Title:"Why Do You Want To Work From Home?" Tips & Samples
Author:Hannah Morgan
Date:March 2024
Source:Career Sherpa - Reprinted with permission
"Why do you want to work from home" is a question you'll inevitably get asked if you want a remote position. Many applicants will consider this to be one of the key points of the job, and employers want to know why it appeals to you.
This guide will teach you how to prepare an excellent answer that makes a great impression.
The Reason Interviewers Ask This Question
Remote work has become more common around the world, with many companies realizing the benefits it provides. While some organizations still prefer the office, many offer hybrid work arrangements or fully remote opportunities.
Of course, certain risks exist with allowing employees to work remotely. Interview questions like this aim to help hiring managers avoid those pitfalls while ensuring the people they grant this freedom can meet the company's needs.
Work-from-home opportunities are highly sought after. They offer workers a more flexible work arrangement. Unfortunately, some job-seekers see them as an opportunity to slack off while still getting a paycheck. Hiring managers want to avoid those types of candidates at all costs.
"Why do you want to work from home?" is a question that helps to unveil your true motivations. It can also highlight your potential for success in an otherwise unorthodox work environment. Working from home is not for everyone, and employers often use questions like this to gauge the possibility of success if given the opportunity.
It's an important question, and you can expect it to come up during your interview if there's any remote work involved.
How to Answer "Why Do You Want to Work from Home?"
Your answer to this question will have a massive impact on your chances of moving forward in the hiring process. While other queries are important, hiring managers pay close attention to how you answer this one because it directly impacts the company and your potential for success in this particular role.
Here are a few tips on developing an answer that leaves the right impression on employers.
Explain the Positive Impact It Will Have on Your Work & the Company
One of the best ways to respond to this question is to lead with the positive impact working remotely can bring. Don't focus on the benefits you have to gain alone. It's important to highlight the perks for the company, too.
Take some time to truly consider why you want to work remotely. Avoid the obvious cliches like being able to work in your pajamas or avoid lengthy commute times. Instead, focus on how this opportunity could directly impact your success and your employer's bottom dollar.
You can discuss how working from home will maximize productivity and help you produce your best work. For example, many people have an easier time concentrating on their work in an environment they have complete control over. You might mention that you could work more efficiently in your home office versus a shared corporate office.
Hone in on realistic impacts. In addition to more productivity, you can touch on how the opportunity creates room for better time optimization and fewer workplace distractions.
Then, discuss the positive impacts remote work could have for your employer. Some examples include lower overhead costs, better accessibility outside commute times, greater workplace satisfaction for employees like you and more.
Lead with those positive impacts. You want to convince hiring managers that your motivations are work-focused and that this opportunity will benefit you and the company. Highlight how it's a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Connect Your Answer to Your Goals & Motivations
Another way to formulate an impressive response is to show how working from home aligns with your career goals.
This approach can be tricky. You don't want to focus too heavily on personal goals and motivations. It's OK to bring those up (we'll get to that later), but when discussing why you're the right person to get this remote job, you must prioritize career-related goals and motivations.
For example, your goal could be to gain more autonomy in approaching your work. Perhaps you're a self-starter and actively work to improve your time management skills. You can easily connect the dots to working from home to show that this opportunity is right for you.
Reflect on what you want to achieve in your career and consider how remote work fits into those larger ambitions.
Don't Be Afraid to Share the Personal Benefits Remote Work Will Have
Many job-seekers hesitate to bring up the personal benefits of working from home. However, it's unrealistic to avoid them entirely. Hiring managers and corporate leaders understand that people want more freedom in their careers and how they work. They know that getting the opportunity to work remotely is a huge goal for many people.
Don't be shy about discussing some personal benefits that working from home would provide you. For example, you might have someone you need to care for at home, and a work-from-home job helps you achieve the balance you need.
Whatever the case, you can talk about it. Hiring managers are human, and they know that everyone has their non-career-related reasons for wanting to work from home.
That said, don't let personal benefits overshine how this opportunity would benefit the company. Always lead with a company-first approach to this response. Talk about how remote work positively impacts the company before you get into any personal preferences.
If possible, consider marrying the two. For instance, you can mention that working from home will make it easier to focus on your physical and mental well-being. That would lead to fewer sick days and better results for the organization.
Always discuss company benefits first, but don't be afraid to talk about how a work-from-home arrangement can improve your life.
