you offer and encourage advancement within. In the next five years, I will be completing my bachelor's degree in criminal justice and plan on enrolling in a leadership course so that I will be qualified for the position."
"Since I have never worked as a correction officer before, my goal in the next five years is to gain experience as a correction officer with your organization. After I gain experience and feel confident in my role, I will then look to advance my career within your prison system."
"In five years, I will have completed my master's degree in criminal justice with a concentration on correctional psychology. Then, I will be prepared to interview for the correctional sergeant position with your organization."
