“Are you willing to travel?” This question is quite ambiguous. And it is important you delve deeper and answer this honestly! It is important when asked this to clarify exactly what is meant. It could be a case that the interviewer simply thinks your home address is a little over the distance they would travel to get to the office. It could mean you may have to visit places other than your office in the local area on a regular basis. It could mean regular trips to other parts of the country, which could be for a few hours, or days, weeks or even months. It could even mean spending time in foreign countries. So when faced with this question the first answer would be:
“Please clarify the kind of travelling you would expect of me?”
If it is for example, travelling 50/100 miles outside of the office every so often, or attending a monthly training session in a different city for example, you could answer one of various ways.
“Yes, I love to travel to new cities. I really enjoy driving, and I could even offer to car share with colleagues to save on fuel emissions and to bond with them. I have no commitments at home so it shouldn’t be a problem to travel at short notice”
“Yes I would enjoy travelling, however I don’t have a license, I would be willing to apply for a license, or happy to travel on the bus or train. Perhaps a colleague could give me a lift if it is a team attended event.”
“Unfortunately it would be difficult for me to travel as I have children at home and have to relieve childcare. However if enough notice is given I may be able to travel for certain events.”
If foreign travel is expected then again, it will come down very much to your personal preference. Honesty really is best here, as if you say you are happy to travel and then are expected to leave the country at short notice to go abroad and cant because of other commitments, that could jeopardise your job. Examples again could be the following.
“I’d love the opportunity to travel abroad. I love to see things done in different ways and I am happy to gain new experiences where possible.”
are you willing to travel“I would probably be unable to travel outside of the country due to having children that rely upon me.”
“I would be quite happy travelling any distance; I have a passport and would even be willing to relocate if the job required that of me.”
“I have previously worked as a sales rep, travelling up and down the country on a daily basis, and I have also worked abroad in a holiday resort, so I am quite comfortable with travelling and living in hotels etc. I actually find that travelling makes me perform better as a little break from routine can revitalize you, and then when you do return you feel reinvigorated and happy to see you colleagues etc.”
Good luck.
photo by: jonathan kos read