DEAR BRIDEE: A job interview question that I have trouble with is "Why do you want to work here?" What can I say? -- P.R.W.

A GIFT. This sweetheart of a question is an invitation to restate your credentials, enthusiasm and commitment.

Like the factor of curb appeal in real estate, by showing that your aim is to invest in your future, the interviewer will look upon you favorably and can deduce that you'll outperform your competition - the people who just want a job.

Flesh out your answer with specific applicable facts you uncover during your research on the position and the company.

CUSTOMIZE. You can adapt your answer to any of these 10 models.

1. This is not only a fine opportunity, but this company is a place where my qualifications can make a difference. As a finance executive well versed in the new stock options law, I see this position as made to order. It contains the challenge to keep me on my toes. That's the kind of job I like to anticipate every morning.

2. I want this job because it seems tailored to my competencies, which include sales and marketing. As I said earlier, in a previous position I created an annual growth rate of 22 percent in a flat industry. Additionally, the team I would work with looks terrific.

3. I well understand that this is a company on the way up. Your Web site says the launch of several new products is imminent. I want be a part of this business as it grows.

4. As a dedicated technician, I like doing essential research. Being part of a breakthrough team is an experience I'd love to repeat.

5. This job is a good fit for what I've been interested in throughout my career. It offers a nice mix of short- and long-term activities. My short-term achievements keep me cranked up and the long-term accomplishments make me feel like a billion bucks.

6. I want this job selling theatre tickets because I'd be good at it. I'm good at speaking to people and handling cash. I would like a job with regular hours and I'm always on time.

7. I'd fit right in as a clerk in your fine drycleaners. I have observed that the counter clerk position requires competence at handling several activities in quick order -- customer service, payments, bagging and phones. I like multitasking and, as a homemaker, I have a lot of practice in keeping all the balls in the air.

8. The work I find most stimulating allows me to use both my creative and research skills. The buzz on this company is that it rewards people who deliver solutions to substantial problems.

9. Based on my research, this position appears to incorporate many elements of change. I enjoy learning and I look forward to staying current on new trends and technologies, as well as systems and processes. As my academic record shows, I master new skills and information quickly. This is a great job opportunity for me.

10. though I haven't worked in private security, I'm transitioning from law enforcement -- fields that are two peas in a pod. The security field, like law enforcement, uses many of my strongest competencies. For instance, analyzing and solving real-life puzzles. In my previous job, I came up with a plan that cut warehouse theft by 75 percent. I can see myself solving interesting problems in this job and that has hand-in-glove appeal for me.

FINALLY. Don't say the company is in an industry you've always wanted to try. Don't say that you need to get your foot in the door so you can move to another job in the company in a year or so. And . Such reasons are akin to telling a prospective buyer that you want to sell your house because the heating bill is too high.