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Comment by underdeserver | Hacker News Reader

I think you're missing the point of the question. Qualified candidates have options. The question is why do they want to choose you over the other places.

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It would really REALLY help if that's the question they asked!

Seems to be part of the question. It isn't "Why Do You Want To Work?" but "Why Do You Want To Work for Us?"

? You can answer however you like. Don’t feel limited by following the prompt to the T, they’re more interested in big picture impressions than strict prompt following ability.

Even then, it’s a weak question that simply asked the candidate to imagine some reasons why this company is the one, while in reality it’s just whoever willing to hire you, stack ranked by some criteria like money and suffering. So from an engineering stand point, if everyone knows it’s a pointless game, why do it.

This would’ve been a beautiful question if everyone only applied to one job, and this was a chance to tell the future you’d like to see and how you, the candidate, would build this future. But is that ever the case in practice?

It’s all a game.

I generally answered honestly. If a place seemed less interesting but paid more I would say it was a good offer. (They usually knew.) If a place had good people I would say that. If there wasn't a reason, I wouldn't want to work there anyway.

I'm aware that I've been privileged to have options, but given that I do, I see no reason not to be honest.

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