“How did you hear about this position?” sounds like a throwaway interview question, but it can tell the employer whether you applied deliberately, whether somebody recommended the company, and what attracted you enough to continue after first seeing the vacancy.
The answer can be short. The best version normally says where you found the role and then adds one sentence explaining why you applied.
Simple answer formula
“I first saw the position through [source]. I then looked into [company/team/role], and [specific responsibility or feature] made me want to apply.”
1. You found it on LinkedIn
“I saw the vacancy on LinkedIn. The title caught my attention, but I applied after reading the full description because the responsibility for improving customer journeys is very close to the work I have been doing recently. I then looked at the organisation in more detail and felt the role was a strong match.”
2. You found it on Indeed or another job board
“I found the role while searching Indeed for senior analyst positions in the area. I had seen several vacancies, but this one stood out because it combines stakeholder work with process improvement rather than being purely reporting-focused. I went to your careers site to read more before applying.”
3. You found it on the company website
“I was already following the organisation because I was interested in the work you are doing in digital services. I checked the careers page and saw this vacancy. The scope of the role matched the direction I want to take my career, so I applied.”
4. An employee referred you
“A former colleague who now works here mentioned the vacancy to me. They thought the role suited my background in programme delivery. I read the specification myself before applying, and the combination of team leadership and transformation work was what convinced me it was worth pursuing.”
If the employee is happy to be named, use their name. Do not imply a close referral if somebody merely forwarded you a public link.
5. A recruiter contacted you
“A recruiter contacted me about the position. I was not actively applying to everything at the time, but after reading the specification I was interested because the role gives broader ownership than my current position. I then researched the organisation and decided it was an opportunity I genuinely wanted to explore.”
6. You heard through networking
“I heard about the role through a contact in my professional network. We had been discussing the type of move I wanted to make, and they sent it to me because of the focus on data-led service improvement. I researched the team and applied because it matched both my experience and the direction I had described.”
7. You saw it on social media
“I saw the vacancy shared through your social-media account. I was already familiar with the organisation, but I had not realised this team was recruiting. The role description was closely aligned to my experience, particularly [specific area], so I followed the link to the careers site and applied.”
8. You heard at a university, careers fair or professional event
“I first heard about the organisation at a careers event, where I spoke to one of your team about the graduate programme. I kept an eye on the careers site afterwards and applied when this position opened because the work in [specific area] was exactly what I had been looking for.”
9. You found it through a professional body or specialist community
“The role was shared through a professional community I follow. I tend to use that source because the vacancies are closely related to my specialism. I applied after reading the job description and seeing the emphasis on [specific skill or responsibility].”
10. You genuinely do not remember exactly where you saw it
Do not invent a referral. You can say:
“I was using a few different job sites at the time, so I cannot honestly remember whether I first saw the vacancy on LinkedIn or a job board. What I do remember is that I went to your careers site to read the full specification and applied because [specific reason].”
Why employers ask this question
- Recruitment source: employers want to know which channels are bringing in candidates.
- Motivation: your answer can show whether you were deliberately interested in the organisation.
- Referral: they may want to know whether an employee or recruiter introduced you.
- Attention: a candidate who remembers what attracted them usually sounds more considered than somebody who applied to 100 vacancies without reading them.
What not to do
- Do not spend three minutes explaining how job boards work.
- Do not claim an employee referral if the person did not actually recommend you.
- Do not say “I apply for everything” even if you are conducting a broad search.
- Do not stop at “LinkedIn” if you can add one useful sentence explaining why the role caught your attention.
Short answers are fine
This is not normally a question that needs STAR. Ten to thirty seconds is often enough. The opportunity is simply to turn a factual recruitment question into a small piece of evidence that you chose the vacancy for a reason.