This open ended question  is designed to get to know you beyond your ‘qualifications’ and is another way of asking:

• Do you understand our organisation and are you committed to what we aim to accomplish?;
• Tell us something about yourself that we do not know already?;
• What inspires and motivates you?;
• What are your ambitions?; What drives you?; 
• Are you serious about your career going forward and wanting to make a contribution to our own mission?;
• Have you understood what this type of work potentially entails?;
• Why would you be the right candidate for this position?;
• Are you ambitious enough to to diligently work through the hard times as well as the good times?;
• Why would you be the right person for our organisation to invest in?;
• How do you know that this is the right career option for you?

We might not know exactly where we want to be in 5 years from now but being able to demonstrate that you have thought through a possible path can show that you are serious about your work.  In fact, interviews at entry level might well lessen the gap – it could be 1 year from now, or 3 … and, whatever the number,  they are wanting to know that you know enough about the industry and their company to really want to be there.  You, for them, are an investment of time, energy and finance.  You have ‘competitors’ for the same position and the company would like to know that you would make the most of the opportunity that they are giving you and importantly that the return on their investment is a great one!

And so to really help you with some pre thought around this question, see if you can speak to somebody who is a few years ahead of you in a similar profession.  Talk to them as to how they view their career path thus far and as to what their vision and advice to you would be.  Look closely at the interviewing company and in assessing their work and projects – what would you like to see yourself being involved in potentially.  And then ask yourself the question as to why you so want to work for them and what you would need to do to make the experience meaningful and with potential to grow. If you are unsure as to whether you would really like to be in this company for the long haul – what about more generally?  

Nothing is set in stone but in planning forward a potential career avenue you might well find renewed purpose and energy.