How should i have answered this interview question?

I recently went to an interview and i believe i messed it up when i was asked the question, why do you want to work here? I was not expecting a question like that at all and i kinda froze. For future reference, what exactly are you supposed to answer? is...

there any answer that does not sound false and phony like am buttering the committee up?

Dear denisa3321,
This is a standard question in interviews...you prepare for this by knowing everything you can about the company you have applied to. Not only is this a good idea for the interview but it also allows you to see if this is really where you want to work.
Sue...good luck

All you can do is make sure that you have the done the preparation before hand and also have a good think - why do you want to work there?

Sometimes you will be asked why do you want to work here?

Sometimes you might even be asked where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

Perhaps you want to work someplace because you already have the qualified skills or you may be looking to try something new and you are willing to work hard to learn the new trade. You must always emphasize that you are willing to learn, to work and to try so that the potential employer will get the idea that you could be a potential asset to the company.

Also, when you interview, be sure that you are making eye contact when answering questions.

And when you leave, be sure to thank your interviewer and shake their hand.

When you get home, draw up a short thank you note thanking him/her for taking time to meet with you about the potential job opening and that you look forward to speaking with them again soon.

For the future, you should know that in the process of looking for a job,the preparation you put into it is very important. The ratio interview:preparation should be about 10:90 and then you can say you did the best to get the job. As most of the people with experience in job interviewing know it, the question that you came across is the most popular one and it is very important to have practiced a likely answer before. You should be generally sincere, but don't forget to mention how much you know about the company and its products and flatter them subtly.
Keep in mind that whatever you say should focus on your fit with the company and not vice-versa.
I get the impression that you are new at this. Here's a site that should help you with the basics of job hunting :
http://www.cvtips.com/interview_question_2.html
Good luck!