I can't believe someone was asked this question in a job interview yesterday.
Recruiters, hiring managers, it's time to skip the theoretical or pointless questions and focus on the job related skills. Maybe this would be a suitable if the candidate was interviewing to work in a zoo. You only have a 15-30 minutes window to determine candidate’s abilities and fit for a specific role. Irrelevant textbook questions that you already have a predetermined answer for, do not lead to selecting the best candidates.
Instead of asking questions like, “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” Ask what are your short term goals? Get to the point. Be clear and specific. An interview is already nerve wracking for most candidates and then you have them trying to figure out what exactly you are asking. It seems the recruiting process is still broken and outdated in most companies! Meanwhile, you have qualified candidates slipping through the cracks. It needs a complete overhaul!