What are your professional goals in the next five years?

Focus on what professional goals you have planned for the next five years, how you will achieve them, and how you see yourself achieving those goals with the agency. If you are new to the industry, concentrate on gaining experience and becoming an excellent Hospice Social Worker. If you have been working in social work for some time, you may plan to pursue higher education or an administrative role.

Avoid saying you have not planned that far in advance, that you want to go into private practice, or that you see yourself with another organization in five years. If you do not have professional goals, the interviewer will determine that you are not motivated and inspired to grow as a Hospice Social Worker. If your goal is to start your own practice or move onto another agency, the interviewer may not want to invest time hiring and training a short-term employee.

"Since I am new to this field, my professional goals are to be hired by your agency and gain experience in the next five years. I appreciate that your organization offers mentorship to new Social Workers, which is one reason I applied to your reputable agency. I want to gain experience counseling patients and their family members, learning what resources are available to the patients, working with interdisciplinary teams to discuss plans of care, and facilitating grief support groups."