Practice Your Answer
Our last tip is an easy one: Practice!
Coming up with reasons why you want to work remotely is something that requires a bit of thought. It's a complex question that unveils a lot about your potential in the role. Failing to give it the ample thought and consideration it deserves could result in your delivering a less-than-stellar response.
Consider your reasons for pursuing this opportunity and develop a response well before your interview. You don't need to write a script you'll read verbatim. Doing so could make your answer sound robotic and inauthentic.
Instead, know what points you want to bring up and what you want to say. Practice delivering your response and try to get some feedback from others. The more comfortable you feel answering this question, the more confident you'll sound during your interview.
What You Should Avoid Including in Your Answer
Now that you know how to create a good response, let's discuss some things you must avoid. This question holds more weight than you might realize. Saying the wrong thing could instantly ruin your chances of getting a job offer, so you must take time to get things right.
Don't Focus Exclusively on Yourself
We've already touched on the importance of focusing more on the company's benefits from you working from home, but it bears repeating! If your answer revolves solely around yourself and your personal benefits, it sends the wrong message.
Wanting to work from home should be mutually beneficial to both you and the company. It's fine to talk about some personal perks, but you should find ways to connect them to your employer. Doing so shows you understand that working from home is more than a great kickback.
Don't Say Anything That Implies Laziness
Never say anything that implies you're simply too lazy to go into the office! It's surprisingly easy to make this mistake. For example, you might mention that you hate getting dressed or waking up early to make your commute. Laziness is never something you want to bring up in a job interview.
Instead, focus on how working from home will make you a better employee.
Don't Bad-Mouth Office Culture
Many people want to work from home to get away from the office. There are likely things you don't like about office culture, but you shouldn't bring them up in your answer. Avoid talking negatively about any office cliches, your company's culture or the environment. Also, steer clear of mentioning anything about hating managerial oversight.
Companies still value work culture and the office environment. If you bad-mouth any of that, they might think you're an awful fit for the organization.
Don't Imply That You'll Struggle
Finally, don't say anything that implies that this is an attempted fix for issues you're having in your current role. For example, don't mention that you find working with others challenging and want to work from home because it's the perfect way to escape that.
You're still trying to land a job! Highlighting negatives about your performance or potential could cause doubt to creep into the mind of a hiring manager.
Sample Answers
There are many great ways to answer "Why do you want to work from home?" Your response should be unique to your situation, experiences and the company you're applying to work for. But we have several examples to guide you in the right direction.
Sample 1
Our first is a knockout response from a candidate hoping to work from home as a marketing professional. Their job involves considerable creative input, and they use that fact to explain their reasoning for wanting to work remotely.
"The top reason I want to work from home is to unlock more creative potential for my projects. More flexibility in where I work would allow me to prepare for the day on my own terms. I believe that will enable me to be more creative while maximizing my productivity.
Currently, I spend nearly two hours getting ready and commuting to work. That's time I could spend developing more ideas. Working from home gives me full control over my time and environment, enabling me to deliver results more effectively."
Sample 2
Our second example is from a job-seeker who hopes to use the time they save working from home on professional development. It's a good response because it focuses on benefits that directly impact the company.
"I want to work from home because it would allow me to spend less time commuting and more time improving my skills as a data scientist. While I'm already proficient in Python and data analysis, I hope to learn more about data automation. Automation can significantly boost productivity for the company, and I expect to use the time I save working from home to learn how to build those systems.
I'm eager to use my time more wisely while working in an environment with fewer distractions."
Sample 3
Our last example focuses more on what the company has to gain. The job-seeker discusses how the organization can save money while providing more benefits to employees.
"Working from home is a mutually beneficial approach, and there are many reasons why I want to pursue this opportunity. In our industry, most of our work can be done more effectively out of the office. I'm successfully using messaging systems that keep the team well-connected, and this allows us to spend less time commuting and more time being available to our clients.
Working from home would save me money while reducing overhead costs for the company. Ultimately, I believe that the arrangement would help me be more effective at delivering results while achieving a better work-life balance. Not only would that benefit me, but the company would also have much to gain from more employee autonomy and productivity."
Conclusion
Answering "Why do you want to work from home" is all about finding benefits for you and your employer. When it becomes clear that you're in it for the right reasons (instead of wanting an opportunity to slack off), you'll have a great chance of landing the job.
So take your time, practice your answer, and impress your interviewer!
