Modern hiring demands modern questions: how to identify adaptable talent in unpredictable times
Key Points:
- Senior recruitment consultant explains why the traditional 5-year plan interview question fails both employers and candidates
- Expert highlights more effective alternatives, including focusing on adaptability, problem-solving abilities, and alignment with company values
- Employers who update their interview approach can better identify candidates with the flexibility and skills needed for modern workplaces, expert says
In job interviews across the globe, candidates continue to face predictable questions that have persisted for decades. Among these, the classic “Where do you see yourself in five years?” remains a staple despite significant changes in how careers develop in modern workplaces.
With rapid technological advancement and shifting industry landscapes, recruitment professionals often now question whether this traditional inquiry still serves its intended purpose.
“The five-year plan question has become increasingly difficult for candidates to answer meaningfully,” explains Julia Yurchak, Senior Recruitment Consultant at Keller Executive Search, a premier global talent solutions firm with partners across 71 countries. “In today’s rapidly changing professional environment, both candidates and employers would benefit from a more nuanced approach to understanding future potential.”
Yurchak believes that while understanding a candidate’s ambition and direction is still valuable, the traditional framing of this question often produces rehearsed, inauthentic responses rather than useful insights about a potential hire’s true motivations and capabilities.
Why the Five-Year Plan Question Falls Short
The professional world has transformed dramatically over recent years. Technology advances at unprecedented rates, industries pivot quickly, and new roles emerge that didn’t exist just a few years ago. These rapid changes make long-term career planning increasingly challenging.
“When hiring managers ask about five-year plans, they’re assuming a level of predictability in both their industry and organisation that simply doesn’t exist anymore,” says Yurchak. “The question was designed for an era when career paths were more linear and industries changed at a much slower pace.”
The question also puts candidates in a difficult position. Those who speak honestly about uncertainty might appear directionless, while those who offer confident five-year roadmaps might seem unrealistic or overly rehearsed.
“Candidates know what they’re expected to say,” Yurchak notes. “They craft answers they think employers want to hear, not responses that genuinely reflect their aspirations or potential. This creates a missed opportunity for authentic conversation about mutual fit.”
More Effective Alternatives
Instead of asking about five-year plans, Yurchak recommends questions that better assess a candidate’s adaptability, problem-solving abilities, and alignment with company values.
1. Focus on adaptability and learning
Questions that explore how candidates have navigated previous changes or unexpected challenges reveal more about their potential than hypothetical future scenarios. Ask about instances where they’ve had to pivot quickly or master new skills under pressure.
“A question like ‘Tell me about a time when your role or industry underwent significant change, and how you responded’ gives much more insight into a candidate’s resilience and adaptability,” suggests Yurchak.
2. Discuss motivations and values
Understanding what drives a candidate provides more valuable information than knowing their specific career timeline. Questions about what energises them professionally or what they find meaningful in their work offer deeper insights.
“I prefer asking ‘What aspects of your professional life give you the most satisfaction?’ This reveals whether their motivations align with what your organisation can offer, creating a foundation for longer-term engagement,” Yurchak explains.
3. Explore problem-solving approaches
How candidates approach challenges often proves more valuable than their precise career ambitions. Case-based questions or discussions about how they’ve tackled complex problems in the past can demonstrate thinking patterns and working styles.
4. Discuss industry trends
Instead of focusing on personal five-year plans, discuss the candidate’s perspective on where they see the industry heading. This reveals their industry knowledge and forward-thinking capabilities without requiring unrealistic personal predictions.
Questions That Should Join the Five-Year Plan in Retirement
The five-year plan isn’t the only interview question that has outstayed its welcome. Yurchak identifies several other standard queries that provide limited value in today’s hiring context:
“What’s your greatest weakness?”
This question typically elicits rehearsed responses rather than genuine reflection. Candidates are trained to transform strengths into weaknesses or mention skills they’ve already improved.
“Instead, ask about a recent piece of feedback they’ve received and how they responded to it. This gives insight into their self-awareness and growth mindset,” says Yurchak.
“Why should we hire you?”
This broad question often leads to generic responses that don’t address specific job requirements.
“A better approach is asking how their specific experiences have prepared them for key aspects of the role. This focuses the conversation on relevant capabilities rather than general self-promotion,” Yurchak suggests.
“Where did you see yourself five years ago?”
This retrospective version of the five-year plan question doesn’t acknowledge how quickly circumstances can change.
“The past five years have included a global pandemic, massive technological shifts, and economic fluctuations. Asking candidates to compare their current position to past expectations isn’t particularly illuminating,” notes Yurchak.
Julia Yurchak, Senior Recruitment Consultant at Keller Executive Search, commented:
“The most valuable employees aren’t those who can predict their future with precision—they’re the ones who can adapt intelligently as conditions change. When we cling to interview questions from a different era, we miss opportunities to identify the agility, problem-solving skills, and authentic motivations that really predict success in modern organisations.
“Forward-thinking companies are already moving away from rigid questioning toward conversational interviews that reveal how candidates think and respond to real situations. This approach helps both parties determine whether there’s potential for a meaningful, productive partnership—regardless of whether that partnership lasts for precisely five years.
“The best hiring decisions happen when we focus on present capabilities and character rather than hypothetical futures. By refreshing our interview techniques to reflect today’s professional realities, we create space for candidates to demonstrate their true potential rather than their rehearsal skills.”
