Job Seekers
Browse our jobs and apply for your next role.
Employers
The right candidate is just a few clicks away
About Us
Michael Page changes lives for people through creating opportunity to reach potential.
Contact
If you have any questions, we’re here to help.
When an interviewer asks, "What interests you about this role?", they're trying to understand whether you genuinely want to do the work and why you believe you're a good fit for the opportunity.
A strong answer highlights specific aspects of the role that appeal to you and explains how they connect to your skills, experience and career goals. The more specific and relevant your response, the easier it is for interviewers to understand why you're a good fit for the opportunity.
Here's how to prepare an answer that feels authentic and tailored to the role.
Prefer to see an example first? Jump straight to one of our ready-to-use answers below and personalise it to your own experience:
Interviewers aren't looking for a summary of your CV. They're trying to understand what motivates you and whether you're genuinely interested in the opportunity.
Your answer helps them assess:
Hiring managers may also look for signs that you've researched the organisation and have a realistic understanding of its culture, priorities and working environment.
The strongest answers focus on the work itself. While factors such as salary, benefits and career progression can influence your decision, they shouldn't be the centre of your response.
The quality of your answer often comes down to how well you've prepared.
Start by reviewing the job advertisement and identifying:
This level of preparation can make a significant difference to your answers and overall interview performance. If you're still getting ready for the interview itself, it can also help to revisit the basics of job interview preparation.
For example:
Weak:
"The duties sound interesting."
Stronger:
"I'm particularly interested in the opportunity to lead customer research projects because it builds on stakeholder interview work I've carried out in my current role."
Look for clear connections between the position and your previous employment, education, volunteering experience or personal projects. Be honest about your capabilities rather than overstating your experience.
A few minutes on a company website is rarely enough.
Consider exploring:
Rather than memorising company facts, identify one recent initiative, business priority or area of growth that relates to the role.
"I noticed the company is expanding its digital capabilities across the region. Given my background in customer experience projects, I'd welcome the opportunity to contribute to that growth."
Specific observations tend to feel more genuine than broad compliments about the organisation.
A simple structure can help you give a clear, focused answer.
Start by highlighting the part of the position that appeals to you most.
This could be:
Focus on the work itself rather than factors such as title, salary or benefits.
Next, explain why that aspect of the role interests you.
Use a brief example from your professional experience, studies, volunteering, internship or personal projects.
"In my previous role, I worked on a process improvement initiative that reduced customer response times. I particularly enjoyed identifying inefficiencies and finding practical solutions, which is why this aspect of the role stood out to me."
Keep your example concise and relevant. Interviewers will often follow up by asking for more detail, so it's worth preparing examples for common behavioural interview questions.
Finish by explaining why the role feels like a logical next step.
This could involve:
Including a relevant company detail shows you've taken the time to understand the organisation and its priorities.
"The company's continued investment in digital transformation is particularly appealing, and I look forward to applying my project management experience."
If you're unsure where to start, use this structure:
"I'm particularly interested in [specific responsibility or challenge]. In my previous [role, course or project], I [brief example], and I found that I especially enjoyed [relevant motivation]. This role would allow me to apply my [relevant skill] while contributing to [company goal, project or initiative], which is why it feels like a natural next step."
There's no single "correct" answer to this question. The examples below show how different candidates can apply the same structure while drawing on their own experience and motivations. Like other common interview questions, the strongest responses are tailored to your own experience rather than learned word-for-word.
"I'm particularly interested in the opportunity to lead customer experience initiatives. In my current role, I've managed several projects focused on improving service delivery and customer satisfaction. Through that work, I've found that I enjoy combining data-driven insights with stakeholder engagement to drive change. I also noticed the company is continuing to invest in strengthening its customer offering, which aligns closely with my experience. I'd welcome the opportunity to contribute to those efforts while continuing to develop as a leader."
"What interests me most is the opportunity to apply analytical and problem-solving skills in a professional environment. During university, I completed a research project that involved analysing data and developing recommendations for a real business challenge. I enjoyed turning findings into practical solutions. This role would allow me to build on that experience while developing practical skills in a professional environment and contributing to real business outcomes."
"I'm particularly interested in the client-facing aspect of the role. Although my background is in operations, I've always enjoyed working closely with stakeholders to understand their needs and find solutions. Over the past year, I've completed relevant training and spent time learning more about the industry. This role allows me to build on transferable skills while moving into a field I've deliberately prepared for."
"One aspect that attracted me to this opportunity is the company's focus on innovation. In my previous role, I regularly looked for ways to improve processes and introduce more efficient ways of working. That's something I find genuinely rewarding. After researching the organisation's recent initiatives, I could see that innovation is a key priority, and I'd value the chance to contribute to that environment."
Instead of:
"It seems like a great opportunity."
Explain which aspects of the role appeal to you most.
A strong answer should cover both the organisation and the day-to-day responsibilities.
Career progression and learning opportunities are important, but interviewers also want to understand the value you hope to bring.
Your answer should explain your motivation, not simply list your qualifications and previous roles.
Avoid making claims about the organisation's culture unless you have evidence to support them.
Excessive praise can sound rehearsed. Specific observations are usually more effective and credible.
Tailor your answer to the position and organisation. Small details can make a significant difference.
Aim to keep your answer focused on:
The questions overlap, but they're not identical.
"What interests you about this role?" focuses primarily on the work, responsibilities and challenges involved.
"Why do you want this job?" focuses more on the organisation itself.
In practice, interviewers often use the questions interchangeably. Understanding the difference can help you give a more targeted answer.
Aim for around 45 to 90 seconds.
Your answer should explain what interests you about the role, provide a brief supporting example, and explain why the opportunity appeals to you. Focus on the most relevant points rather than covering every detail of your background.
The best answers don't rely on generic statements about being excited for an opportunity. Instead, they explain what attracts you to the role, how your experience relates to it and why it's a logical next step.
Keep your answer focused on the responsibilities that genuinely interest you and support your points with relevant examples. A response that feels specific and personal is often far more persuasive than one that sounds rehearsed.
Search for jobs
Carol is a Content Writer at Michael Page, creating content for audiences across the APAC region. She writes articles, contributes to annual salary reports, and helps maintain high standards of quality through editing and proofreading.With experience...
