Which interview question do you dread the most?! For many people, it’s “Why should we hire you over our other candidates?”, “Why are you the best person for this job?”, or “What makes you stand out?”
When hiring managers ask this, they aren’t trying to make you nervous (well, at least most of the time). What they are doing, though, is giving you the chance to brag about yourself.
Trust us – we know it can be awkward to boast about how great you are… but it’s something you should practice if you want to be comfortable in interviews. After all, job interviews are just like sales pitches. The only difference is that the “product” you’re selling is you!
That said, let’s jump into example answers for the question, “Why should we hire you?”
❌DON’T SAY: “Isn’t that your decision to make?”
You might be thinking it, but don’t say it! Even though you don’t know who you’re up against, you do know your own strengths and unique offering. Speak to that!
Not sure what to say? This is where prepping ahead of time comes in. Before your interview, refer back to the job posting and take a look at the key qualifications. For each point, write a note about how your experience lines up with the requirement – and voila, you have a cheat sheet to guide your answer to this interview question.
❌DON’T SAY: “You should hire me because my resume says XYZ…”
You put hard work into your resume, but that doesn’t mean you should use it as a script during your interview. Chances are that your interviewer has read it, which means you don’t have to repeat it word-for-word again.
Instead, try to bring more context to your accomplishments with new information. Explain (with specifics) how you went above and beyond on your last project. Mention your soft skills that line up with company values. Delve into why you feel you’d fit right in with the team. Don’t just robotically list off your objective statement; humanize yourself and show some personality.
❌DON’T SAY: “Well… uhh… I don’t know…”
Confidence is key. In fact, almost 40% of job candidates get rejected due to perceived low confidence, poor voice quality, or lack of smile. Don’t let that be you!
When you’re asked why a company should hire you, one of the worst things you can say is “I don’t know”. Why? Because if you don’t believe in yourself, how will the hiring manager believe in you? You should have some kind of “elevator pitch” that explains the value you’ll bring to the table. Make sure it’s ready before your call so you don’t freeze!
✅DO SAY: Any of the below options!
- “Looking at the job description, I found that my experience matched up with your requirements perfectly…” *go through list of requirements and explain why*
- “From our conversations, it’s become clear that this company is built on [insert value here]. I resonate with your values and think I’d be a great fit based on…” *explain work-related incidences where you demonstrated that value*
- “I feel I’m the right person for the job as I have strong experience in [main job duty]. For instance, in my previous role, I…” *provide context, numerical data, and details about your career highlights*
And just like that, you’re hired! For more tips like this, make sure to join the Pivot + Edge Talent Network. We’re always sharing our top career insights, hiring tips and all the latest news from our team, and we can’t wait to connect with you!
