How to Answer “Why Should We Hire You?” in a Job Interview

Have an important interview coming up? Check out our dedicated guide to learn helpful strategies and techniques for answering “Why Should We Hire You?” in a job interview.

 

 

Why Do Hiring Managers Ask This Question? 

 

If you have progressed to the interview stage, that means that you have met the basic qualifications for the job. The question “why should we hire you” gives you the opportunity to set yourself apart from the competition. A well-prepared response should encompass a succinct sales pitch for the Hiring Manager that demonstrates the unique value you can bring to both the role and the organisation. 

 

Alternative Phrasings of “Why Should We Hire You?”

 

• Why would you be a good fit for this position?
• What makes you unique?
• Why are you the best candidate for this job?
• Explain why your background and experience would be a good fit for this job.
• What unique value could you bring to this organisation?

 

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How to Prepare Your Answer To “Why Should We Hire You?” – A Step-By-Step Guide

 

1. List your Biggest Professional Strengths & Achievements 

Maxwell Maltz once wrote that your “most important sale in life is to sell yourself to yourself.” In order to successfully sell yourself as a candidate, you have to believe in your abilities. As such, it’s important to take time to assess your unique strengths and values as a candidate. To this end, confidence-building is key.

Grab a notepad and write a master list of your professional strengths and achievements. Try to back up each item with supporting evidence such as an anecdote or data. Keep this list in a safe place so that you can use it again for other job applications. 

 

2. Read & Re-Read the Job Ad

Identify the key skills and qualities mentioned in the job ad and think about times when you illustrated these in your career. 

 

3. Cross-Compare Your List Against the Job Ad

Check if there is any overlap between the items featured on your list and the keywords featured in the job ad. Of these, choose 3-4 points to build your response around. 

 

4. Craft the Perfect Elevator Pitch 

Now that you have identified your talking points, you can develop your response. Remember – the main aim of your answer is to show the interviewer the unique value you could add to the role. As such, be sure to connect the dots between your skills and the needs of the organisation. A strong elevator pitch should be short, compelling, memorable and to the point. If you are working with a recruitment partner, they can help you with this step. 

 

5. Nail the Delivery 

Once you have prepared an elevator pitch that you are happy with, practice, practice, practice!  Ideally, you want to know your key talking points while not sounding too rehearsed. Positive body language (a.g. smiling, making eye contact, maintaining good posture) can also help you to project confidence. When you finish your answer, resist the temptation to continue rambling. Instead, ask the interviewer if they have any questions for you. 

 

 

What to Say If You Have No Relevant Professional Experience

 

This question can be particularly tricky for entry-level candidates who are looking to gain industry experience. Here are our top five tips for such candidates:

• Don’t forget about soft skills – think about what character traits would help you to succeed in the role.
• Don’t forget to mention any relevant volunteering experience.
• If you are a recent graduate, you can highlight how your studies are relevant to the job and how you put these skills and knowledge to use through projects and extracurricular activities.
• If you have worked in previous unrelated roles, think back on transferable soft skills that would be useful in this role.
• Highlight that you have a learning mindset and are happy to work hard and learn fast.

 

 

Why Should We Hire You? | 5 Things to Avoid in Your Answer

 

1. Talking Too Much

We recommend preparing a succinct response that brings together three to four points about the unique value you can bring to the role. Once you have covered your talking points, clearly indicate that you have finished answering and avoid the temptation to continue rambling on aimlessly. 

 

2. Being Too Modest

Everyone finds it hard to talk about themselves but now is not the time to be shy about sharing your achievements and skills. 

 

3. Being Arrogant

Similarly, you don’t want to come off as braggy, arrogant and overconfident. Back up your statements with relevant supporting evidence such as anecdotes and statistics. 

 

4. Giving A Generic Answer

Take the time to craft an original response that uniquely speaks to your skills, experience and achievements. Go the extra mile and tailor your answer to the requirements of the job and the culture of the company. 

 

5. Reciting an Answer By Heart

When it comes to impressing interviewers, delivery is the key. And what is the answer to a successful delivery? Confidence. So what can you do to convey confidence in the interview? Firstly, be prepared. Know your talking points inside and out so that can discuss them confidently and answer any questions that may arise. However, at the same time you don’t want to appear be robotically reciting a learned-off answer. As a candidate, you need to be able to the script while being able to deviate off-script when needed. 

 

What If They Don’t Ask You “Why Should We Hire You?”

 

Preparing a response for the question “Why Should We Hire You?” will give you plenty of talking points for the interview. If the interviewer doesn’t ask you this question, you can simply repurpose your answer by chopping and changing elements of your prepared response based on the interviewer’s question. You could re-use your answer for a number of questions such as, “What are your biggest strengths?”, “What is your greatest professional achievement?”, “Is there anything else you’d like us to know? ” etc. 

Liked This? Why Not Read Our Other Guides On Commonly-Asked Job Interview Questions

 

• Tell Me About Yourself
• Why Do You Want to Work With Us?
• What Are Your Strengths & Weaknesses?
• Why Should We Hire You?
• What Are Your Salary Expectations?
• Why Did You Leave Your Previous Job?
• How to Explain Gaps on Your CV in a Job Interview
• Killer Questions to Ask the Inteviewer
• How do you deal with workplace conflict?
• How to Answer Competency-Based Interview Questions