'Confused' is stumped by this question particularly when asked directly by the business owner. There are 2 potential issues operating here. Firstly if your background is mainly in large organisations the interviewer wants to know if you can make the transition from working for a large organisation to a smaller one. Secondly they may be concerned that you are over qualified for the role and consequently not be challenged enough. Put simply the interviewer/business owner wants to know that you have thought about why you want to work for them.

Issue #1 - making a transition from a large organisation to a smaller one: Moving from the corporate world to a small business environment can be difficult. Whilst both environments have their positives, it can be challenging to make the transition if you've been used to working in large organisations where there's been lots of support or resources. Again the interviewer will expect you have done your homework and researched the organisation and the role. What attracts you to the role, is it greater responsibility, smaller more intimate environment, do you like the product/focus of the business etc? Answering this question gives you the opportunity to sell yourself and match yourself to the requirements of the role. Let the interviewer know you've done your homework and have thought about why you want this role.

Issue #2 -over-qualified for the role: If you suspect this is a concern of the interviewer it's up to you to allay their fears. You should try and directly deal with this concern during the interview and perhaps say something like... "some people might think I am over qualified for this role, especially coming from a large corporate, however I have researched the role and organisation thoroughly and believe I could make a significant contribution. I am excited at the way the company operates and though my wealth of experience means I can hit the ground running and quickly make a contribution I believe there is still a lot I can learn".

This question gives you lots of scope to ego stroke the interviewer/business owner and that's always a good thing at interview!!!

What do you think? Blog us here with your suggestion for Confused