Why Should We Hire
You: The Best Answer for This Common Interview Question
You crafted the
perfect resume. You landed the interview. You’ve got a stellar work history and
education supporting you. You’ve knocked out home runs on every question the
interview pitches your way. That job is as good as yours……as long as you can
tell the interviewer why they should hire you over the other equally qualified
applicants.
And that’s exactly
where many people fail to close the deal.
Why
It Is So Hard to Answer This Common Question
It’s a common
question, but it’s also one of the most challenging ones to answer. Shouldn’t
your accomplishments speak for themselves? Isn’t your resume a good enough
indicator that you’re the perfect fit?
For many people, it
isn’t easy to talk about or brag on themselves. And that’s exactly what you’re
doing when answering this question. You have to convince the interviewer you
are better than every other prospective candidate.
But here’s a little
secret: What you say when answering this
question is just as important to how you deliver your answer.
They want to see how
you can balance confidence and humility. They want to know how you articulate
your best qualities without reducing those of other people. And they want to see
how much you believe in yourself.
Why
It’s Important to Prepare for This Question
You don’t want to
sound rehearsed in the interview (because let’s face it, good interviewers can
tell a memorized answer from one that comes from the heart). But you also should
know that this question WILL be asked, and it doesn’t hurt to consider how you
will answer it.
What many people don’t realize is that this particular question
is your pivotal moment to differentiate yourself from the stack and sell them
on YOU. Not your resume, not your cover letter, not your references. Just plain
YOU.
And how you answer
this question could win you the job, or send you back to the job board.
5
Essential Tips on How to Answer ‘Why Should We Hire You’
There is no
one-answer-fits-all solution because our talents and experiences are all
unique. But be aware there is a basic formula you can follow to know how to
give a solid answer that will knock socks off and push you to the top of the
resume stack:
Listen
for hints from the interviewer.
During the interview,
pick up cues about what the company is looking for in a candidate and find a
way to link those needs to your own unique offerings. If you listen closely
enough, the interviewer will essentially arm you with the “right” answer. It’s also
a good way to show them you were paying attention to them.
For example, if the
company has emphasized its focus on customer service, you could include a
concrete example of how you went above and beyond for customers at your old
job, like this:
“My role as customer
experience manager in my last job allowed me to get creative for our customers
on a daily basis. I would make courtesy calls to see how they like their
purchase, give them real demonstrations, and spend as much time as needed to
help them make the right decision. I feel your company can benefit from my
customer-centric mentality.”
Choose
3-4 top reasons for your closing statement.
You don’t want to
rehash your entire resume, so pick a few key skills or accomplishments that put
you in a positive light. Remember, this is your final chance to sell yourself
and close the deal, so make sure you end strong.
You could talk about
your experience, awards, skills, accomplishments, or anything else that you
think other candidates can’t offer or might not talk about. It’s crucial to
differentiate yourself in this question; otherwise, if every candidate’s answer
sounds the same, it does nothing to help the hiring decision for the recruiter.
The following
statement is far from a canned response, plus it also relates how the candidate
plans to benefit the company:
“My ability to create
and foster strong relationships with clients, my drive to always do something
better than someone else, and my creativity in solving problems can contribute
to taking this company skyward in its revenue and reputation.”
Prove
your worth.
Companies want to know
they are making a good investment by hiring the right person. You could
reiterate specific achievements from your previous jobs that could be
beneficial to their company, such as your influence in sales increases, new
ideas that brought in more customers, or ways you saved your company money:
“For example, I found
a bookkeeping error in an account that had been overlooked for 3 years, which
in turn generated an extra $500 a month for our company. Being money-conscious
and resourceful comes naturally to me, and I find I’m often looking for ways to
keep costs down. It’s my attention to detail, even when others have searched
for and haven’t found anything amiss, that sets me apart from others.”
Tailor
your answer to the company.
One of the detrimental
side effects of crafting your answer beforehand is that it isn’t specific to
the job you are interviewing for. You don’t want to present a generic answer,
so make sure you include some cues that are relevant to the job and the
company.
Here’s a good example
if you are truly familiar with the company you’ve applied with:
“As a long time
[company name] customer, I’m already quite familiar with your products and the
benefits they provide [name a few products and benefits for example]. You offer
products that I feel comfortable standing behind and recommending to customers.
Because I’m also a customer, I can speak not only from training materials but
also personal experience, which could help in providing deeper connections with
customers.”
Tie
in the company culture to your answer.
Hopefully you checked
out the company website before your interview (and shame on you if you didn’t).
The website can give you a good impression of the company’s culture and
mission.
One thing that
interviewers look for when they hire someone is how that person will fit with
the company culture. If you have solid accomplishments, education, and all the
other requirements, you should highlight how you can fit in with their core
environment.
“Looking at your
website photos of your company outing at [name of place] reminds me of a
similar group event I coordinated for my last company [give a few details]. In
addition to the skills and accomplishments we’ve already discussed, I feel like
I’d fit right in as part of the family here. It looks like your company keeps a
sense of humor around the clock and truly has a passion for serving your
customers, which is exactly the type of environment I thrive in.”
5
Don’t for the Why Should We Hire You question
- Don’t get cocky, but don’t be too humble.
Remember, this is a balancing game of confidence and humility, and you
want to demonstrate a fair amount of both.
- Don’t be generic. Saying things like “I
have great qualities that will benefit your company” says nothing about
what makes YOU the best choice. Other candidates may also have great
qualities that can benefit the company, so be unique.
- Don’t sound desperate. Recruiters will not
take pity on you if you need the money or have 4 children or just lost
your job because you got sick. Rather, this is your chance to make them
feel your value.
- Don’t tell them you want to work there
because you live close by. Companies aren’t concerned if you want the job
out of convenience. They want you to know how much success you can
contribute to the company, and that you have a strong desire to do so.
- Don’t focus too much on yourself. This
question, as much as it sounds like it’s about you, is more about what you
can do for the company.
Summary
Even if you prepare
ahead of time, thinking how to answer “Why should we hire you?” can prove
nerve-wrecking. But with a little practice, you can trust yourself to say the
right thing at the right time and earn the job you deserve.
Alli Hill
http://www.lifehack.org/585458/how-answer-why-should-hire-you?ref=mail&mtype=daily_newsletter&mid=20170511_tuning_v1&uid=687414&hash=707e797f7e757e6d794c856d747b7b3a6f7b79&action=click
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