What Is The Company’s Mission Statement?
If the interviewee asks you about the company’s mission statement, he or she really wants to understand what the major values and goals of the company are. The interviewee really wants to understand the type of company environment in which they will be entering.
A mission statement outlines the overall “mission” or goal of the company. This mission is achieved through actions that utilize to the strengths of the company. By understanding this important statement, the interviewee will get a vision of why being part of the company would benefit his or her life.
Points to Emphasize
When you answer this question, you want to make sure that you first are familiar with the mission statement of your company. Make sure to verbalize the mission statement and to share with the interviewee what that statement says about the company.
- State word for word the mission statement.
- Explain how the mission statement is achieved through the company’s major actions.
- Emphasize how the mission statement references the company’s strengths.
- Mention how the mission statement affects your priorities and work.
Mistakes You Should Avoid
In answering this question, you might feel like the mission statement is too general and underestimate the importance of the mission statement. You might also not clearly outline how the mission statement says something about the company that makes its attractive to interviewees.
- Do not paraphrase the mission statement.
- Be careful not to say negative things about the mission statement.
- Avoid getting too detailed about specific goals or actions of the company.
- Do not finish your answer without relating the mission statement to a strength of the company.
It is critical to avoid long, tiresome answers that are vague. These answers detract from the concise power of a mission statement.
Sample Answer
An example of good answer to the question could be like this:
The mission statement of ABC Company is “ABC Company is committed to providing high quality golf supplies and excellent customer service to each of our patrons.” Our company hires the best customer service representatives to sell our products, which are the best golf products on the market. Everyday, I try to help customers understand the quality of our products so that they can be satisfied with their purchase.
After you share a succinct answer with the interviewee, he or she will come to see the values and strengths of the company and will have a greater desire to be part of the company. The mission statement is a perfect starting point to define the unique characteristics of the company that make it an attractive place to work.
