If you are sitting in an interview, you can expect to encounter the question “why should we hire you?” This is a staple question in most interviews. It seems like an unusual question for employers to ask because they know their business much more than you do, so it will be a bit challenging for you to know why you’re a better candidate to hire over any other. However, this question also presents the opportunity to sell yourself for the desired position, and you must be ready to answer it. So, with that said, here are some of the best ways to answer this question.
Match Your Qualifications With The Job Requirements
Before you enter the interview, you should have already taken some time to review the job description along with the requirements for the position including personality traits, skills, and qualifications. Based on this information, you will want to think of at least five to seven of your strengths that correlate closely to these requirements and use them as the core for your answer. Be sure to include any skills or accomplishments you have that go beyond the job description and make you a better candidate than the competition. For example, if you are seeking a sales position, you might want to highlight an additional certification that makes you more knowledgeable than the average salesperson. This also shows that you have taken the time to dig deep into your skill set in correspondence with what the position requires.
There is a big difference between “showing” and “telling,” and you will make a much stronger case for yourself by doing the former. So, for each strength you identify, you should reference a situation where you had to use that trait or skill to achieve something. It is easy to simply say that you have great communication skills; however, what will set you apart from the rest is identifying a specific story where you put those communication skills to use to negotiate a deal or settle a conflict. Keep in mind; your qualifications might come across as meaningless unless they are backed with examples from prior experiences.
Keep Your Answer Brief And Fluent
From the five to seven strengths you’ve come up with, you will want to focus on one or two that you really emphasize on in your “sales pitch.” You also want to make sure that your delivery is fluid and comes with the flexibility to adapt to any new information. For example, the interviewer might indicate that there is another quality that is more valuable to the company and you should be able to work that into your response. Finally, be sure to keep your response brief and limited to about a minute or two long. You do not want to go on a long tangent as that can come off as you bragging about yourself.